F5 Fixer

Barney

Barney

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Does this need to ripen after formulation or can it be used immediately?
 
Hadn't heard of it before, but Nik and Trick say nothing about not using it immediately, and from the formula I found it seems to be a normal hardening, acid fixer. I await a reply from someone who knows...
 
Fíxers including F5 do not need to mature. They are simple mixtures of sodium thiosulfate and an alum hardener. The first dissolves silver halides and the alum hardens gelatins.
They could equally work entirely separately as a two stage operation. It is just more convenient to mix them,
However over hardening does slow down final washing, and make the products of silver and residual fixer removal more difficult.
Grossly extend fixation will eventually dissolve the silver image. Rapid fixers contain ammonium thiosulfate which is far more active and will attack the silver image far sooner.

Any black and white silver film can be fixed perfectly well with any brand of fixer.
 
You are correct (according to IUPAC standards) in the spelling, but I can't adapt to the American spelling of sulphur and associated compounds. Let's keep fotography traditional... :D
 
Thanks Guys!

I will use it today with confidence.
 
StephenM said:
You are correct (according to IUPAC standards) in the spelling, but I can't adapt to the American spelling of sulphur and associated compounds. Let's keep fotography traditional... :D
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I am dyslexic so í tend to use anything that comes into my head at the time. I am absolutely useless at proof reading.
 
Terrywoodenpic said:
I am dyslexic so í tend to use anything that comes into my head at the time. I am absolutely useless at proof reading.
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You cant be as bad as me, I check posts three times, then push the button and then end up editing for the next ten minutes. :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

Edit: even if its only 1 line
 
And even then your edit isn't grammatically correct :D :exit:
 
Black kettle pan

I prefer the logical alphabet arrangement - so much clearer than the confused random mass of words don't you think?

(STP 0C, 1 bar - but pubs sounds friendlier).
 
And in my last post, to be accurate the full stop should have been placed before the close bracket, not after it.

I write as someone with O level English language and a NUJMB pass in Use of English.

(Which can be paraphrased as "pretentious pedant".)
 
I've never mixed my own fixer as, when I last looked at the costings, it seems to be more expensive than buying a 5 litre container at the best available price, then diluting it 1+4 for film and 1+9 for paper.

The formulae I have seen for self-mixed fixer seem to assume that the stuff is used as "stock" without further dilution.

However I might have misunderstood the intended dilution or the costs.
 
StephenM said:
And in my last post, to be accurate the full stop should have been placed before the close bracket, not after it.

I write as someone with O level English language and a NUJMB pass in Use of English.

(Which can be paraphrased as "pretentious pedant".)
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I am a literature man myself, was always good at memorizing stuff, my record so far is 53 pages... something The Third.

Cant remember the name of it.
 
The first fixer I ever used was made by dissolving hypo crystals (1/6d a packet) in water. I soon switched to made up concentrate. The plain hypo took longer to fix and had no hardening properties.
 
Kevin Allan said:
I've never mixed my own fixer as, when I last looked at the costings, it seems to be more expensive than buying a 5 litre container at the best available price, then diluting it 1+4 for film and 1+9 for paper.

The formulae I have seen for self-mixed fixer seem to assume that the stuff is used as "stock" without further dilution.

However I might have misunderstood the intended dilution or the costs.
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The Formulae I used is so called Kodak fixer and the liter is good for 25 x 80 inch of film, think the stuff was 40 quid all told but should be good for 100 rolls, the next and subsequent 100 rolls will only be about seven quid per batch.

It's not a cost thing though, I enjoyed making it. I am going to make my own camera, emulsion, developer and fixer then print it. I will probably buy the paper, don't know yet.
 
In theory, making your own paper (well, coating your own paper) isn't difficult. I know there are ways of making your own paper as well. You just have to decide where you draw the line. It's like a home made meal - do you necessarily have to grow your own veg and raise your own livestock?
 
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StephenM said:
In theory, making your own paper (well, voating your own paper) isn't difficult. I know there are ways of making your own paper as well. You just have to decide where you draw the line. It's like a home made meal - do you necessarily have to grow your own veg and raise your own livestock?
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Not really, but then you don't have to climb Mount Everest but some do.
 
