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Tri-X and Xtol

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ColColt

ColColt

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I've read about and seen some examples of Tri-X and Xtol and thought I'd try some but good grief, it seems to only come in 5-gallon variety. It would take me a decade to go though that much. I've also read mixed it only last two months so you have to do an awfully lot of shooting before it went bad.

I can't imagine why it's not offered by the liter instead of 5 gallons or did I possible miss something in my scouting around for it?
 
In the U.K. it comes in 5 litres. I'd have thought that in the U.S. if you still don't use metric it would have come as 1 U.S. gallon

pentaxuser
 
I don't see it in anything less than 5 gallons. It doesn't matter if it's 5 gallons or 5 liters. Either way it's way too much.
 
ColColt said:
I don't see it in anything less than 5 gallons. It doesn't matter if it's 5 gallons or 5 liters. Either way it's way too much.
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You have my sympathy. I know that everything in the U.S. is big. On this occasion it would seem that "big" works against you. Just as a matter of interest what is the charge for 5 gallons( that's U.S. gallons I assume)? Thanks

pentaxuser
 
Just did a quick search and found that B&H in NY does 5 litres. Is this unique to B&H?. Well I have found you 5 litres which is much less than 5 gallons at least. I have kept 5L successfully for over two years Use it at stock in say a Paterson tank and that's only just over 16 135 film in two years. Do you use much less than 16 films in 2 years?

Anyway I hope this helps and I feel I can say that the special U.K./U.S. relationship that we speak of with misty eyes is not dead :D

pentaxuser
 
Xtol here runs around $10 for the 5 gallons mentioned but, I made an error in that it's 5 liters-not gallons. You'd think they would have made it available in 1-liter as well. It's hard to say how much film I use. It varies a lot. Some weeks none at all while other times I may run through several rolls per week.
 
There is one xtol equivalent from Foma which comes in 1l.
 
It's not a big deal...buy 4 or Boston rounds and fill them to the brim..keep a 500ml cannister around and always try to keep it topped off so air gets in...one answer to your dilemma is to shoot more film! !!...no seriously it's one of the best all time developers and very cheap by comparison..why do you think everyone makes clones??,.. have a great day! !
Peter
 
Ronald Moravec said:
It still has a shelf life even sealed. The other bad news is it does not color indicate it is bad.
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If you shoot 35mm film, save the clipped of leaders from earlier batches to test ANY developer before developing the next roll of film. I found that I get much better results from replenished XTOL that putting my film in soup. Even a good Kosher chicken soup will not work as well as XTOL.
 
ColColt said:
Xtol here runs around $10 for the 5 gallons mentioned but, I made an error in that it's 5 liters-not gallons. You'd think they would have made it available in 1-liter as well. It's hard to say how much film I use. It varies a lot. Some weeks none at all while other times I may run through several rolls per week.
Click to expand...


Well at several rolls a week( say 3) you will only have to use film say 4 times per year to make it 16 rolls

I didn't realise that powder developers in a sealed packet have what seems like a limited life based on another contributor. I usually turn the powder into stock solution within days of obtaining it but it then gives me over 2 years of use

Maybe I have been lucky. On the other hand compared to U.S. prices I am definitely not so lucky as 5L of Xtol costs close to £10 compared to $10 in the U.S. At about the equivalent of £7 for 5L I might risk some waste.

There's always Rodinal and HC110 of course. I was given some Rodinal by my great grandfather who got it from Kaiser Wilhelm II. How can I be sure of this? Well the occasion hair in it from his glorious Prussian moustache sometimes sticks to the film and yes, I have checked that it is not a scanning artefact which we don't talk about on APUG anyway.

pentaxuser
 
Rodinal, HC-110 and ID-11 pretty much cover the bases for me but I just wanted to try Xtol. If what I read and the way I read it is correct then mixed it only last some two months. I could live with a bit longer but that seems awfully short.

If I were going on vacation somewhere I may be able to shoot close to 16 rolls up before it goes bad but no plans in the new future for that. I may just try it anyway. After all, ten bucks ain't a whole lot of money.
 
It lasts at least six months in glass containers with no air. I regularly keep it up to 12 months (because it does only come in 5L bags) and after 9 or 12 months it is the same as the first day I mixed it. It is great and cheap and especially good for 35mm. Xtol plus FP4+ is a dream in 35mm. Or simply mix up one liter of DS-10 and get even finer grain with all the benefits of Xtol and only 1L.
 
Well, that puts a whole new light on things. I have enough brown glass bottles for all occasions and in four sizes. I need to try this developer.
 
One problem I may have is the largest container I have for mixing is 4 liter. I'll have to scout around and see where/who has one larger.
 
ColColt said:
One problem I may have is the largest container I have for mixing is 4 liter. I'll have to scout around and see where/who has one larger.
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I bought one of those large stainless steel pots that people use to heat jars for canning. It holds 20 liters or so. Makes mixing very easy, and it's cheap and easy to clean out afterward.
 
I guess about anything would do. Perhaps even a plastic bucket from Lowe's of the proper size..
 
ColColt said:
Well, that puts a whole new light on things. I have enough brown glass bottles for all occasions and in four sizes. I need to try this developer.
Click to expand...

I have a lot to trouble squeezing the sides of glass bottles to get the air out.
 
I use those 2 1/2 gallon plastic buckets from Home Depot or Lowes for mixing.
 
mike c said:
I use those 2 1/2 gallon plastic buckets from Home Depot or Lowes for mixing.
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I use a plastic bucket from a paint store. I mark the inside at the 4 liter and 5 liter levels. I start with 4 liters of warm water [mixes faster than cold water], add packet A slowly while stirring. I make sure that it is thoroughly mixed and there are not unmixed crystals. The I slow add packet B while stirring. I make sure that it is thoroughly mixed and there are not unmixed crystals. I then add water to the 5 liter level. I fill five 1 liter bottles.
 
Sirius Glass said:
I have a lot to trouble squeezing the sides of glass bottles to get the air out.
Click to expand...
It's much easier to use glass marbles to fill up the volume in glass bottles than to squeeze the air out of them.
 
Good point!
 
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