Traveling with liquid film developers to US.

Andrew Moxom · Jun 25, 2007

I got no response from anyone on APUG for a source of Tetenal Ultrafin in the US and will have to resort to mail order from Europe. This raises a significant question that I am hoping someone can answer. A few years back (2004) I traveled back from the US to England to see my family and friends. In the process, I visited Silverprint in London and purchased about 5 large bottles of Tetenal Ultrafin developer. I wrapped the bags up in several baggies each, and placed them strategically into the families checked luggage for our return trip. Well, I am on my last bottle of the stuff and do not want to run out. I know that airline regs have changed a lot now, and and am not sure if this is legal to do anymore??

Reason I ask is that my sister and family are traveling over from England to see me in July, and I am wanting to use this opportunity as a means of getting more Ultrafin developer from Silverprint (as they do not ship chemicals outside of Europe) when my sister flies over to stay. Is this still legal? If not, what other options are there? I'm running out of options.

I love this developer and have had good success with it on Agfa APX100. NowI know that Rollei Retro 100 is the same emulsion, I want to be able to experiment with Ultrafin again with the Retro films.

Nick Zentena · Jun 25, 2007

I got to ask. What do you so love about this developer?

Does Fotoimpex ship chemicals?

jim appleyard · Jun 25, 2007

It might be legal, but your sister is sure to raise some eyebrows if her luggage gets hand-ispected. It may cause then major delays and lots of questions.

Check with the airline.

40oz · Jun 25, 2007

um, where do you live that search engines don't work? B&H popped up first in line when I typed it into one here :confused:

Andrew Moxom · Jun 25, 2007

B&H only sells Ultrafin Plus, not regular Ultrafin. THey also do not ship this developer! I did use the search function thanks. I like this developer combination because it lasts a very long time. I dev'd two rolls of Rollei retro 100 a week or two back, and that was from a container that was opened 3 years ago. It still remains consistent, and I like the negs it produces. It could probably be replicated with another developer, but I know I can always get what I want with this combo regardless of conditions, and lighting.

copake_ham · Jun 25, 2007

If you just have to bring it back from England check here first:

Dead Link Removed

EDIT: From a quick scan - I think you may want to enquire whether or not the developer is considered a "disabling chemical" such as chlorine for pools or liquid bleach.

EDIT II: You may want to consider having your sister ship it to you in the mail.

gr82bart · Jun 25, 2007

Throw it checked luggage and see what happens. You never know.

Regards, Art (This is one thread I will be watching!)

Andrew Moxom · Jun 25, 2007

copake. I went there. Nothing is showing up as such that this is a dangerous chemical. I even went out to the FAA site. Nothing is mentioned there either. I then logged onto Tetanal's website to get their MSDS data on this. Here is the transportation section.

14 Transport Information
ADR / GGVS :-
Remarks :-
IMDG-Code :-
Remarks :-
IATA /ICAO :-
Remarks :-
No dangerous good for transportation
15 Regulatory Information
Labelling according EC-Regulations
The product does not require a hazard warning label in accordance
with EC directives/German regulations on dangerous substances.
Symbol :-
R-Phrases:52/53
S-Phrases:2-61 +allg. Hinweis
Contains:
<1 % p-Methylaminophenol-sulfate
Special Labell Information:
National Regulations:
VbF :n.a.
Water hazard class (german):2
Other Regulations :
16 Other informations
The data in this Material Safety Data Sheet relate only to the material
designated herein and do not relate to any other material or in
any other process. The information is furnished in good faith, but no
warranty,expessed or implied,is made.Users should consider information
from all scources to assure proper use and disposal of the materials
and safety and health of employees and customers.
n.a.=not applicable n.i.=no information:-

copake_ham · Jun 25, 2007

Following on Art's suggestion. If you don't want to mail it - have her get a cheap suitcase and check it as a separate piece of baggage. It they sieze that - at least the rest of her stuff will get here.

Steve Smith · Jun 25, 2007

You definitely will not be allowed to carry it on as hand luggage - even bottled water is banned, but it may be allowed in the hold.

At the end of our tour of the Ilford factory a couple of weeks ago, we were all given goodie bags which included some warmtone and cooltone developer. Most of us who were flying swapped items with others who were not flying.

Tim Walls kindly took mine and posted it to me which saved me a lot of airport hassle and expense.

Steve.

Marco Buonocore · Jun 25, 2007

I recently flew with Delta Airlines from Toronto to San Jose, Costa Rica. The flight went via Atlanta. I was planning on bringing photo chemistry to Costa Rica, and I´ll tell you, trying to get information on weather or not it was allowed was a joke.

I spoke to Delta Airlines "Dangerous Goods Desk" - they could not give a definite yes or no. I spoke to the TSA, and the best I got out of them was that they "didn´t think it would be a problem." The FAA was equally useless. None of these agencies could give me a definite answer. I eventually spoke with a Delta representative who declared that it was ‘not in the list of prohibited items, so as long as they’re in new bottles it won’t be a problem’.

I went with that information. I ziploc bagged everything, and chucked it in my backpack. I had HC110, Rodinal, Fix, Stop and Hypo Clear. It made it through without anyone saying anything. My bag did get lost for a week, which has more to do with Delta being a rubbish airline than anything else. But that´s another story.

The link that copake ham provided is a good start. I looked at it many times. It doesn´t specify photo chemistry, but there are certainly similar things (bleaches, etc..) that are not allowed. I have a feeling that if they wanted to kick up a fuss, they certainly could. It´s a bit of a crap shoot, I´m afraid.

