Chemicals and how to mix them

Does anyone know of a good useful website that has all the

information needed and the exact steps on how to mix Kodak D-76,

Kodak Dektol, Kodak Fixer, Kodak Hypo-Clear and Kodak Indicator Stop

Bath? I'm a beginner and having a lot of trouble reading the

package instructions.

 

Thanks

Andrew

Kodak has full very readable datasheet for D-76 on their website, in PDF format. You just have to go over to the Professional page to find them. (Calling the chemcials "Professional" eliminates a ton of heavy-handed US government regulations.) Also find Publication O-3 there (Black-and-White Tips and Techiniques for Darkroom Enthusiasts).

 

However, for the rest of the chemicals you have, Kodak has very little information on their website. Scandalously bad! My only guess is that there is information on paper, that they will gladly mail you if you call them. But that information hasn't changed since they "computerized", so nobody has typed it in, or created a PDF file. Or, whoever was assigned to do it was laid off, and nobody has picked up the ball.

 

(They wonder why many new darkroom enthusiasts bought Ilford chemicals, with a wealth of good information on their website.)

 

That said, there's lot of good books on the subject, take one out at your local Public Library. The information on the packages really isn't sufficient for self-taught darkroom work.

Andrew -- I realize you're asking about Kodak products but you may want to read these two rather good Ilford pdf's.<P>They are <a href="http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/pdf/Film%20Hobbyist.PDF"><b>Processing Your First B&W Film</b></a> and

 

<a href="http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/pdf/paper%20hobbyist.pdf"><b>Making Your First B&W Print</b></a>.<P>The only thing specific to your question is when your pouring powder chemistry into water pour it slowly as you mix. (A coupla' times) When I first started out I just dumped the powder in. I ended up with a big undissolved lump!

Andrew, what is it (specifically) that you are having trouble with? I use the products you mention, and the package instructions seem very straight forward. I've used them for a long time though, so I may just be used to Kodak's lingo. What do you need to know, and what size packages did you buy?

John,

 

According to a bag of Kodak hardening fixer that I have it says:

 

To prepare:

1 Start with 3 U.S. pints - 1.42 litres of water not above 80 deg.F 26.5C

 

2 With rapid and continous strirring,slowly puor the contents into the water.

 

3 When the powder is dissolved, add water to bring the total volume to 0.5 U.S. gallon - 1.9L

 

For the stop bath:

 

Directions:(Films,Plates, and Papers)

 

Add this concentrate to water in the proportion of 16ml per litre, 2 fluid ounces per gallon to make a stop bath of normal working strength.

 

Then there is some other info about xrays and graphic arts film which I will bypass.

 

It picks up with the following:

 

Use stop bath at 18 t0 21C or 65 to 70F. Treat paper5 to 10 seconds, films and plates about 30 seconds.

 

The stop bath before use, is yellow in color and appears practically clear under safelight illumination. When yellow changes to purplish bule, which appears darker under the safelight, the bath is exhausted and should be discarded.

 

I will say that the bag of fixer is relatively old, but it should be a very good starting point, on the other hand the bottle of stop is brand new.

 

Hope this helps.

 

G

Sorry Andrew wasn't paying attention when looking for who posted this.

 

Still hope this helps you.

 

G

I buy the Hypo Clear which makes 1.25 gallons of working solution, Dektol to make 1 gallon, Kodak Pro Fixer (not hardener) to make 1 gallon, and D-76 to make one gallon-all in powders. The stock solutions are easy to make but when diluting them and creating working solutions-that is what troubles me the most.

If you want to make a 1:1 working solution, you pour 1 part stock solution to 1 part water (before you ask what 1 "part" is, it can be anything you want: litres, gallons, millilitres, ounces.... what matters is that the amount of the water should be the same as the amount of the stock solution. For example, if you want to make 500 ml working solution, you pour 250 ml water to 250 ml stock solution). If you want to make a working solution of 1:2, the water should be two times the volume of the stock solution. Not that complicated. (For example, if you want 500 ml working solution, you divide 500 by three, take one third of stock solution and add two thirds water)

 

Note that normally 1:2 would mean half of the whole solution is the stock, which according to the above description would be 1:1. For some strange reason, manufacturers of photographic chemicals use the above faulty method of writing solution strengths. It really would be more accurate if they wrote "1+1", or "1+2", (which means 1 part stock plus one part water, or one part stock plus two parts water) like some do.

Looks like Oliver probably has what you need there.

 

A few extras, just in case:

 

Dektol, once mixed from the powder into one gallon of liquid (called the stock solution) is usually diluted 1+2. Don't mix a 1+2 dilution using the whole gallon all at once, though. Just mix enough for each darkroom session. If you need 30 oz to fill your developing tray, use 10 oz of Dektol and 20 oz water.

 

The same holds true for D76, but it is usually used straight (the stock solution, which Kodak calls a 1 dilution), or 1+1 (one part D76 + one part water.

 

Kodak has a few fixers. If what you have is just says "fixer" on the package, use it straight (stock). If it says "rapid fixer" then it is diluted one part fixer + three parts water for film. For paper the dilution is one part fixer + seven parts water. The same goes for Kodafix and Polymax T fixer.

 

I don't have any Hypo clear on hand, and haven't used it in a while, but you can go <a href="http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/aj3/aj3.jhtml?id=0.1.14.34.9.16.38&lc=en#61674">Here</a>

for directions.

Try this link for "some" useful information on Kodak fixers and developers.

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/e103cp/e103cp.pdf