Gear, Eco-Friendly Chemicals, and Common Beginner Mistakes?

[bertilak_verde]

<p>I'm hoping to start processing my own B&W negatives soon. I guess I will probably still send them off for scanning for the time being-- it seems to be a pain if you want to scan entire rolls (comments/advice welcome though).<br>

I have a few questions:<br>

1. The kit I'm looking to start with is a Paterson Super System 4, and their 27.5 x 27.5 changing bag. Do I need things like a thermometer, film squeegee, funnel? One thing I am very confused on: graduates and beakers. How many do I need, and of what volume?<br>

2. Is there an environmentally friendly developer? If so, how do the results compare to the ones that are more toxic? How about for the stop bath and fixer?<br>

3. I've read through a lot of different guides and found them all helpful. One thing I would really like to know, though, is-- what are the common beginner mistakes? And how are they to be avoided?</p>

[a._cook]

<p>Yea, try typing: "caffenol", in the google bar.<br>

Let me know of what input you have as far as stop and fixer.<br>

Cheers.</p>

[bertilak_verde]

<p>Interesting. Is it something a beginner could work with?</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Developers are not very environmentally unfriendly. Kodak's XTOL is notably environmentally friendly, and a good developer as well. But they're really no worse than (say) dishwasher or laundry soap, and a lot nicer than chlorine bleach.<br>

It's fixer that's nasty, because it takes a lot of silver into solution. Silver is a hazard in the same way mercury is, but less toxic. You need to do silver recovery on your fixer. (Look up how to do that with steel wool. Or bring it to any legal photo lab, they'll gladly take it as a gift for the silver in it.)<br>

You don't want a squeegee, great way to scratch your film. You want a surfacant like Kodak PhotoFlo.<br>

I use three cheap plastic measuring cups to hold the developer, stop, and fixer.<br>

You need something to accurately measure the chemicals during mixing. If you use powdered developers, you just need to be able to measure 1 liter, 1 gallon, or 5 liters reasonably accurately. If you use liquid developers which you mix on a per-use basis, you need smaller graduated cylinders.</p>

[bgelfand]

<p>Yes, you need a thermometer. Film developing is very temperature sensitive.</p>

<p>Graduates - it depends upon the developer you use and the number of rolls you will process at once. I have four graduates - 45ml, 150ml, 600 ml, and 1200 ml. If you use Rodinal, you will also need a syringe to measure small (less than 10 ml) quantities. You should be able to find them used at reasonable prices, sometimes free.</p>

<p>As far as toxics, most common photo chemicals are relatively benign. Read the MSDS. City waste plants can handle them with ease. If you are just starting out, either D76 or Ilford DD-X are good developers. I use Ilford Rapid Fix and Kodak stop bath.</p>

<p> </p>

[User_5888660]

<p>The Ilford website has detailed instructions on film development. They will guide you through the process. You might look for the book, "Into your Darkroom Step by Step." The book takes you through the full process just as the title suggests, step by step.</p>

<p>As to your specific questions. I do not use a film squeegee. They are notorious for scratching negatives. Get some photoflo and hang the negatives to dry. Clothes pins are fine for hanging film, you do not need special clips. </p>

<p>I would get beakers big enough to fill your tank. I'm not sure how much the Paterson tank holds. Check it once it arrives. For example, if it takes 1 ltr. to fill to cover four rolls, buy 1 ltr. graduates.</p>

<p>You can get by with one graduate. Measure and mix your chemicals in it and pour them into beakers or bottles or whatever to use for developing. Kitchen pyrex bowls work fine. Just make sure they are for darkroom use only. </p>

<p>A couple of things I highly recommend: 1. Prepare all your chemicals before you start developing. I line up my chemicals in order of use--developer, stop and fix. Mark the containers so you won't mix them up (trust me on this one, film developed in fixer comes out blank). 2. Set a routine. Do the same thing over and over so it becomes second nature. You don't want to get down to 15 seconds left in the development cycle and find out you don't have the stop ready or you can't remember which bottle holds the stop. 3. Get the time/temperature compensation chart off the massive development site if you develop at room temperature. <br>

Keep a gallon milk jug full of water at room temp to mix your chemicals. All you will need is a room thermometer if using liquid chemicals. Dry chemicals require a higher temperature when mixing, you will need a thermometer. You will need some minor things: a bottle opener works great for opening 35mm cassettes, scissors for cutting the film off the spool and for triming negatives and some sort of storage sleeves. If you are using your chemicals one shot, you can get by with out a funnel. </p>

<p>I wear latex gloves. You can get boxes of them at Sams or Costco. Home Depot has them in the paint section. </p>

<p>The chemicals for standard film developing are safe. It is only when you get into exotic variations like pyro that safety concerns pop up. Just don't drink the stuff, (unless your using a coffee based developer). Some people will develop a dermatological reaction after prolonged exposure to the chemicals, hence the gloves. </p>

 

[AJG]

<p>A good thermometer is essential--if you look at a time/temperature chart for a particular film and developer combination, you will see some large percentage changes with a change in temperature of 2 degrees F. As for graduates, I would get at least three small ones (big enough to fill your tank to its maximum capacity) so that you can have developer, stop and fix measured and ready to go so that your processing can go smoothly. While a watch or clock with a second hand can be used for timing, a small electronic kitchen timer with seconds and minutes that can be set would be useful so that you don't forget what minute you started on.<br>

