There is no point to discuss with "Sinarfar" and "paddyquinn" because I have no business relationship with them and have no knowledge about them. The latter has never posted anything before and after, other than constructively posted this one (interesting). I wonder what is the real motivation. But whatever the motivation behind this strange post I have no interest to know and really I don't have time for it. I would rather write something more positive and productive.
I was purchasing some darkroom equipment yesterday in a recently closed business and was kindly given one and a half box 8x10-50 sheets Kodak Super-XX. The film is dated 1996. It is quite difficult to find any unopened box of 8x10 of Super XX.
After yesterday's purchase, other than the free gift of one and a half box of Kodak Super-XX 8x10-50 sheets film, I now owe four 20x24 vacuum easels, five Saunder 20x24 4-blade easels, five Saunder 16x20 easels, 25 best Nikkor and Schneider-Kreuznach Componon enlarging lenses (up to 210mm), and five Omega 4x5 enlargers. One Zone VI 20x24 archival washer and a high quality peak grain focuser too. I am not in darkroom hardware business but I cannot resist the attraction of those nice stuff.
Talking about free box of Super-XX films, I had similar story on AZO paper last year. A friend shipped me some Kodak, Fuji, Ilford, and Konica Color and B&W paper in rolls and boxes. He did not tell me exactly what he was sending me and we are in such a good trusty business relationship I don't even bother to ask him the details and paid him a few hundred dollars. After receiving two pallets of papers I was checking if there is any b&w paper I would like to use. In the mid of some Kodak and Ilford b&w papers, I find one box of Kodak AZO paper, 8x10-500 sheets. According to the invoice it is $10!
Now back to those nice darkroom items. For myself I will keep one Saunders 20x24 easel, one 20x24 vacuum easel, the 20x24 archival washer and the peak focuser for my own use. Sure I need at least one 4x5 enlarger and one set of lens. Those extra easels and lenses, enlargers will be listed in my website. I haven't decided about the Super-XX yet. It should be coupled with that box of AZO paper, put in my website, or sent to eBay. APUG is a good place for this sort of stuff too. Or I can set an 8x10 camera and just use them up.
Another happy development is mainly for the film and paper buyers. I received a large quantity of Fuji Acros 120, dated 2005. At the same time I received some last batch Ilford DD-X film developer and Agfa Rodinal, and a fair amount double weighted Ilford fiber paper, ranging from 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, up to 16x20. Lucky enough I found a few cases of Kodak Verichrome 120. Each case is 300 rolls. Verichrome is another long time classic discontinued a few years ago by Kodak. Those Verichromes are dated 2004. I believe that is or close to the last batch.
I received a few orders during and after last discussion in apug. I am quite happy with the transactions and I believe those customers are happy with the results too. Some of the transactions are quite large and leads to quick disappearance of those Tech Pan 120s. One really nice buyer sent me twice emails including a very long email to introduce me his experience and secret of past 20 or 30 years for processing Tech Pan. I will have to try his way to deal with this extreme fine-grained film.
With my darkroom equipped so well it is time to start printing something in larger size. I was using a regular Saunders 11x14 easel before and really need a vacuum easel for those borderless prints. Sure the vacuum easel will be a great help to print on fiber papers. I usually work in the darkroom once per week. Now I may expend it to twice per week to make better use of the darkroom.
I shoot film like shoot machine gun. I do my best to finish as many rolls as possible to test those outdated films I plan to list on eBay. Still I cannot test them all. After seven years in eBay selling outdated films, I did not receive, if I remember correctly, I did not receive one negative feedback regarding the quality of those films. Instead there are tons of positive responses on how great the film performs. This is surprise to me too. Remember there are well over 5,000 transactions just for outdated films.
Happy shooting!