Mixing and storing chemicals

[bob_mcbob]

Now that I'm finally taking advantage of my bulk loader, I've decided

to use powder developers (D-76, Microphen) too. It would seem that

the best way to keep stock solutions is in smaller bottles that can be

used quickly individually. I can get 1L glass bottles quite cheaply,

so that's not a problem. The thing is, I have absolutely no idea what

sort of container I should be using to mix up the developer in the

first place. Can anyone give me some suggestions?

[roy_des_ruisseaux]

On my own & when I worked at studios we used stainless steel or plastic buckets. Depending on how much you are mixing at a time,I'd get a plastic pail at a dollar store or K-Mart. You are just using it to mix,then put it in your smaler glass containers.

[wclark5179]

Good question Chris.<P>What I use is a graduated cylinder. It is a cylinder, most of them today are of plastic, with markings on the side in ounces and the metric cc's. You can buy them at most photo stores that sell chemicals. If you order on line every so often B & H stocks them. They aren't very expensive.<P>If that isn't doable go to your grocery store and buy a measuring container that's marked in ounces, probably in cups and variations therof too. I find it harder to use those because of all the different lines for dry as well as liquid stuff. And besides if my wife found out I used the kitchen utensils for my chemicals ouch! Please don't tell her!<P>Hope this helps you.

[wclark5179]

Chris,<P>I re-read your question. I provided an answer to mix the stock solutions into working solition when you develop your film.<P>When I initiall mix up my chemicals, I measure with my graduated cylinder the amount of water to prepare the solution. So if I'm mixing 5 liters of stock I fill my graduated cylinder to 500 ml 10 times, dumping the water into a stainless steel container we use in the kitchen. I heat the water up to about 104 degrees then take and about 3/4 fill a container, for me it's a one gallon plastic jug. I mix the chemicals in that 1 gallon jug. Take a funnel and pour just a little in put on the cap and lightly rotate the bottle end over end or back and forth. I visualize in my mind dividing the powder into 6 or 7 parts then pour that portion in, mix, then repeat. If you pour the entire amount of powder in at once mixing can be a challenge.<P>After I've got all the powder mixed I pour the contents of the 1 gallon plastic jug back into my stainless steel container that has the rest of the water. Then I've got 5 liters of stock solution. I take a plastic measuring cup, remember don't breathe a word of this to my wife, then fill two 2 liter empty washed and thoroughly cleaned out soda bottles and a 1 liter bottle usually left over from bottled water. <P>I take masking tape and mark ID-11 or D-76 whatever, stock solution and the date I mixed it up. If you put whatever nobady will know your secret code!I store the stock stuff below the sink in a bathroom. <P>Ready, set, go and devlop your art!

[conrad_hoffman]

Mix the developer in whatever is handy. I use gallon jugs, with a piece of tape to mark the two solution levels- a piece at about 3 quarts, and a piece at the one gallon point so I know where to fill to after the powder is dissolved. It's an extremely good idea to store chems in smaller amounts to prevent oxidation. Even 1L can be too large unless you use it quickly or have a low dilution developer like D-76. I finally settled on 250mL capped polycarbonate flasks from a lab supply house for my concentrates. I use 50mL of developer per film, so the small bottles work out about right. They actually hold about 300mL when filled right to the top. Just a few minutes ago I tossed a partial bottle of film developer that had started to discolor, whereas the full bottles from the same batch were still perfectly clear.

[__jon__]

>And besides if my wife found out I used the kitchen utensils for my chemicals ouch! Please don't tell her!

 

It might be prudent to stop using the same utensils in both your darkroom and kitchen...

 

Buy your own--or better yet, buy your wife new ones and use her old ones. Gets points with the wife and keeps the HC-110 out of your gravy.

[john_cook1]

Graduated cylinders from photo stores or labware suppliers are accurate for measuring small amounts of fluids.

 

For mixing, I prefer stainless because I can run hot or cold water down the outside to quickly bring the temperature where needed. They also respond better to water jackets.

 

Medical or lab stainless is much too expensive. I get mine from the local restaurant supply store at much more reasonable prices.

 

I keep two sets, like a kosher kitchen. One for acids and one for alkalai.

 

And you�re correct about dry chemicals. ID-11 and D-76 won�t boil or freeze on the UPS truck. And in their dry state, they have almost unlimited shelf life.

[frank.schifano]

I use a couple of buckets from the dollar store to mix up the dry chemicals. A big plastic slotted spoon does duty as a mixing paddle, and a Pyrex 1L measuring cup handles the fluid measurements. This stuff does not need to be expensive. I use graduated cylinders that I got from American Science and Surplus for when I need to measure small quantities of things like Rodinal or PhotoFlo. Otherwise the measuring cup works fine. An ounce or two error in a total volumre of 5L or 1 gallon doesn't mean very much.

[bob_mcbob]

Thanks guys, there's lots of useful information here, I appreciate it!

[ole_tjugen]

I'm not only lazy, but I also have a background in chemistry. So I use Pyrex glass beakers, and mix with a magnetic stirrer...

[john_shriver]

The pack of D-76 I mixed recently, I used a painter's bucket with a 50 cent plastic liner. They are available at large hardware stores, and the liners are dirt cheap. (Nice for paint, too. Eliminates cleaning the bucket!)