XTOL - How do you best mix and store it?

Eric Rose

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• Mar 27, 2005

• #26

I have a very accurate Kodak scale that I use to measure out the amount of powder I need for whatever quantity of developer I want. The powder is kept in air tight baggies once I open up the Kodak pouches. Mixing at 20C is no problem.

Once the film is developed I chuck out the mixed developer.

 

JohnArs

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• Mar 27, 2005

• #27

Hi

One important point for almost any developer is don't take clear glass bottles always use as dark as possible and store it as cool as possible to. Then you can XTol use for a year at least! And glass is always better then plastic bottles, because plastic does "diffundieren" in german did not find it in my translation book!
Get the best out of your negs use Xtol undilutted or only at 1:1

 

Dr.Kollig

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• Mar 27, 2005

• #28

In the meantime I've switched over to Mytol, so I can mix 0,6 or 1 l, or what ever I need, I usually use it 1:1, so that is 150 ml stock per film. Earlier I used the 5 l packs and never had problems, stored Xtol in brown glass bottles (2.5 l + 2* 1l, when both 1 l bottles were empty the 2.5 was split up to refill both bottles).
Using some scrap film for testing d-max is not a bad way, I use an empty clear film container as developing tank.
Xtol/Mytol is my favourite for Delta 400+3200 films.
If using dilutions like 1:2, 1:3 it is best still to use 150 ml stock for 36 exp film or 120.

Wolfram

 

Flotsam

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• Mar 27, 2005

• #29

I routinely break up my Dektol and D76 into smaller packages (you ever compared the price of 4 - 1 quart packages to 1 - 1 gal pack? I know, I'm a cheapskate). But after reading about the problems that Kodak had with 1 liter packs of Xtol and seeing that they won't even package it in less than 5 Liter packs themselves, I would be afraid of breaking packages of Xtol myself. I've never tried it though.

 

Eric Rose

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• Mar 27, 2005

• #30

I think the problem they had with the 1 ltr packs was a manufacturing thing. I keep my baggies in a dark drawer so light doesn't damage the powder.

 

Flotsam

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• Mar 27, 2005

• #31

Eric Rose said:

I think the problem they had with the 1 ltr packs was a manufacturing thing. I keep my baggies in a dark drawer so light doesn't damage the powder.

Click to expand...

Your success at doing this is good information. This stuff has me a little edgy, though.
5 liter seems like a pretty strange place to settle on as your only package size.