Barney said:
Not really, but then you don't have to climb Mount Everest but some do.
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By George, you mean I really don't have to?

With the stress on George. :)
 
StephenM said:
In theory, making your own paper (well, coating your own paper) isn't difficult. I know there are ways of making your own paper as well. You just have to decide where you draw the line. It's like a home made meal - do you necessarily have to grow your own veg and raise your own livestock?
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My wife has made her own craft paper (not for photography).
So far the only coating either of us have done has been for cyanotypes and anthotypes,.
 
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FishyFish said:
View: https://youtu.be/g3j9muCo4o0?si=d_yfQLINHtKzwgZ9


@Barney please don't take that as me making fun, it's more me being amazed by your seemingly boundless energy. :)
If you're enjoying doing all these things, then go for it! Your enthusiastic and enquiring posts about your adventures in film photography are making the F&C folder a very busy place, which is great. (y)
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No problem Nigel, no offense taken, I have ventured into the lighting forum a couple of times and there you really do have to have thick skin. :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

I am sure that my contributions are but a small part of this fantastic section of TP, without people like you and many others sharing the vast knowledge and experience I would not be getting anywhere with my film photography.

You guys are all so inspirational!
 
Petrochemist said:
My wife has made her own craft paper (not for photography).
So far the only coating either of us have done has been for cyanotypes and anthotypes,.
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Nige (on the other forum we both post on) made his own art paper to ink jet print onto which looked rather good, not sure how well it would hold together for wet processing a silver print though I expect some do just because.
 
zx9 said:
Nige (on the other forum we both post on) made his own art paper to ink jet print onto which looked rather good, not sure how well it would hold together for wet processing a silver print though I expect some do just because.
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My wife's paper wouldn't have be good for prints either, too thick & uneven even if it held together through processing, Sometime I might try coating/printing on wood or china I just need to make up some liquid emulsion, once I finally finish my darkroom & master the printing skills!
 
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Petrochemist said:
My wife's paper wouldn't have be good for prints either, too thick & uneven even if it held together through processing, Sometime I might try coating/printing on wood or china I just need to make up some liquid emulsion, once I finally finish my darkroom & master the printing skills!
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I have "The Darkroom Handbook" and in there the author(Knopf) provided examples of images printed onto stone, a wooden spoon and ceramics etc, It does not appear too difficult a process. He recommends a product by the name of "Liquid Light" and suggests that the more uneven the surface the better the effects can be.


firstcall-photographic.co.uk

Rockland Liquid Light, 240ml

Designed to be used without Multigrade filters, Liquid Light has an average contrast of about 3.0. We think of it like liquid photographic paper but for making prints onto wood, glass, ceramics, plastics, china, fabric, metal, rock and much more. Liquid Light is natural to apply and is...
firstcall-photographic.co.uk firstcall-photographic.co.uk



There maybe other more cost effective suppliers, its just the first one I came across.

The coated product is just exposed under the enlarger as normal.
 
Barney said:
I have "The Darkroom Handbook" and in there the author(Knopf) provided examples of images printed onto stone, a wooden spoon and ceramics etc, It does not appear too difficult a process. He recommends a product by the name of "Liquid Light" and suggests that the more uneven the surface the better the effects can be.


firstcall-photographic.co.uk

Rockland Liquid Light, 240ml

Designed to be used without Multigrade filters, Liquid Light has an average contrast of about 3.0. We think of it like liquid photographic paper but for making prints onto wood, glass, ceramics, plastics, china, fabric, metal, rock and much more. Liquid Light is natural to apply and is...
firstcall-photographic.co.uk firstcall-photographic.co.uk



There maybe other more cost effective suppliers, its just the first one I came across.

The coated product is just exposed under the enlarger as normal.
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Thanks, I've had a copy of the darkroom handbook for years, it might even be where I first came across liquid emulsion.
It'll be a while before I'm ready for it, but it's nice o have a premixed option to file :)
 
You can (or could) buy it locally to me in both an art shop in Hove and from the shop at the i360 in Brighton.
 
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