Container for mixing 1 gallon of developer

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Fenwick

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I know this is a dumb question but for the life of me I cant think of what to mix my D-76 powder in.Its the package that makes 1 gallon
I cant think of a large enough container to use.
Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
Buy a one gallon bottle of distilled water, preferably with a screw cap.

Then pour some of the water out into a clean mixing cup, pour the developer powder into the water bottle and top off the bottle from the mixing cup.

Mark the bottle Poison in large letters and keep it in a child safe place.
 
Buy a bucket at the hardware. Aim to stir your developer powder gently to mix it into solution, introducing as little air as practically possible.
 
Bucket for me too. Not any bucket, but one that I keep for this job. Oh, and a funnel too.
 
I use a clean plastic bucket kept for the job. But the bottle idea is good too. The Paterson stirrer for mixing is good if you can find one. Fidget's right about the funnel -- again, kept for the job.

Cheers,

R.
 
I always used a clean plastic bucket then poured into an empty and well washed Arizona Ice Tea bottle which is much heavier gauge plastic than the bottles that distilled water comes in.
 
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I use an empty liquid laundry detergent container (well rinsed, of course!). Keep your eyes open on recycling day. Marking it "poison" and keeping it away from kids is good advice.
 
Go out and buy a gallon of "Arizona Iced Tea"...enjoy the tea...when you're done with it clean out the bottle and use it for your D-76...
When mixing fill the bottle 3/4 with warm water add the powder and mix when that's done fill the bottle to the top with cool water and you're good to go...
I use one of these bottles for my Fixer and have spares for other use...remember to keep the D-76 stock solution in a dark place (closet) when not using it...
 
wray said:
I always used a clean plastic bucket then poured into an empty and well washed Arizona Ice Tea bottle which is much heavier gauge plastic than the bottles that distilled water come in.
Click to expand...

See...I'm not the only one using theses bottles...:D:D:D
DO remember to relabel the bottle...
 
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I use a 1 gallon tupperware plastic pitcher. It is actually slightly larger than 1 gallon, thus making it easier to mix without slopping it over the sides. I've been using it for decades. It has a spout so when I'm done I pour it into two 1/2 gallon brown plastic jugs for storage. Developer lasts longer when not exposed to air, so by using two jugs the other half lasts longer. I use a long handle spoon (I don't know what to call it, looks like what a cook would use to stir the spool, also stolen from the wife's kitchen, for stirring.

The Arizona 1 gallon jugs are great for storing stop bath or distilled water.
 
I got myself a nice bucket for the job. Then, stored the D-76 in a brown accordion bottle (for sale at photography stores).

Now I used T-Max developer... and my days of mixing powder are gone (at last!!).
 
Accordion bottles are allegedly far more oxygen permeable than the general run of bottles, though I have not verified this. The classic trick of glass marbles to help fill the bottle is widely said to be better. Personally I prefer small glass bottles, 0.5 to 1 litre.

Cheers,

R.
 
It's probably easier and quicker to dissolve all the powder if you mix it in one container and store it in another, or several other. It's easier to stir or shake a liquid when it doesn't completely fill the container.

If you're concerned about permeability, you can always go buy a gallon glass jug of cheap wine, empty it (in whatever fashion you see fit) and then use the jug.
 
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wgerrard said:
It's probably easier and quicker to dissolve all the powder if you mix it in one container and store it in another, or several other. It's easier to stir or shake a liquid when it doesn't completely fill the container.

If you're concerned about permeability, you can always go buy a gallon glass jug of cheap wine, empty it (in whatever fashion you see fit) and then use the jug.
Click to expand...

Dear Bill,

I'll drink to that!

But storage in smaller bottles is a good idea.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger, I'm pretty sure the wine that comes in gallon jugs in France is better than the jug wine here in the States. In my experience, it's incredibly sweet and syrupy, or just plain vile.

Anyone remember Pink Mountain Moonlight, from their college days? Made on Monday, aged Tuesday on the truck, ready to drink on Wednesday. Or, Gallo's Hearty Burgundy?

Could you use the stuff to develop film?
 
I mix my solutions in a 2 litre pitcher - I mix enough to make 4 litres. Then I store them in
1 gallon (3.8 l) plastic containers meant for gasoline. They even have spouts. Best of all they are readily available at good old Canadian Tire.
Morry Katz - Lethbridge, Alberta
 
Empty windshield wiper fluid bottle? I only use these to collect waste until town hazardous waste day, but well-rinsed they ought to do for fresh chemicals, too. They come with child-proof lids.

I actually use D-76 half a pack (by weight) at a time, in empty 1/2 gallon cider jugs.
 
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