[Frameworks] B&W chemicals - how many uses?

[Jason Halprin]

Ekrem,

Too many variables to address easily, but the long and short of it is that air 
in a container will cause the developer to oxidize quickly and become 
ineffective. Some people use inert glass marbles to fill in the extra space, and 
preserve chemistry. Also, when you dilute a developer it tends to undermine its 
shelf-life.

One enthusiast I know keeps his chemistry in plastic gasoline containers and has 
a nitrogen tank with a special nozzle attached. He can then clear out as much of 
the oxygen as possible and seal the container. I suppose you could by an argon 
gas container for preserving wine and do the same thing.

I've often been able to get good results with D-76 1:1 for about 1000 feet, over 
2 months. Likewise with Dektol 1:4. I don't use D-19 often, so I tend to mix up 
a 1 liter batch, then dilute 1:3. I'll process a few hundred feet and call it a 
day.

One of my favorite books for a basic introduction is the Darkroom Cookbook. Not 
only does it explain what each of the steps in development do, but it has a 
glossary of many of the most commonly used chemical compounds, and some recipes 
for standard B&W developers.

Good Luck!
-Jason Halprin




________________________________
From: Ekrem Serdar <ekremserdar at gmail.com>
To: Experimental Film Discussion List <frameworks at jonasmekasfilms.com>
Sent: Mon, October 18, 2010 5:32:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Frameworks] B&W chemicals - how many uses?


Well, according to what Gary Popovich writes in Recipes for Disaster, you're 
using it relatively "correctly" (he mentions two batches of developer for every 
four hundred feet or so).

I've used 400ft of 16mm with a batch of D19, mixed in a gallon and then further 
diluted with another three gallons of water and it seemed a little milky (tri-x) 
but fine. 

I'd actually be curious what the "limits" of a variety of handprocessing 
mixtures are, for how long they keep when mixed, how many feet they'd be "good" for
 and perhaps ways to replenish them. I've heard some chemicals lose their 
efficiency after about a week of just sitting around... I'd love to hear some 
frameworkers go off on this one!


On Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 5:16 PM, John Woods <jawoods01 at yahoo.ca> wrote:

So the common Kodak packages of D-76, D-19, Hypoclear, etc. usually make 3.8
>liters or 1 gallon. I was wondering how much film you can process with this
>amount with consistent results. I usually process batches of 3-4 super 8
>cartridges at a time and then dispose of the chemicals. I'd like some advice on
>whether I could be more efficient with the chemicals or if I'm depleting the
>chemicals with the amount of film I use. Thank you!
>
>John Woods
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>FrameWorks mailing list
>FrameWorks at jonasmekasfilms.com
>http://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks
>


-- 
-ekrem serdar
austin, tx



      
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/pipermail/frameworks/attachments/20101018/6bdac90d/attachment.html