A colleague who does a lot of work abroad says that she always brings powder chemistry, as opposed to liquid, and has never had any problems. She has been doing that for the last 20 years or so. Shame I don´t use any powder developers!

Good luck!

JLP · Jun 25, 2007

Don't think it is legal, last year i tried to bring a 1.25l bottle with Agfa Neutol WA in my checked lugage from Denmark to the US. It was found at first check-in and i was told that it was hazardus and could not be on board a flight.

jan

copake_ham · Jun 25, 2007

One thing I realized after my earlier posts is that she is flying from England and facing both EU rules and - assuming she's in the London area - out of Heathrow.

I'm not sure how coordinated the TSU rules regarding liquids in checked baggage is with EU - although probably similar. But Heathrow is in near lock-down these days.

My wife flies regularly b/w NYC and London and out of Heathrow everyone is now restricted to one carry-on only. That includes your laptop or handbag etc. whereas in the US it is one carry-on plus such.

Also, you have to figure the capriciousness situation. As one poster noted - there is nothing that says you cannot check-it on. Some inspectors will say "okay - if it's not banned - it's permitted". A lot more are likely to take the opposite position (job protection 101).

My second suggestion remains: Have your sister mail the stuff to you. It may cost a few bucks - but if you love it that much - it'll be worth it.

eddie gunks · Jun 25, 2007

just do it! i flew back and forth to thailand from NY and had zero problems. i had hc110 and powdered fixer. basically if they will ship in in the US by air mail i would say it is not going to be a problem. B&H will not ship the C41 and E6 chemicals i want but you can get it by ground from adorama. so i would assume they may be difficult to bring in the checked baggage. but most of the B&W chemistry is much less deadly. only kodak's stop bath is a problem (acid?). just try it. worst case you can declare it here and no problems(maybe they take it, probably not) or do not declare it and it will be no problem i ma sure....provided you get out of the UK airport. i heard they are bastards!

the chemicals are not dangeous, explosive, or corrosaive so they should be fine. worst case they take it. best case you got it!

i declared my galangale (similiar to ginger), lime leaves, and chillies when i arrived from thailand. they took my lime leaves but left everything else....including the hc110 and the fixer. thai food at my place!

eddie

cmacd123 · Jun 25, 2007

if you do pack it in a suitcase, double bag it in thick clear plastic bags with all the extra air removed. (low presure in the hold is posible) also print out a copy of the data sheet, and hilight the shipping instuctions and wrap it arround the bottle between the first and second plastic bag.

Ian Grant · Jun 26, 2007

I've just flown from the UK, home to the Aegean, and brought 1 litre each of Pyrocat HD parts A+B in my baggage, well wrapped in sealed containers, covered by a few socks.

Had either burst its highly likely that all the liquid would have been rapidly absorbed by my clothing, and nothing would have leaked from my baggage.

The hold baggage security checks at UK airports are the same regardless of where your travelling to. Just do it.

Ian

Andrew Moxom · Jun 26, 2007

I'm gonna go for it. I will buy 4 bottles of Ultrafin from Silverprint and have my sister pack each one into seperate suitcases with each persons dopp kits. I'll update the thread at the end of July when my Sister and family come over to stay.

copake_ham · Jun 26, 2007

Andrew Moxom said:
I'm gonna go for it. I will buy 4 bottles of Ultrafin from Silverprint and have my sister pack each one into seperate suitcases with each persons dopp kits. I'll update the thread at the end of July when my Sister and family come over to stay.

We wish them good luck and will await your requests for donations to the bail fund!

Just kidding, I think they'll be okay but do please let us know how it all turns out.

John Shriver · Jun 26, 2007

What you don't want to pack is anything that is corrosive to aluminum. Especially strong bases. Unless you feel like being sued by the airline for totaling the plane, not to mention having the "fun" of cabin de-pressurization.

Andrew Moxom · Jul 28, 2007

UPDATE:- Well Silverprint could only get two 1 litre bottles to my sister who flew out of the UK to Minneapolis on Thusday. They were not questioned, or asked anything about the chemicals. So 2 litres of Tetenal Ultrafin and I am a happy camper.

CBG · Jul 28, 2007

It all depends upon what airports you use and who is x-raying and hand checking luggage at the moment your photo items go through. Studies on what gets confiscated at what airport conclude that some airports confiscate huge amounts of people's possessions, and others practically none. Some security people are more aggressive than others. Some times they are too busy to put up an unneeded fuss about something.

It's all individuals. The rules are the same all over the country. The interpretation changes.

My girlfriend travels a fair amount for business, and once had a roll of duct tape confiscated. Duct tape. Can you imagine trying to concoct an explanation of why duct tape's a dangerous item?

Other times she's had no issues.

Many people - and presumably a few TSA agents - believe that anything whatsoever with "chemicals" must be dangerous or unhealthy. So, you are probably fine travelling with photo supplies but don't be shocked if once in a while they get taken away.

C

copake_ham · Jul 28, 2007

Andrew Moxom said:
UPDATE:- Well Silverprint could only get two 1 litre bottles to my sister who flew out of the UK to Minneapolis on Thusday. They were not questioned, or asked anything about the chemicals. So 2 litres of Tetenal Ultrafin and I am a happy camper.

Glad Sis and chems made it.

Guess we don't need to use the "bail fund" for its intended purpose - so let's use it to go buy some beer!

Traveling with liquid film developers to US.

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