cb_martinez

<p>To Brooks Gelfand: If 1:9 means one part of active ingredient to get 9 parts of final solution parts of working solution<br>

How do you make a 1:1 dilution: Is it 1 part developer and 0 (zero) part water to make 1 part of final solution? This does not seem as a dilution at all.<br>

The notations +, : and / all mean the same.<br>

x:y means x parts is to y parts. X parts of developer to y parts of water.<br>

x+y means x parts plus y parts. X parts of develoiper plus y parts of water.<br>

x/y means x parts per y parts. X parts of developer per y parts of water.</p>

 

<p>I use a Samigon plastic tank and reels. I have no problem loading 120 film. After I remove the film from the paper backing, I use the taped end as the leader. The tape serves as a hardener to guide the film through the grooves of the reels.</p>

Stock Solution = 1 part concentrate + 3 parts water

1 + 11 dilution = 1 part stock + 2 parts water

1 + 15 dilution = 1 part stock + 3 parts water

1 + 31 dilution = 1 part stock + 7 parts water

 

I'm actually using liquid dev which is telling me to use a stock solution at 1 + 3.... which is what is confusing me about further dilution. Especially for dev'ing multiple films at a time.

 

Explanation of stated dilutions:

 

For easier understanding, replace the word “parts” with liters or other liquid unit of measure.

 

A. Stock Solution: 1 liter of concentrate + 3 liters of water. Total volume = 4 liters

 

Therefore the stock solution consists of:

B. ¼ liter of concentrate

C. ¾ liter of water.

 

1 + 11 dilution: 1 liter of stock + 2 liters of water. Total volume = 3 liters

 

From A and B: the 1 liter stock has ¼ liter concentrate and ¾ liter water.

Therefore: the 1 + 11 solution has ¼ liter concentrate and 2 ¾ liters water. (0.25+2.75)

Multiplying both numbers by 4 will give the ratio 1 + 11 dilution.

 

1 + 15 dilution: 1 liter stock + 3 liters of water. Total volume = 4 liters

 

From A and B: the 1 liter stock has ¼ liter concentrate and ¾ liter water.

Therefore: the 1 + 15 solution has ¼ liter concentrate and 3 ¾ liters water. (0.25 + 3.75)

Multiplying both numbers by 4 will give the ratio 1 + 15 dilution.

 

1 + 31 dilution: 1 liter stock + 7 liters of water. Total volume = 8 liters

 

From A and B: the 1 liter stock has ¼ liter concentrate and ¾ liter water.

Therefore: the 1 + 31 solution has ¼ liter concentrate and 7 ¾ liters water. (0.25 + 7.75)

Multiplying both numbers by 4 will give the ratio 1 + 31 dilution.

Tip: Run a pencil lead in the spiral grove of both flanges. Then load your film as you normally do. I learned this trick many years ago and have tried it a few times when I have difficulty in loading films.

A number of great discoveries were caused by accidents and missteps. For the fun of it and hoping that you would discover something new, I suggest you use your prepared solutions on a non ciritical roll of film. Nothing much to lose and maybe a new discovery to your name.

How about this:

First two frames leave blank

Expose the five frames.

Then four frames blank.

Then expose five frames.

Then four frames blank.

Then expose five frames.

Then four frames blank.

Then expose five frames.

The remaining two frames blank.

 

If you cut the strip as you described you will end up with four strips with two frames blank on each of both ends and five frames exposed in the middle.

You said, "The film was on the other roll when I finished shooting and there was tape on the lead edge."

 

An unexposed and unused film will have a taped leading edge. After it has gone through the camera, unwound and then rewound into the take-up spool, properly exposed or not, the new leading edge of the film will be unsecured or taped.

 

It seems to me that you reversed the loading of the spools, you placed the fresh film on the take-up spindle and the empty spool on the other side.

 

What you heard as the the film advancing is actually the film and backing paper going back to the fresh spool.

 

Did you align the arrow on the film with the arrow on the feed spool clip? If your answer is yet, please disregard my prior comments.

 

Have you loaded another roll and took pictures, and yet the results were the same as the first time?

Taking the formula weight of both forms of TSP:

 

To convert TSP to TSP dodecahydrate (TSP.12H20) and vice versa.

 

TSPa = TSP12 x purity of TSP12 x 0.4318

 

TSP12 = TSPa x purity of TSPa x 2.316

 

Notes:

 

TSPa=TSP anhydrous

 

TSP12=TSP dodecahydrate

 

Carlos

I have been using Durst M600 for five years now with no problem. I bought the unit from ebay.

 

I speak highly of Durst M600 and its smaller brother M300 which I also bought years earlier. They are of similar design but the M300 is exclusively for 35mm.

 

The enlarger is modular in design which is perfect for someone who has no permanent darkroom. You can set it up easily in the bathroom or a small closet. When done with using it, it can be easily disassemble by turning a few knobs and then putting everything in a box for storage.

 

The M600 comes with an adjustable negative carrier and it will take negative sizes from 35 mm, 645 and 6x6. This is convenient for cropping the negative. It uses inexpensive incandescent house lamps.

 

The condensers are in a tight housing a rarely need cleaning. But in case you need to, they can be removed, cleaned and replaced easily. Wear latex gloves when you do.

