Advanced user info of Grainer's various developers.

[nicholas_t.]

Over the last year and a half there has been a hive of activity

regarding the Gainer developers. This buzz has since dropped off in

this forum in the last few months. Is everyone happy with their

versions? I am with mine. I am wondering if this is the reason for

the recent decline of posts.

Is there any information which people would like to volunteer, which

they have found to be useful and might be valuable to the Gainer-

Developer-User-Community? I am in the process of preparing a booklet

(with Patrick's permission) and would welcome any helpful info for

this.

TIA,

Nicholas

[steve_wahl]

I've come full circle back to Pat's metol / ascorbic acid

developer recently. I had vectored off to using Rodinol and

Xtol because of the mixing simplicity and they were just plain

close by on the shelf. But, then I started reviewing my

negatives and those done with the Pat's Vitamin C soup were

far superior - beautiful midtones, fine grain, good sharpness,

mild highlights. I think I was avoiding using Pat's developer

because of the sodium hydroxide (lye) hassles. Replacing the

sodium hydroxide + borax Stock Solution B with one made from

sodium metaborate has yield identical results but is a whole lot

easier and safer to make. My current formula for the vitamin C

developer is:

 

Stock Solution A: 500ml distilled water + 0.8g metol + 8g ascorbic

acid

 

Stock Solution B: 500ml distilled water + 32g sodium metaborate

 

Full strength working solution: 1 part Stock A + 1 part Stock B +

6 parts distilled water. Develop TMax 400 for 7min @ 72F.

 

Dilute working solution: 1 part Stock A + 1 part Stock B +

14 parts distilled water. Develop TMax 400 for 10min @ 72F.

 

By-the-way, I use this as a one-shot developer.

 

I've had no problems with keeping the stock solutions in

tightly capped amber bottles for 4 months. They might last

6 months or might not...I'll tell you in a couple of months.