TF-4 Container

[JJB]

My current process is to make up a fresh batch of Kodafix as needed for paper. Very easy to do since it is a liquid.

I am going to start printing on Fiber paper and got some TF-4 since it seems to have some advantages with washing the prints. Can I use the bottle the distilled water came in to hold the stock solution, or should I use brown plastic bottles? I don't want the fixer to eat through the plastic of the clear bottle the distilled water came in.

Thanks!

JJB

 

[George Collier]

I use the same plastic containers that the TF4 concentrate comes in. I'm guessing your distilled bottle will be ok, although it is thinner than most chem plastic containers. The real issue with TF4, though, is to be sure to mix the whole thing to ensure uniformity, due to the difficulty in keeping solution in the concentrate.

 

[Jerry Thirsty]

The distilled water at my supermarket comes in bottles that look exactly like LDPE milk jugs. Those would probably be fine, except the mouth is usually small. Instead I use 1 gallon apple juice bottles which have a larger mouth; that makes it a lot easier to pour the fix back in straight from the tray without needing a funnel. The juice bottles are probably PETE, clear and harder than milk jugs, so you can't really squeeze all the air out, but I haven't found that to be a problem.

 

[fotch]

Use one of those brown plastic photo bottles, safer, bottle is sturdy and last longer, you probably will not have to buy another one ever again.

 

[JJB]

The Distilled Water jugs have the same makeup as the brown bottles. For now I will use the water bottles for the TF-4 (and some XTOL), until I can make it to a camera store for some regular jugs.

Thanks!

 

[hrst]

Don't use brown bottles, you won't be able to see any sulphur or silver precipitate which is quite important in the case of fixer.

Any clear will do fine.

 

[fotch]

Or, just keep using fresh fixer.

 

[George Collier]

Actually, you will probably end up following the recommended method - have 2 jugs of fixer, #1 and #2. You use them in sequence, half the recommended fixing time in each one. When the #1 becomes exhaused, you move the #2 (which still has a lot of strength) to the #1 bottle, and make new #2. You ensure complete fixing, and ultimately, you aren't using any more fixer, and maybe less, because you never dump the fixer due to uncertainty of strength.