Your experience Photographer's Formulary Pyrocat-HD Liquid

[mgb74]

Any first hand experience with Photographer's Formulary Pyrocat-HD in liquid form? I will be my first experience with Pyrocat and I'd like to know if the "implementation" I'm using is representative.

Also, comments on shelf life? A search turned up comments like "long", but I'd like to get a sense of expected shelf life for the liquid in the plastic contrainers it comes in and also if I move it to glass. I understand the the B solution has a very long shelf life but the A is longer.

Thanks.

 

[magic823]

Its what I use. It works great. Mine never lasts long enough to see how long it ages (tray processing of LF). I use it for 120 and 35mm also.

Steve

 

[Will S]

I've made my own and used theirs. No difference I can see (which isn't saying much probably).

 

[Bruce Osgood]

I tried it and developed 18 blank negatives before I thru it out and bought the chemistry, from PF. I make my own now and have not had a problem. I personally will not buy their kit again.

 

[kaiyen]

Wait - why won't you buy from PF again? It worked, right? Or just because you make it yourself?

allan

 

[Bruce Osgood]

Wait - why won't you buy from PF again? It worked, right? Or just because you make it yourself?

allan

No, it didn't work. It ruined 18 negatives before I finally figured out it was the PF's products' fault. I got a bad batch that wiped out all image on the negatives. When I used their chemistry and compounded my own and followed the same developing procedure I got good negatives.

 

[Mongo]

I've had good luck with it in the past, and have never had it around long enough for it to die on me. When my current bottles are gone (probably in the next few weeks) I'm going to start mixing my own. Not for any good reason...just the pride of doing something for myself.

 

[James Bleifus]

When I first started using Pyrocat I bought the PF pre-mixed form. I found that the base+fog was higher on the PH version then when I mixed it myself. However, I believe Sandy King was going to get with them and discuss how they were mixing it so that issue should be resolved. Ordering it from PF is the easiest way to try Pyrocat.

Cheers, James

 

[noseoil]

Just ordered my second batch from them (liquid) and am very pleased with results. The first lasted a year in their containers. No difference I can see in potency, and I'm down to dregs in the first kit now. Haven't had a problem (other than of my own doing) with films. tim

 

[herb]

pyrocat hd

I had a similar experience with the PF kit. I got very
short service-i.e. ran two 8x10 negs, fine- next two no
image.
It may be something I did, but I mix my own now and have not had a repeat, plus, once you get setup, it is
really cheap.

 

[TimVermont]

No problems, but I do wish they would make part A in propylene glycol so I wouldn't feel the need to divide it into little bottles for storage.

 

[nworth]

My experiences, limited to a couple of batches, has been excellent. But I keep hearing these horror stories (above) related to improper packaging and maybe formulation or storage. PF has usually been quite careful, in my past 10 or so years experience with them. My guess is that any problems were transitory. I would, and may, buy the stuff from them again, but I will probably just mix up the ingredients as needed. PF supplies them, too.

 

[mgb74]

I'll have to take a look at the ingredients and see if that's a feasible route for me. Problem is that sometimes you end up with vastly more than you need of one or two chemicals.

Looking at the formula I see in Sandy King's article (http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/PCat/PCat2/pcat2.html), I would assume my reloading scale will be accurate enough since 1 grain = .064 grams.

Thanks for the input.