Move to South America, chemical advice needed

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KevinVH

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Hi guys,

This is my first post here. I'll try to explain my situation as clear as possible.

Right now I'm living in Belgium, where I mostly shoot analog. In January I'm moving to Ecuador, planning to live there, and start a career as a photographer.

I develop my film at home, which is very easy because al the chemicals are widely available here. I assume it will be a completely different story in Ecuador. So I'm planning on bringing some chemicals to Ecuador.
Here in Belgium I only use Ilford, but I want to take the chemicals in my luggage, so I'm trying to find powder form of everything. I allready found Ilford ID-11, which will be perfect to transport around the world. Ilford however doesn't make powder stop and fix. Are there any other brands you guys know of that make powder versions of all 3 chemicals needed to develop.

Also, if there's anyone here who lives/have been to Ecuador, maybe you know a place or store that does sell all the chemicals needed. If so, that would be perfect!

So this is a topic with 2 questions: Anyone here experience with developing in Ecuador, and are there powder versions available of all 3 chemicals needed to develop B&W film

Thanks so much in advance!
 
Skiff said:
Fixer: Calbe in Germany is producing powder fixer. You can buy it at Fotoimpex:
http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/fotochemie/schwarzweiss-fixierer-stoppbad/

For stop bath you can use water (with films).
If you want to use an acid stop bath, you can use citric acid without problems. Citric Acid can normally be bought in each drugstore, that should not be a problem in Ecuador.

For film supply in Ecuador maybe these guys can help you:
http://lomoecuador.wordpress.com/about/
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Great. I guess the most important is the developer, after that, it doesn't really matter that much.

Thanks so much for your help. I'll buy the powder fixer from the site! It's actually super cheap compared to the liquid ilfosol. Is the quality about the same?

I've only done my developing with ilford products; What I usually do is make enough to develop 1 rol, and then use that mixture a few times. So I use the massivedev chart to check how long it needs to develop. then I use a stopbath. and then I fix, let dry for a an hour orso and scan. You're saying I don't need ilfostop or anything alike to stop it. Just squeeze a lemon or in Ecuador a Lime, mix it with distilled water and use that to stop the developer?

I've looked into the Calbe 300 and ordered it. It does however say that it needs longer to fix the film, since it's not a rapid fixer, but I can't exactly find how long. Can you possibly overfix a film?
You guys just made my day!
 
You can't really over fix films, sure technically you can but in reality 10-20 mins would be OK. Best thing to do is cut the leader from the 35mm and double the clearing time.

Stop isn't needed with film water will do, if not white vinegar 1:5 with water will be OK for both films and prints as it's acetic acid which is what stop bath is formulated from.
 
KevinVH said:
Ok Thanks for all the info.

Now I need to get the powder through customs without them thinking it's Cocaïne!
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That would have been exactly the concern that immediately came to my mind. International customs and safety inspections at airports are pretty rigorous nowadays and any sort of chemicals might be confiscated right away. No matter what.
 
icebear said:
That would have been exactly the concern that immediately came to my mind. International customs and safety inspections at airports are pretty rigorous nowadays and any sort of chemicals might be confiscated right away. No matter what.
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I contacted the company I'm flying with, they said they would put it in my flight description, and they recommended calling the customs to tell them my story. Should be good I hope.

Anyone here willing to send me the chemicals through mail once I get there?
 
KevinVH said:
Ok Thanks for all the info.

Now I need to get the powder through customs without them thinking it's Cocaïne!
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I don't think getting INTO the country with white powder chemicals will be the problem, unless you transfer in another Latin American country.

Nescio
 
A Colombian friend flew from Chicago to Bogota with a stop at Miami carrying a large box of Splenda with him. I thought it was madness and just asking for trouble but apparently he had no problem whatsoever.
 
No, I go from Brussels to Amsterdam, then straight to Guayaquil, so I guess I'll be fine!
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Schiphol is the airport where most cocaine gets into Europe by air. Why would anybody want to take back the stuff to where it came from? Ecuador isn't Colombia of course, but it's cultivated there as well and like any other Latin American country, a place it gets shipped from, exepting Eastern Island.

Hey, good luck with your stay. Can't give any advice on the country as it's too long ago I was there. But you'll like it, I'm sure. And you'll learn Spanish if you don't speak it already.

Nescio

PS: of course there is always the posibility that some customs officer will try to frame you. If you speak Spanish, just ask him to take a "raya". No idea what ID-11 can do to a human body, but it just might scare him off...!
 