 

Unless you drop the enlarger and damage it heavily, there is no need to worry about searching for parts. Lamp replacement is abreeze using ordinary 60 to 100 watt house incandescent lamp.

 

Menashe is right about the lensboard. I believe most of the M600 sold in the USA through ebay, if they include the lensboard, have the M26 threads. If you are lucky to buy the enlarger with the Sixpla M26 and Sixtub M26, and the matching lenses, then you are set. If you want to use lenses with M39 thread, then it will be difficult to find the Sixpla M39 and Sixtub M39. If you decide on the M600 and need the M39 lensboards, write in this forum and I will try to help you find them.

Somewhere in the forum somebody posted a link to a manual of M600 in .pdf format. You might find it useful in your situation.

 

Just like any enlarger, after you have acquainted yourself with the parts, use consists in turning on the lamp, inserting and positioning the negative in the carrier, place the easel on the baseboard, raise or lower the head for the desired magnification, focusing, focus, swing in the red safe filter, place paper on the easel, refocus and confirm focus, turn off the lamp, swing out the safe filter, and finally expose the paper by turning on the light. If the enlarger is connected to a timer, exposure is done by flipping the timer switch after the desired time has been set.

 

If you see yourself in the future going medium format up to 6x6, this enlarger is very good. But if you move to 6x7, it is not recommended.

For over twenty years I have been preparing 1:3 Microdol-X, 1:1 D76, 1:2 Dektol, and 1:1 Kodak fixer solutions for one time use. I feel I get better consistency because my chemicals are always fresh and uncontaminated by prior usage. I do not worry about the solutions spoiling on me.

 

Kodak do not recommend this but I believe one unstated reason fof this is to encourage more usage of the chemical. I guess that by mixing the entire chemical in the original container, if it goes bad on storage, more of the product will be bought.

 

The reasoning I read a lot supporting the recommendation is ike what Evan Goulet said. "The problem with trying to weigh out small amount of a large batch of powder is that the large batch is inhomogeneous. Certain components of the powder will have smaller particle size and density than other components. So, if you make a solution from say 10 grams of the top of the pouch, it will most likely not have the same concentrations of all the chemicals as a solution made from the last 10 grams at the bottom of the pouch." This is a fair reasoning but I believe is not etched in stone.

 

Following the reasoning, consider that when the manufacturer makes a batch of the chemical, the batch size is likely in the thousand pounds and then packaged in smaller pouches or tins. Whenever we buy the product in the retail packaging we are accepting that the chemistry of the product in the package represent the chemistry of the large batch. Granting that there could be particle separation in the small pouch due to differing particle sizes of the product's components, they could be reasonably restored to original homogeneity by simple mixing.

 

For this reason, I have been able to take just a few grams of the material to prepare one shot solutions.

 

Depending on final volumes needed here are my calculated mixes:

Microdol-x:

Full strength: 70 grams to make 550 ml.

1:3 Solution: 17.5 grams to make 550 ml.

 

D76

Full strength: 60.3 grams to make 550 ml.

1:1 Solution: 30.2 grams to make 550 ml.

 

Dektol

1:2 Soltion: 23.6 grams to make 550 ml

 

Kodak Fixer

1:1 Solution: 92.5 grams to make 500 ml

 

All the numbers were calculated from the stated numbers on the respective packages.

 

So that I do not weigh the powders everytime I need to develop films or make prints, I preweigh about 5 of each powders into small plastic bags with locking lips. Of course, I make sure to label them with name, weight and date to avoid confusion when it is time to use them.

 

The volumes of solution you need to prepare can be figured out by using plain water to measure the volume of your developing tank with the reel inside and then pouring out the water into a graduated cylinder.

 

You can employ the same method for figuring out the volume of your trays for developer, stop bath and fixer.

 

I store the unused powders in the refrigerator in their original pouches, inside another black plastic bag such as the plastic bags of photographic paper and then tightly secured by rubber bands after squeezing out the air. I have chemicals stored this way for two years.

 

Regarding weighing of the powders. Accurate yet low cost scales can be bought at amazon.com. Last time I looked I saw one that has a capacity of 600 grams with 0.1 gram readout priced at $9.99. I figure two pouches of discarded darkroom chemical will more than pay for the scale.

 

Photography, from picture taking to darkroom work has so many rules waiting to be broken. Many times, it is in the breaking of the rules that discoveries are made and deep satisfaction of the craft is experienced.

I had the same problem few years before. If you are using medium format film like 120 you might want to try this particularly if you develop your owm film. It worked for me.

 

Save the paper backing of the film. Staple or tape the paper backing around the perimeter of the door including the bottom part. Make sure half of the width of the paper is attached to the door and the other half is protruding. Thus when you close the door the paper will seal out the light. The paper lasts fairly long but is easy and cheap (free) to replace.

 

Try it. It won't cost you anything.

I believe the RB67 has B. To be sure, go to the website mamiya.com. Dowload the manual for the RB. It should answer you question definitely.

I do this often. I use a changing bag. In a changing bag you can remove and rewind the film whether the film back is still attached to the camera or not.The process the the same as when you are finished exposing the whole roll except that you do do it by feel and not by sight. Secure the rewound roll with rubber band until you you put it back in the film insert.