What is the least expensive (cheep) fixer?

[gone]

Just unboxed my Pentax after a big move, and it had a roll of Delta 100 in it. I'm not settled enough to make a big Freestyle order, but would love to get this roll developed and see what's there. I have some D76, which I hope is about the same as F76+, but there's no fixer.

Ordering just one thing can be pricey due to the shipping, and the thread about using pool chemicals never seemed to have a definitive answer on DIY fixers.

Any idea where to go for some cheap fixer?

 

[Don_ih]

Regular powder fixer would probably be cheapest. The problem with rapid fixers is the fact it gets shipped as a liquid - that costs more to ship, because of weight. Foma sells a small bottle of rapid fixer, though.
Alternatively, you can order some sodium thiosulphate and just mix it up and use it. It doesn't keep, though.

 

[MattKing]

Just unboxed my Pentax after a big move, and it had a roll of Delta 100 in it. I'm not settled enough to make a big Freestyle order, but would love to get this roll developed and see what's there. I have some D76, which I hope is about the same as F76+, but there's no fixer.

Ordering just one thing can be pricey due to the shipping, and the thread about using pool chemicals never seemed to have a definitive answer on DIY fixers.

Any idea where to go for some cheap fixer?

Where are you - Lower Earth is a bit unclear .

 

[Steven Lee]

TBH a lab would be cheaper for a single roll.

 

[Moose22]

TBH a lab would be cheaper for a single roll.

This. North coast photo would have me set for $8. Maybe there's someone near your new place like that.

Otherwise, maybe Kodak fixer. The slow stuff is a powder and was like $15 shipped from Amazon last year. If they still have it that'll make enough to last you 60 rolls.

Other otherwise, just suck it up and pay the shipping, knowing you'll be getting a bunch of rolls out of it after you order the rest of your stuff.

 

[pentaxuser]

Cheep fixer is for the birds Sorry I couldn't resist

pentaxuser

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Just unboxed my Pentax after a big move, and it had a roll of Delta 100 in it. I'm not settled enough to make a big Freestyle order, but would love to get this roll developed and see what's there. I have some D76, which I hope is about the same as F76+, but there's no fixer.

Ordering just one thing can be pricey due to the shipping, and the thread about using pool chemicals never seemed to have a definitive answer on DIY fixers.

Any idea where to go for some cheap fixer?

is mixing your own from bulk an option?

 

[Sirius Glass]

During World War II the US Navy had its photographers use ocean water.

 

[gone]

Thanks for the help. $8 is certainly a budget fixer, I'll order some. That got a good laugh out of me pentaxuser on the cheep, cheep fixer.

I'm now in Little Rock, Arkansas Matt. I need to change the "Lower Earth" to "Upper Earth", as we're currently at the top of a BIG hill. Even the eBike is struggling to get up it. Quite the thrill going down though!

Note to self: Buy an eBike with better brakes.

I could mix it up Ralph, but would prefer to buy it mixed. My brain is still a little off after 37 hrs on Amtrak, although it really was a wonderful trip.

 

[mshchem]

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Sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate. 10 lbs for 35 bucks delivered to your door. The original Hypo!

 

[koraks]

For a film like Delta plain sodium thiosulfate is a slooooooow fixer though.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

If you're planning on fixing more film down the road, and maybe even making some darkroom prints, then just buy a liter (or even 5-liters) of rapid fixer concentrate. That's the cheapest, most convenient alternative I've found in the long run.

Best,

Doremus

 

[pkupcik]

I find most fixers pretty cheap, compared to developers. I settled for TF4 in 1 litter bottle of stock solution, very cheap ($13.99), lasts forever. You can use plain water as a stop bath and final wash, cutting on additional chemistry. Good luck.

 

[Paul Howell]

During World War II the US Navy had its photographers use ocean water.

I think that the navy used salt water for washing on ships at sea, from that they learned that salt water washed prints held up as well as prints washed in fresh water which in turn led to hypo clearing agent. When I lived in Southern Italy my house was a block from the Adriatic, I would wash my prints for a couple of hours in a small tidal pool inside a mesh bag, then a final rinse in bottled water. My tap water was almost as salty as the sea water.

I buy powered fixer from Photo Wearhouse, house brand.

UltraFine B & W Photo Powder Odorless Fixer 1 Gal. - UltraFine B & W Photo Powder Chemicals

Our Photo Warehouse Odorless Fixer in One Gallon Powder Form. Ultrafine Odorless Powder Fixer is an odorless and fast acting fixer that can be used for either film or paper.

www.ultrafineonline.com

 

[Rudeofus]

For a film like Delta plain sodium thiosulfate is a slooooooow fixer though.

If you are in a hurry, buy TF-5 and be done with it. Or mix one of Ron's Superfix formulas if you need yet more speed and are ready to mix it yourself. You can easily pep up the speed of a Sodium Thiosulfate based fixer with Ammonia and Acetic Acid, but that again requires ingredients and really only pays off if you process dozens of rolls per year.

If it's just one roll per year, that 10 minute soak in plain old hypo fixer is not much of a waste of time, and it beats any other fixer out there in terms of cost.

@momus : if you get neutral or alkaline fixer, concentrate and working solution may even last long enough to process your second roll of film.

 

[Romanko]

mix one of Ron's Superfix formulas

Can anyone re-post Ron's Superfix formulae? I was unable to find them. It's been some time since they were published and some posts were deleted.

 

[juan]

Search here for Ole Fixer - OF-1.

 

[koraks]

Search here for Ole Fixer - OF-1.

Sadly, I think that formula has disappeared into the abyss. The APUG thread on it no longer contains a link to the published formula. There's a copy (which is hopefully identical...) in this short thread:
I'll include it here, with the error fixed discussed in that thread:

200 g Sodium Thiosulfate pentahydrate
40 g Sodium sulfite
EITHER 15 ml 10% Sodium metaborate solution
OR 15 g sodium bicarbonate

For developing a single roll, I wouldn't hesitate to just use plain hypo though and do without the sulfite and metaborate or bicarbonate.

 

[Rudeofus]

Can anyone re-post Ron's Superfix formulae? I was unable to find them. It's been some time since they were published and some posts were deleted.

Ammonium Thiosulfate 60%	200 ml
Sodium Sulfite	10 g
Ammonium Thiocyanate	10 g
Thiourea	10 g
pH ---> 6.5	water ---> 1l

 

[Romanko]

Thank you juan, koraks and Rudeofus.
@Rudeofus. Excuse my ignorance, but I understand that you need to adjust pH to the target of 6.5. How do you adjust it in this formula?

 

[Rudeofus]

Thank you juan, koraks and Rudeofus.
@Rudeofus. Excuse my ignorance, but I understand that you need to adjust pH to the target of 6.5. How do you adjust it in this formula?

You take a pH meter and add Acetic Acid or Ammonia until pH is where you want it. In B&W work exact pH is not crucial, therefore you can add Acetic Acid or Ammonia until the soup is mostly odorless, which will be right around neutral pH. Exact pH 6.5 is only needed for color film.