Nescio said:
Schiphol is the airport where most cocaine gets into Europe by air. Why would anybody want to take back the stuff to where it came from? Ecuador isn't Colombia of course, but it's cultivated there as well and like any other Latin American country, a place it gets shipped from, exepting Eastern Island.

Hey, good luck with your stay. Can't give any advice on the country as it's too long ago I was there. But you'll like it, I'm sure. And you'll learn Spanish if you don't speak it already.

Nescio

PS: of course there is always the posibility that some customs officer will try to frame you. If you speak Spanish, just ask him to take a "raya". No idea what ID-11 can do to a human body, but it just might scare him off...!
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True, I'll wait to see what my airline says. I'm guessing it won't be a problem. I already speak some spanish, but plan on taking a course there from the moment I arrive!
 
I travel a lot back and forth between Colombia, Europe and Canada and my experience is that:

(1.) No problem carrying "white powder" in any direction, guards sometimes are not as kind as one would like but dogs are not dumb and they know the difference between chemicals (also keep in mind that many of them are Mechelaars 😉 );

(2.) No problems to find most chemicals both as film developers, fixer, or whatever or as raw chemicals if you can prepare your own baths from formulae;

(3.) No problem to buy on-line from the US and have it sent here, there are actually companies which just specialize in sending stuff from the US.

(4.) If you need something you can contact me via personal message.

(5.) No suggestion for colour, in Colombia there are still a few good technicians but when they will be disappeared I have no idea what I shall do, I guess I shall either have to re-polish my colour skills or (more likely) give up chemical colour printing or just print from scan or bring films to Europe for the printing.

GLF
 
I said this before, but Rodinal and HC-110 are protected from nuclear attacks. They found a bottle of Rodinal in the late fifties (it was unopened) when rebuilding Berlin way after the war. It still worked. Use something you are certain will not degrade.
 
giellaleafapmu said:
I travel a lot back and forth between Colombia, Europe and Canada and my experience is that:

(1.) No problem carrying "white powder" in any direction, guards sometimes are not as kind as one would like but dogs are not dumb and they know the difference between chemicals (also keep in mind that many of them are Mechelaars 😉 );

(2.) No problems to find most chemicals both as film developers, fixer, or whatever or as raw chemicals if you can prepare your own baths from formulae;

(3.) No problem to buy on-line from the US and have it sent here, there are actually companies which just specialize in sending stuff from the US.

(4.) If you need something you can contact me via personal message.

(5.) No suggestion for colour, in Colombia there are still a few good technicians but when they will be disappeared I have no idea what I shall do, I guess I shall either have to re-polish my colour skills or (more likely) give up chemical colour printing or just print from scan or bring films to Europe for the printing.

GLF
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Thanks, really helpful. I already ordered the chems, so will try to take them. Im pretty confident it will be no problem. I asked around in Ecuador, I had someone go 'round looking for developer/filmrolls, and they found nothing. Ecuador is the 2nd smallest country in South America, so it's still a difference with Colombia.

Will try to check out ordering some online, any store suggestions?

charjohncarter said:
I said this before, but Rodinal and HC-110 are protected from nuclear attacks. They found a bottle of Rodinal in the late fifties (it was unopened) when rebuilding Berlin way after the war. It still worked. Use something you are certain will not degrade.
Click to expand...

It has to be available to me, + it seems that D76 is pretty universal and tested too?
 
KevinVH said:
Thanks, really helpful. I already ordered the chems, so will try to take them. Im pretty confident it will be no problem. I asked around in Ecuador, I had someone go 'round looking for developer/filmrolls, and they found nothing. Ecuador is the 2nd smallest country in South America, so it's still a difference with Colombia.

Will try to check out ordering some online, any store suggestions?



It has to be available to me, + it seems that D76 is pretty universal and tested too?
Click to expand...

Umh, it's a bit "unspecialized" but I had the best of luck with the largest book store, I have the feeling that many people when realize something comes from them stop worrying and assume it is all-right (and they sell Ka-Bar knives and bullet-proof jackets, never mind).

GLF
 
giellaleafapmu said:
Umh, it's a bit "unspecialized" but I had the best of luck with the largest book store, I have the feeling that many people when realize something comes from them stop worrying and assume it is all-right (and they sell Ka-Bar knives and bullet-proof jackets, never mind).

GLF
Click to expand...

What are you talking about now? I don't follow.
 
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