Sodium citrate developer for Kallitype

[Kenichi]

Hello.

I want to make sodium citrate developer for Kallitype. Which powder should I use?

Monosodium citrate?
Disodium citrate?
Trisodium citrate?

Thanks!

 

[bernard_L]

Wikipedia is your friend:

Sodium citrate may refer to any of the sodium salts of citric acid (though most commonly the third):

And a quick google search brings up that supplier
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/aldrich/w302600?lang=fr&region=FR
who states:

Sodium citrate dihydrate
Synonym: Citric acid trisodium salt dihydrate, Sodium citrate tribasic dihydrate, Trisodium citrate

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I just was down in the darkroom and mixed up my own sodium citrate developer from scratch. At a 3 to 1 ratio, I mixed in 3 heaping tablespoons of baking soda to 800ml tap water. Once thoroughly dissolved, I slowing mixed in 1 heaping tbls of citric acid. Topped off to one litre with water.
The print looks mmmmarvelous wet but we'll see how it looks when it has dried.

 

[Kenichi]

Thank you all.

Bostick & Sullivan sells this type C6H5Na3.2H2O. I'll try to use 20% solution of Trisodium citrate dihydrate and Andrew's developer.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Kenichi, Yokkaichi, is that near Nagoya? I lived way down in Kurume, near Fukuoka for many years. How are photo supplies for you there? Asking because I'll be going through there in December... thanks!

 

[Kenichi]

Oh really, Andrew!

Yes, Yokkaichi is near Nagoya. There are some DPE shops and used camera shop in yokkaichi. But if I want to get a new film camera, B&W films ( Kodak, ILFORD, Fujifilm etc. ), lens filters, Tripods, Darkroom supplies..., I have to go to Biccamera in Nagoya.

Photo Gallery International in Tokyo sells alternative photo supplies. I bought Japanese Hake brush from them.

Please enjoy your stay in Japan!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Thanks for the info, Kenichi! I've been to Bic Camera many times. I lived in Kurume for 12 wonderful years! Cheers!

 

[jorj]

I've not used baking soda directly, but rather sodium carbonate (bake the baking soda in a 200F oven for an hour). You don't even have to measure the ingredients if you have a pH meter - just stop adding citric acid when it's slightly acidic.

And if you want to aim for "perfect" maybe this will be useful:

http://biotech.about.com/od/buffersandmedia/ht/Sodium-Citrate-Buffer.htm

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have also used sodium carbonate (washing soda) in place of baking soda. You end up with a more potent developer compared to baking soda, and a darker print. Print colour is the same.

 

[Kenichi]

Thank you jorj and Andrew. I'll try to use jorj's sodium carbonate & citric acid version too.

Why photo chemists write "Sodium citrate" in their formula?
Why they don't write "Sodium citrate tribasic dihydrate" in their formula?

I feel like I understand that reason. Maybe... there are many varieties of Sodium citrate.