Processing film in an RV

[joe_taylor5]

<p> I am going to be living in an RV for the next 6 to 8 months. I will not have running water and storage of wast chemicals is going to be an issue. I want to keep processing B&W film. Water is at a premium so plan on using Ilford washing procedure. My question should I use a hypo clearing agent as well? I have been using D76 developer but I was thinking of switching to HC110 because I can make enough for just what I am going to develop at a time does this make any since at all? I will be processing four or five rolls a week (I roll my own.) Any thoughts on how to modify Ilford's washing procedure for use with 4X5 negatives? I don't know if I am brave enough to try doing any printing. I do have a small enlarger and could do 35mm negatives, but there is the water issue all over again.<br>

The reason for the RV experience is I am doing my last few months before retirement living in it. My wife is living in Arizona while I finish up working. I am camped in the parking lot at work, YUCK!</p>

[brian_quinn2]

<p><br />Use TF-5 fixer from <cite><a href="http://www.photoformulary.com">www.photoformulary.com</a></cite><br>

<cite></cite>That way you can skip the HCA and save water.</p>

[cj8281]

<p>Do you have any access to running water at your work? No possibility of dumping the waste chemicals down the drain at work? I would think in your situation that hypo clear would be a must as it really cuts down on the wash time. With using HC110, you are using mostly water, with a mixed up stock solution of D76, if mixed 1:1, then only half the water is needed. Are there any schools that are close by that teach wet process photography, if so, they might have a silver reclamation program for the expended fixer. For the developer, I would just find a public drain (not a storm drain) or maybe keep it in a 5 gallon bucket outside and see how much evaporates during the day and then dump the concentrate. Personal hygiene may suffer trying to keep clean in the closet shower of an RV. Maybe treat yourself to a Motel once a week and process your film while you are there. Just a thought. What do you do for a living?<br>

What kind of film do you use? What kind of cameras are you using?</p>

[joe_taylor5]

<p>There is running water at work but this is California and the business would have a heart attack if they knew I was dumping photo chemicals down the drain. There are showers at work I can use.<br>

There is a local night school that offers photography class at night. But I work 12 hour days and I can't stay up late at night to go to lass. I do silver recovery myself via electrolysis method, I keep my used fixer until I get 5 gallons then process it. Letting it evaporate is a good idea I had not thought of. On my off days I camp at beach but at $30 a day with dump facilities to use on the way out. Not bad at all.<br>

I have been using Foma 100 and 200 in my 35mm lately for most work. No problems at all. I will use any film that is handy if I run short. I use mostly Minolta 700x and a 9000i and a Sinar F1.<br>

I am a Unix Systems Administrator which I am trying to get out of doing but I am too old to make much of a change. Age discrimination is real.<br>

The deal with HC110 I can use a syringe to measure just enough to make one batch of developer form concentrate and not have a working solution at all. then use white vinegar for stop bath and Kodak fixer and Ilford washing procedure. I think I can do two rolls of film with about 2 gallons of water.<br>

I am going to look in to using TF-5 fixer listed above.<br>

The whole deal really sucks big time.</p>

[frank.schifano]

<p>Considering your circumstances, I'd say that HC-110 is an excellent choice for a developer. The only caveat I can offer is that you keep very careful control of the temperature. HC-110 is a pretty active developer and development times can be very short at the standard dilution B. Elevated temperatures will accelerate the process. You can dilute it more than the standard to extend development times, but finding reliable data to use as starting points can be difficult.</p>

<p>As far as washing the film goes, I think in this case using a hypo clearing agent is a wise idea. However, you don't need to keep a liquid solution around. HCA is really not much more than a solution of sodium sulfite. Get a jar of sulfite and mix a tablespoon in a litre of water to use as a 1 shot hypo clearing agent. Very effective and very efficient in terms of space. </p>

[jslabovitz]

<p>I spent about a month in rural Portugal a couple of years ago, and developed ~20 rolls of film

while there. The graywater wasn't even on a septic -- the sink just drained down the hill! From that

experience, plus others more recently, here are my recommendations (only for the film developing

part — I scan/print digitally):</p>

 

<ul>

 

<li>Use a replenishing developer like Diafine. That way you may <i>never</i> need to dump

developer while you're in your RV. Diafine is also far more lenient on temperature, which means you'll be spending less energy trying to keep the water temps up.</li>

 

<li>Use a two-bath fixer. I've been doing this for several months, and I've <i>vastly</i> increased

the fixer life. In fact, neither bath seems anywhere near exhaustion!</li>

 

<li>Definitely use the Ilford washing method. With it, I've never found the need for hypo clear.</li>

 

<li>Reuse your Photoflo. While you don't want to keep doing this forever, it seems to last quite a

while. (I use a mixture of rubbing alcohol and Photoflo, which makes the film dry faster; I'll bet the

alcohol also kills of any little bugs that start living in the Photoflo.)

 

<li>Get a 5-gallon container of some sort to keep any chemicals you need to dispose of. Then,

periodically take them to a local dump where they can take these as liquid waste. (I don't know how

this works in California, tho.)

 

</ul>

 

<p>Have fun!</p><p>—John</p>

[joe_taylor5]

<p>Thanks everyone very good ideas.<br>

John there is HASMAT dumps in CA, most photo shops will take small quantities of chemicals epically if you buy the chemicals from them. it is just the fixer I would be worried about but I reclaim that and I don't think I will be using more than a gallon the entire time. I do like the idea of scanning the negatives and not fooling with printing until I get a darkroom setup in my new digs in Arizona next spring. I will look into to Diafine. I know you can replenish D76 as well. I have done the two bath fixer for prints, I have not tied it with film, just never thought of it.<br>

Frank the reason I was going to use HC-110 is the ability to dilute it so much and extend developing times</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Check California regulations, but even there I suspect that only fixer is regulated, due to the silver content. Two-bath is a great way to stretch the fixer. When a jug of fixer is shot, just bring it to any legal 1-hour lab, they'll just pour it into the silver recovery system, and they will make money from the silver when they send in the cartridge.<br>

Stop bath is just strong vinegar.<br>

HC-110 is a fine choice of developer, especially at "dilution H" (double that of B) at double times.</p>