split development from raw chemistry

phritz phantom · Jul 27, 2007

hi,
i just suddenly ran out of eukobrom, which leves me out of developer and it takes a few days until i can get a replacement.
i was just thinking about split developing my paper with dektol and selectol soft. i the meantime while i'm waiting for my order to arrive, are there formularies known which can replace those two developers?
i have most chemicals ready except for amidol and glycin.

thanks.

dancqu · Jul 27, 2007

phritz phantom said:
...dektol and selectol soft. in the meantime while i'm
waiting for my order to arrive, are there formularies
known which can replace those two developers?

Beer's 1 and 6 will do the job. Beer's 1 is Beer's
A at working strength. Beer's 6 is a little of the
A solutionplus a lot of the B solution.

To simplify I use very slightly adjusted formulas:
A: 1:3:3 -- metol - sulfite - carbonate
B: 1:3:4 -- hydroquinone - sulfite - carbonate

A or B a full batch, 1 liter, uses 8 grams of the
developing agent. Dilution suggested is 1:1. That
for any of the 1 to 7 combinations. Beer's 1 is no
more than A solution at working strength. Beer's
6 is 3 parts A and 5 parts B. Beer's 7 is 1 part
and 7 parts respectively. Dan

jim appleyard · Jul 27, 2007

Beers will work, but if you want Dektol & Select Soft (listed as Ansco 120, a similar dev), they are in Anchell's "Darkroom Cookbook".

Jim Noel · Jul 27, 2007

Once you go to split development you may never want to go back to a single developer. It is a great way to work.

phritz phantom · Jul 27, 2007

Jim Noel said:
Once you go to split development you may never want to go back to a single developer. It is a great way to work.

i was wondering about that. does this apply to variable contrast paper as well? or only with gradede paper?

i found the formulas for selectol soft and dektol (d-72). but i think i'll replace the d-72 with d-73, since i prefer colder tones over warm ones.
does that sound like a good idea?

gainer · Jul 28, 2007

I think I would keep three solutions: 1 of Metol or Phenidone, 1 of ascorbic acid or hydroquinone and the last of metaborate or carbonate. I would then learn how to use them to get various effects. Phenidone, hydroquinone and ascorbic acid are sufficiently soluble in glycol to make concentrated stock solutions of long shelf life.

Just a thought. IIRC someone else in APUG does something similar. Hoskinson or Svensson perhaps?

gainer · Jul 28, 2007

I forgot about sulfite. Oh well, who needs it?:

phritz phantom · Jul 28, 2007

gainer said:
I think I would keep three solutions: 1 of Metol or Phenidone, 1 of ascorbic acid or hydroquinone and the last of metaborate or carbonate. I would then learn how to use them to get various effects. Phenidone, hydroquinone and ascorbic acid are sufficiently soluble in glycol to make concentrated stock solutions of long shelf life.

you mean, making developers from those three ingredients, in various proportions?
with those three plus potassium bromide and sulfite you can mix approximatively 80% of all developers.

gainer · Jul 28, 2007

Tom Hoskinson · Jul 28, 2007

gainer said:
I think I would keep three solutions: 1 of Metol or Phenidone, 1 of ascorbic acid or hydroquinone and the last of metaborate or carbonate. I would then learn how to use them to get various effects. Phenidone, hydroquinone and ascorbic acid are sufficiently soluble in glycol to make concentrated stock solutions of long shelf life.

Just a thought. IIRC someone else in APUG does something similar. Hoskinson or Svensson perhaps?

Yes, I keep stock solutions of several developing reagents:
1. Phenidone dissolved in Propylene Glycol
2. Hydroquinone dissolved in Propylene Glycol
3. Ascorbic Acid dissolved in Propylene Glycol
4. Metol dissolved in Triethanolamine
5. Glycin dissolved in Triethanolamine
6. Pyrogallol dissolved in Propylene Glycol
7. Pyrocatechol dissolved in Propylene Glycol
8. Amidol dissolved in Propylene Glycol

split development from raw chemistry

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