I've used both the Adox 3/4 bath E6 (Blix process) and the Bellini 6/7 bath (full original) E6 one-litre kits, and am very happy with the results from both. People say the original 6/7 bath method is fundamentally "better" but I have found the 3/4 version (both Tetenal and Adox) to give equally good results as far as I can subjectively see.
But I've just noticed a difference in the recommended storage times of the partly used stock solutions (I make up 500ml of working solution at a time, so the stock bottles are "half full" for a period of time).
For the Adox kit, all 4 stock solutions have a stated lifetime of 24 weeks for opened stock bottles. This assumes you squeeze the air out, use glass marbles or a protective gas like Protectan (Tetenal, no longer available).
For the Bellini kit, there are no times give in the data sheet, but I asked them (they are always helpful and respond quickly), and they said: "Stock solution (concentrate) in original bottle opened once and capped, with air squeezed out of bottle: 5 weeks".
There is a big difference between 5 weeks and 24 weeks! I'm tempted to believe that the lifetime of the Bellini kit in practice will be a bit longer than 5 weeks (my impression is that Bellini are quite conservative in their estimates), but on the other hand feel that 24 weeks for the Adox kit is pushing it.
Does anyone have any practical experience of whether these times are realistic? In particular, have you used the Bellini kit stock solution more than 5 weeks after making up an initial batch of working solution? (Of course, whether they give "OK results" is rather subjective, but any input would be helpful.)
But I've just noticed a difference in the recommended storage times of the partly used stock solutions (I make up 500ml of working solution at a time, so the stock bottles are "half full" for a period of time).
For the Adox kit, all 4 stock solutions have a stated lifetime of 24 weeks for opened stock bottles. This assumes you squeeze the air out, use glass marbles or a protective gas like Protectan (Tetenal, no longer available).
For the Bellini kit, there are no times give in the data sheet, but I asked them (they are always helpful and respond quickly), and they said: "Stock solution (concentrate) in original bottle opened once and capped, with air squeezed out of bottle: 5 weeks".
There is a big difference between 5 weeks and 24 weeks! I'm tempted to believe that the lifetime of the Bellini kit in practice will be a bit longer than 5 weeks (my impression is that Bellini are quite conservative in their estimates), but on the other hand feel that 24 weeks for the Adox kit is pushing it.
Does anyone have any practical experience of whether these times are realistic? In particular, have you used the Bellini kit stock solution more than 5 weeks after making up an initial batch of working solution? (Of course, whether they give "OK results" is rather subjective, but any input would be helpful.)