+1 on the recommendation for disposing of fixer--you may be legally required to either remove silver from used fixer or to otherwise insure that it happens by disposing of it with a lab that already removes the silver generated by their own processing, depending on what your local regulations are.</p>

[john_cogburn]

<p>A longer glass thermometer is better than the short ones-- much easier to read.</p>

<p>For ease of measuring, I keep a tall, liter-sized bottle, upon which I have marked various volumes I typically need: 250ml, 500ml, etc. I put the reels into my Yankee tank, and found I need approx. 620 ml of developer to cover two 35mm reels. So I marked 620ml on my measuring bottle for measuring Rodinal solutions. The steel tanks require a smaller volume of developer- about 500ml for 2x 35mm. </p>

<p>For easy measuring of Rodinal, I got a box of syringes for a few bucks on the auction site. For more precise measuring, get the ones that hold 10ml.</p>

<p>You don't need special bottles for storing photo chemicals in solution. I use liter and half-liter sized plastic rootbeer bottles with caps that seal tightly. Squeeze the air out. The important thing is to store the solutions in a dark place. I put them in a doubled paper bag in a dark cabinet.</p>

<p>Check out freestylephoto dot biz. The Fomadon and Arista powder developers are good, and packaged for mixing one liter of stock solution, which is more convenient that the big Kodak packages. The Fomadon R09 is a good developer which works like Rodinal.</p>

[richardsperry]

David,

 

Graduates are fine. I just went to Walmart and got a set of plastic measuring cups. 1000ml, 500ml, and 250ml.

Thermometer yes. Funnel set again from Walmart kitchen aisle.

 

Storage containers. I use the gallon jugs for distilled water, keep them labeled with sharpie, stored under sink.

Get the largest changing bag. Smaller ones are hard to work in.

A pack of clothes pins to hang the strips to dry, a coat hanger.

Medium format is easier on stainless steel reels, for me.

35 is easier on plastic reels, for me.

 

Print file sheets to store them in.

A sharp 8" scissors.

A sharp 3" scissors.

Small bottle opener.

 

I read many warnings about squeegees scratching film.

But I think I'm going to either make one or order one anyway.

 

10ml disposable syringe for photoflo.

Box if 100 nitrile gloves.

 

iPhone is timer.

[hoshisato]

<p>Sounds like you are almost there. A good thermometer is required and I found that buying a couple of 10ml and 20ml syringes from Amazon solved my problem to measure accurately, or at least consistently. To avoid problems with calcium deposits, I use deionized water at the end.</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>Here's my line-up:<br>

Paterson Super System 4 tanks (various). Chemistry: Rodinal, Kodak Indicating Stop Bath, Ilford Hypam/Rapid Fixer and wither Paterson Acuwet or Tetenal Mirasol wetting agent. I store my working solutions of stop and fixer in old 2 litre bleach bottles which have air-tight, child-proof caps. <br>

Thermometers: various, but I have one certified thermometer which I use to check all my others.<br>

Graduated cylinders: various, 50 ml, 300 ml, 600 ml plus an assortment of large (2 litre) jugs. I have a 2 litre jug which fits in my microwave so that I can heat the water to 20 C. My jugs were bought from the local hardware store's kitchenware department.</p>

[jay_de_fehr]

<p>Very little is<em> required </em>for film processing, but some of the items mentioned make things more predictable. I've been developing in a tea tin, without a thermometer or graduate, and getting easy to print negatives, but I've developed thousands of rolls of film, and experience counts for a lot. My advice is to read the Ilford guide, and follow their instructions as best you can. Use whatever chemicals are convenient, take good notes, and have fun!</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Check Freestyle's website. They may have some tips on setting up and chemical recommendations. My 2 cents worth: For ease of use (meaning no dilution) get D-76 (or Ilford ID-11, etc.) mix from powder and use as stock solution. Get powdered fixer, again no dilution required. Use water instead of a stop bath.<br>

If you don't mind diluting solution, then Kodak's HC110 is good. Also, Ilford's Rapid Fixer is faster than powdered fixers, but is diluted 1:4 prior to use.</p>

[richard_wick]

<p>Good luck, welcome to the darkroom rats...one easy way to start out is with Tri-X, D76, don't worry too much about the stop bath, some use it, some don't.. Ilford rapid fix is a wonderful thing. I use distilled water for everything right down to the wash..it's cheap. A 500cc graduate or cook's measuring cup is fine..Dektol is a good beginner print developer. There are a lot of good options out there. Keep it simple and learn as much as you can as you go along...<br>

Have fun~!</p>

[bertilak_verde]

<p>Wow. Thank you so much for all the responses. It is really great to see so many approaches and enthusiasm. I will probably draft up an equipment list tomorrow and then hop over the B&H on Monday to buy the gear!</p>

[dana_bartholomew]

<p>Keep it simple. And same, same, same. Same film. Same chemicals. Same format. That way, you lessen all the variables, for easier trouble shooting (E.g. Tri-X, D-76 1:1, rapid fix, water for stop bath, etc.). While in the dark, keep the tank, covers, spools, scissors, and can opener in the same spot. In the light, keep the developer and fixer jugs in the same spot, with a tea towel set out for your tools. Oh ... and buy a GraLab timer -- ain't nothin' like watching that second hand go 'round. Good luck.</p>