Ultrafine Lith Developer--Preliminary Report (and a Bonus?)

[An Le-qun]

About a month ago, I posted a request for any testimonials for Ultrafine's lith developer, and to this date no one has come forward with any, although I know that the post was not ignored.

So I just went and bought some myself, and put it through 1:15 and 1:20 trials on Forte Polywarmtone FB, and it reminds me of Arista's developer, so far, except perhaps more concentrated.

Good news: it works. Beyond that, I need to work with it some more. 1:15 worked pretty quickly, and at about the aggressiveness of LD20 at the same strength.

Great news: it would be a bargain even if it didn't work. At 26.50 USD for two gallons (one each of A and B), this stuff will last me for at least a year, provided its shelf life doesn't doublecross me.

Not-so-good news, at least for the more scrupulous: it contains formaldehyde (as Sodium Formaldehyde Bisulfite). After the first print, the characteristic smell was gone, for whatever difference that makes.

Now, the bonus (?): Ultrafine's FB paper seems to lith. I need to play with it some more, but it seems to end up looking like Forte PWT (prints are still in the wash, though). A faint image came up after about 1'30", then at about 5 minutes I got what looked for all the world like infectious development. Like I said: play with it some more. I only bought the paper because (a) I needed something to put me over the 35.00 order minimum, and (b) I'm always game to try a new paper. At any rate, a guarded "hooray."

Excelsior!

 

[PVia]

Thanks for the news...keep us updated!

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Does it remind you the old arista Lith or the new one ?
Thanks for the update.
G.

 

[An Le-qun]

I only started lith printing about 6 months ago, so all I officially know is the new Arista formula. However, the MSDS for their older formula refers to itself as Naccolith, and I am pretty sure that was the basis for the most successful--still far from perfect, but most successful--of my attempts at homebrewing. I just had a batch of this homebrew go suddenly, horribly bad on me, and I think that may be due to a change in formula in the Sodium formaldehyde bisulfite source I was using.

At the moment--and this is with less than 24 hours' worth of testing, with different negatives, varying dilutions and additives--it still seems like a really concentrated new Arista. Really concentrated. 40:1 is about like Arista's 25:1, as nearly as I can tell. Whatever else I can say about this stuff, it is nothing if not economical. Two gallons for the price of a half liter of...let's just call it "the leading brand."

So far, I haven't got anything to write home about with while using Forte, my favorite lith paper in general. But I am getting more enthusiastic by the hour about Ultrafine's Silver Eagle Fiber variable contrast paper. It reminds me so much of Fotokemika's Varycon, grittiness and all, that I'm not sure I would be able to tell the difference between the two. I'll soon try it in traditional chemicals, and that may tell the tale, as they say.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Thanks .
You should post your test.

 

[ghostcount]

Well, I just ordered the 2 gal. A+B and Ultrafine FB Glossy paper. We'll see if it works - can't beat the price even if it liths with only one paper.

 

[An Le-qun]

You should post your test.

I wish I could. I currently have no scanner, and the friend who has been scanning things for me is selling her house, so all equipment is out of commission for the time being. Someone else may well post some results before I do.

So far, I am really pleased with both the chemicals and the paper. Really pleased.

AL-Q

 

[ghostcount]

AL-Q,

Thanks for this find! I tried it on Fomabrom 123 and it works beautifully. You are right about the developer being aggressively fast.

I'm not too keen about the Ultrafine paper, I get splotches it reacts too fast with the developer so the snatch point is harder to control. Also, it has a "pinkish" tone to it, the Fomabrom stays warm tone.

Prints are drying so hopefully I can post pics tonight or tomorrow. I do hope the shelf life of the developer is long enough to make the most of it.

~ghost