The Ultimate XTOL Mixing Setup

Here's my setup.Talboys variable speed propeller mixer, 316 SS, shaft and 3 blade prop. Heat up your water to 85 F (microwave ) dissolve part A for about 4 minutes add part B, I put the prop right on the bottom, as close as you can get with out hitting bottom. .you can really mix vigorously without aeration. The high flow keeps the sulfite from forming hard "sandbars" in the bottom of the vessel. I then just let it run medium speed for 15 minutes.
This bottle is made in Germany, and as most things German, for me, it brings a smile to my face. I put the bottle on a solution scale and then weighed in 2, then 5, kilos of water, the graduations are very accurate. Bottle is Kautex available from Freund container. This makes mixing powders a breeze. Magnetic stirrers create too much of a vortex, that ingests air. I then fill my quart, pint and half pint bottles absolutely full, cap and it's good for a year. I use RO water. I think I have about $125 in the mixer motor and control, from Ebay. The prop, I got online some where. The ring stand came from my Dad, he used it in the 1940s as a burret stand. Best Regards Mike

I just use a 5 L glass chemical mixing flask - they make them for homebrewing - and agitate away. It makes for great exercises ;-)

I mix up xtol in a bucket and mix with a rod..does it get any easier; that's why I love xtol!
(not to mention the amazing negatives I get)

I'm one of those using a bucket and stir rod. The fine details of this procedure are not using a too low water temperature when dissolving the powders and adding them slowly, while stirring. Dumping them all at once creates a thick layer at the bottom that will quickly form clumps and will make things harder.

Anon Ymous said:

I'm one of those using a bucket and stir rod. The fine details of this procedure are not using a too low water temperature when dissolving the powders and adding them slowly, while stirring. Dumping them all at once creates a thick layer at the bottom that will quickly form clumps and will make things harder.

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That's what I do. It's not rocket science. A bucket and stirring.

Dear mshchem,

A lovely setup, I'm sure it works well. A powered mixer for powdered chemicals is a wonderful convenience. I really like the fact that you can mix more aggressively than I can.

Having said that, I just want to say that I bought a cheap plastic pail from Home Depot for the same purpose (but with a bar magnet mixer). I measured the volume markings on it and they were as close as I could have imagined. One other small advantage was that back when I had less space I used to use the bucket to store the 8oz bottles I kept the developer in.

Neal Wydra

I don't use Xtol, and most likely never will. But I did use D-76 for awhile and to mix that up I simply took the bag to work where I have access to all kinds of mechanical mixing and prepared the solution there.

Neal said:

Dear mshchem,

A lovely setup, I'm sure it works well. A powered mixer for powdered chemicals is a wonderful convenience. I really like the fact that you can mix more aggressively than I can.

Having said that, I just want to say that I bought a cheap plastic pail from Home Depot for the same purpose (but with a bar magnet mixer). I measured the volume markings on it and they were as close as I could have imagined. One other small advantage was that back when I had less space I used to use the bucket to store the 8oz bottles I kept the developer in.

Neal Wydra

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I get the 2 and 3 gal buckets (free) from the Costco bakery. The are as heavy duty as the traditional 5 gal bucket and they have tight fitting tops. You can drill through them and attach fittings.

If I mixed powders frequently, I'd be tempted to replicate the OPs setup with a long shaft motor.

OMG, you could discover the cure for cancer in that lab! Get working on it.

It certainly is an impressive rig. For me hand stirring with my trusty stirring paddle and water at the upper range of Kodak's mix recommendation works fine.
A question though, does your mixer make good milkshakes?

It is impressive. How often do you use it?

Anon Ymous said:

I'm one of those using a bucket and stir rod. The fine details of this procedure are not using a too low water temperature when dissolving the powders and adding them slowly, while stirring. Dumping them all at once creates a thick layer at the bottom that will quickly form clumps and will make things harder.

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+1 Just apply the old RTFM practices.

MattKing said:

It is impressive. How often do you use it?

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If we are talking cost benefit ratio it's a loss. I have worked in chemical labs all my life, I am used to using nice stuff. If you had been a lumberjack all your life, and you retired to Florida, would you want a bow saw, or a Stihl chainsaw. I buy all my black and white chemistry in powders, except for toners. If I had more understanding neighbors I would put in a fume hood to make my own gold chloride. I probably use the mixer once a month, paper developer, fixer, I like Kodak F6, hypo clearing agent, yes I use HCA for film because it gets the Damn purple out. I had an old mixer before this one, just couldn't resist this one on the bay at about 20% of list. I can accurately weigh from 1/10 of a milligram to 20 kgs. I use solution balances to weight liquids and determine specific gravity.
I didn't get to work for Kodak in it's hey days like your Dad, but I can still play with the toys
Best Regards Mike

bdial said:

It certainly is an impressive rig. For me hand stirring with my trusty stirring paddle and water at the upper range of Kodak's mix recommendation works fine.
A question though, does your mixer make good milkshakes?

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I have an industrial Oster SS blender too, I've never tried it for shakes. Just add milk, malt powder and dry ice

RattyMouse said:

I don't use Xtol, and most likely never will. But I did use D-76 for awhile and to mix that up I simply took the bag to work where I have access to all kinds of mechanical mixing and prepared the solution there.

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First lab job I had, a buddy and I stayed after work. The guy across the hall in the print shop helped us cut Azo postcard paper. We were cutting down 250 sheet boxes of 11 X14 dbl. Wt. Azo into 3 1/2 x 5 1/2. We had a huge hydraulic shear. Took about 15 minutes, perfect.
My friend made decent replica real photo post cards, he has a letter press and back printed the cards with antique backs.
Having access to concentrated acids made easy work of preparing silver nitrate and gold chloride.

mschem I'm coming over to do some mixing!!

Peter Schrager said:

mschem I'm coming over to do some mixing!!

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Anytime , 18 feet of sinks means no waiting . I got rid of my 50 L Nalgene carboy couldn't lift it , too old .

I don't especially like Xtol but I do mix powdered chemistry with a magnetic mixer. There is control of the speed and if the container is close to full and is capped or stoppered then I don't worry about too much air getting in.

dynachrome said:

I don't especially like Xtol but I do mix powdered chemistry with a magnetic mixer. There is control of the speed and if the container is close to full and is capped or stoppered then I don't worry about too much air getting in.

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I have a nice little magnetic stirrer that was my Dad's. I have used it on and off since 1968, like you say if you go easy it works fine. XTOL has so darn much sulfite? in part B that the last time I used my humble little magstir I ended up with a "sandbar" of undissolved part B in the bottom of my beaker. That's when I got this setup. It's fun. I still use the little stirrer for making 1 qt. batches of hardener, test solutions, and old paper developer formulas, just for fun.
My Dad taught me how to titrate with a burette, never use a magnetic stirrer, they didn't use those much in the late thirties. If you are right handed, you wrap your first two fingers and your thumb of your left hand around the burette. You control the stopcock by gentle pressure between your thumb and your index finger, using your middle finger to steady your hand.. I got so I could squeeze out a half a drop, you swirl the Erlenmeyer flask with your right hand.
Sorry off topic, but this is what I love so much about analog photography. It's just so damn cool.
Mike