A quick question on development

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ujjwaldey8165

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If I am using a single film in the universall double spiral tank, do I need to fill up the whole tank with chemicals; or just enough liquids to cover 1 spiral?

Also, I am assuming that all chemicals can be poured down the drain. Is that correct, or is there a special disposal ( taking it to tips etc)
 
You should just be able to use enough liquid to cover one spiral, if you look on the underneath of the tank it may have how much you need to use. Well it has on the bottom of the Paterson ones.

Just make usre you have the "C" clip to stop the real moving about.

As for diposal it really depends on what your using I use Rodinal, ID-11 Ilford Fixer and pour it down the drain with loads and loads of water.

However some of the more exotic developers do need to be correctly disposed of but don't know how, oh! and watch out if you are on a septic tank, chemicals can affect the way they work.
 
The smallest tank I have is a Jobo 1520, which will take 2 films. I've never bothered doing just the one film, but the tank requires a little under 500ml to fill with 2 films, so I think I'd go for around 300ml to be on the safe side if I was just processing the one film. I don't know the tank you're using, but it may say somewhere the recommended amount. Also if you have a spare spiral, place that on top of the loaded one to stop it from sliding about.

As for disposal, well I've used Ilford chemicals over the years and they've always gone down the drain, with plenty of water as Knikki has suggested.
 
Most developers are less potent than some of the cleaners you have in the kitchen for cleaning drains, etc. so don't worry too much about them. Some people try to get the silver out of their fixer before disposing of it though.


Steve.
 
Thanks.

So another one, please.

I will use the developer for one shot and throw; but what about the stop and fixer. Is it usual to keep them for multiple use; or simply throw them after one use


I got the chemicals today; but the measuring flasks etc seemed to be expensive ( 10£ for the measuring flask.) I'll try Robert Dyas and B&Q this weekend)
 
ujjwaldey8165 said:
Thanks.

So another one, please.

I will use the developer for one shot and throw; but what about the stop and fixer. Is it usual to keep them for multiple use; or simply throw them after one use
Click to expand...

The stop bath and fixer are both reusable, and I leave the films in the fixer for a little longer with each subsequent use. If you've just mixed a fresh solution, you can keep them in airtight 'concertina' bottles if you want to continue the following day.

Unless the films are urgent, I tend to wait until I've accumulated at least 10 rolls, then process them 5 at a time. At the end of the evening, I throw everything away as I don't know when I'm going to be processing again.
 
I bought a couple of measuring grads off ebay - 50ml and 500ml iirc, just for measuring out the chem's. Once measured out I decant them into cheap poly. measuring jugs from asda - 50p each. These sit in the sink of warm water awaiting their moment of glory.

I use Ilfostop 1+19, which has a solution life of 7 days at working strength. It has an indicator dye in it which changes from yellow to purple as the stop gets exhausted. To be honest, I seldom process more than a couple of films per week, so I don't often hit this stage.

As for fix, again I'm using ilford rapid fix, 1+4. My tank takes 300ml of solution to do 35mm films. I tend to mix up 500ml of the fix, and keep it in a sealed bottle. When I'm going to do some processing, I'll decant 300ml into one of my measuring jugs. For it's first use I'll run the fix for 5 minutes, then pour back into the 500ml stock bottle. Next time I'll give it 6 minutes, third time maybe 8, 4th time give it 10 and at the end of the 4th repeat i'll dispose of the stock, and re-mix a new batch next film.

It may not be necessarily the most economic way of working, but as I don't process films particularly regularly it's not horrendously expensive, and at least I know that my chem's are relatively current.
 
Carl V said:
Unless the films are urgent, I tend to wait until I've accumulated at least 10 rolls, then process them 5 at a time. At the end of the evening, I throw everything away as I don't know when I'm going to be processing again.
Click to expand...

I've never been strong enough willed to stockpile film - it tends to get souped the evening the film is finished :lol:
 
TheBigYin said:
I've never been strong enough willed to stockpile film - it tends to get souped the evening the film is finished :lol:
Click to expand...

Believe me, it doesn't take me very long to reach 10 rolls. :D

As a rule, if I know I won't be processing for a while, then I'll develop whatever I have, even if it's just a couple of rolls. But some weekends, I can quite easily go through half a dozen films and if I have something planned for the following weekend, I'll wait until I've shot the films from that outing before going into the darkroom.

The next problem however is trying to find the time to print them - or at least some of them. :lol:
 
The paterson tank with a single roll is 300ml.

I found out whay my last negs were purple, Managed to use a C41 process film! oops. Got some HP5 now. At least I know how to develop those!
 
Thanks so much folks.

Now waiting for the b/w films

Will let you know how it goes.

Ujjwal
 
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