Time to mix another batch of Xtol

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 18, 2011

I first tried Xtol 6 months ago and I've used up the batch. My method was to reserve 3 liters for replenishment and have a 2 liter working solution. The 3 liters of replenisher is gone and what's left is the 2 liter of seasoned working solution. So do I dump the working solution and start completely fresh? Or do I just continue what I'm doing and use the whole 5 liters as replenisher? Or something in between? I like the look of seasoned Xtol and hate to re-season a new batch. Maybe a good compromise is to figure out the minimal amount of used developer to have a good seasoned look for a 2 liter bottle? Are there APUGers that faced the same situation? :confused:

Ian Grant · Sep 18, 2011

Just leep replenishing with the next batch, it'll be getting sufficient turnover to stay good for many more months.

Ian

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 18, 2011

Hey thanks Ian. So you mean use the whole 5 liter batch for replenishment?
Best,
Don

Ian Grant · Sep 18, 2011

Yes it should last you a good year at least.

Ian

Sirius Glass · Sep 18, 2011

Ian Grant said:
Just leep replenishing with the next batch, it'll be getting sufficient turnover to stay good for many more months.

Ian

Yes, what he said.

Smudger · Sep 19, 2011

There is a poster here (Maris ?)-apologies if wrong,who has been using a 2 litre batch of replenished XTOL for YEARS.
Check the threads on this - they stretch for miles..
And, if you have to start with fresh, just pull back a bit on your developing time for the first 5-10 rolls and,Presto !,you are back in the loop.
This is meant in the spirit of General Encouragement : you need to do your own research..

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 19, 2011

Thanks for the encouragement!

Smudger said:
This is meant in the spirit of General Encouragement : you need to do your own research..

Thanks for the encouragement. I did do some research about using Xtol before mixing my first batch. Wow, didn't know Xtol could last that long. It's a hard developer to gage since it's always clear even when it poops out. I'm growing to love the stuff.

dpurdy · Sep 19, 2011

I am curious how you would characterize the improvement of seasoned Xtol over fresh.
Also regarding the staying clear, I mix 5 liters and use it to exhaustion over a period of a couple of months by using the extended times method and I find the developer gets quite a layer of grey muck that lays on the bottom until I stir the developer to use it and then the developer is an opaque grey color... which doesn't seem to bother anything.
Dennis

Ian Grant · Sep 19, 2011

Seasoned Xtol (replenished) has all the sest benefits of using FS Xtol, speed, fine grain etc aith the acutance and better tonality that you get with dilute Xtol (about 1+2). The adavantages of replenishment over using to exhaustion are better consistency, dev times stay the same.

Ian

thanos · Oct 3, 2011

While on the subject of replenishment would there be any problem if using expired Xtol? My last batch expired May 2010 and I'm on my third week replenishing the dev batch. Would there be problem if I mix the expired in there?
On a side note i'm impressed with the negs I get with (expired) HP5+. They literaly "shine".

presspass · Dec 2, 2011

I have been using Xtol replenished but haven't put any film through it for a couple of weeks. Do I have to replenish before I use it again or just use it? It's stored in a full, well-capped brown glass bottle. Thanks,

Sirius Glass · Dec 2, 2011

presspass said:
I have been using Xtol replenished but haven't put any film through it for a couple of weeks. Do I have to replenish before I use it again or just use it? It's stored in a full, well-capped brown glass bottle. Thanks,

Just use it as it is. Last weekend I developed film in my replenished XTOL that was previously used in the beginning of July. No problems.

JohnArs · Dec 2, 2011

Mi XTOL soup is now 13 months old and I use it till next spring!
I have 9 liter in a plastic box short bevor I use it I take one liter out und fill it with one liter fresh XTOL!

Cheers Armin

Tom Harrington · Dec 2, 2011

So as a noob and never having used Xtol. I've used Ilford and D76 film developers how do I use Xtol? I've read other places that Xtol dies unexpectedly after ~a month or so. This is new encouraging info since I want to try Xtol with either tri-x or HP-5 very soon. So how do I use the stuff? I'm sure there's a thread or two? Right now I have 3 - 1/2 gal. plastic darkroom jugs I was going to use to mix the stuff in?

Straight, 1:1 etc? What is the difference?

Sirius Glass · Dec 3, 2011

Tom Harrington said:
So as a noob and never having used Xtol. I've used Ilford and D76 film developers how do I use Xtol? I've read other places that Xtol dies unexpectedly after ~a month or so. This is new encouraging info since I want to try Xtol with either tri-x or HP-5 very soon. So how do I use the stuff? I'm sure there's a thread or two? Right now I have 3 - 1/2 gal. plastic darkroom jugs I was going to use to mix the stuff in?

Straight, 1:1 etc? What is the difference?

The XTOL sudden death syndrome was a result of a packaging problem years ago. The problem was fixed.

I use a white paint bucket.
Mark the inside for 4 quarts and 5 quarts.
Fill the bucket with 4 quarts of hot water.
Slowly mix in the chemicals with a stirrer or a paddle following the direction.
Add water to 5 quarts.

Pour off XTOL into tightly sealed bottles.
Use a one quart bottle for developing film. After developing film, add 70ml per roll of 36 exposure 35mm film or roll of 120 film [80 square inches = four sheets of 4"x5" = 8"x10"] to the bottle, then pour in the used developer and top off the bottle. Dump the remaining used developer.

Any other questions? Please feel free to ask.

Steve

Tom Harrington · Dec 3, 2011

Thank you very much! Tom

Mainecoonmaniac · Dec 3, 2011

I've been using wine bladders for 7 months it it works well. I have a 2 liter working bottle of Xtol in a plastic bottle and the portion that I use for replenishment I have in wine bladder.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Time to mix another batch of Xtol

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