wacky alternative B&W processing recipes.

[ntenny]

With that in mind, I've made developers using tannic acid. The first attempt, I took the stock formula Pyrocat-HD formula and simply substituted tannic acid for the pyrocatechol and processed it like Pyrocat-HD. It worked, but the negative was pretty underdeveloped.

So I made another developer, this time following the Pyrocat-HD formula, but using 10 times more tannic acid than the previous developer. That worked and gave negatives that had an acceptable contrast index and it had a stain similar in color to Pyrocat-HD as well.

Seems like a pretty expensive developer: 500 g of tannic acid per litre of stock, right?---at US$28.95/100 g (Formulary price). Ouch. Is there a cheaper way to get tannic acid?

-NT

 

[Kirk Keyes]

A quick web search gives this:
http://www.akpetrochem.com/products/tannic-acid/0380
$85/500g.

As I said, I'm sure some optimization can be done. I was really doing more a proof of concept.

 

[Anon Ymous]

Since you're talking about tannic acid, how about brewing some very strong black tea?

 

[Steve Smith]

Since you're talking about tannic acid, how about brewing some very strong black tea?

Sounds like a good idea but could I have some milk with mine?

If I remember correctly, acorns are a good tannic acid source.


Steve.