You needn't be fixated on Rodinal, it is best to use chemicals which are widely available and inexpensive. For Trix I prefer to use D76, which is cheap and easy to find, and it gives great results. If I want finer grain I use Microdol, or Fuji's Microfine. My entire black and white developing kit cost me only $50 or so. I don't use a changing bag as my bathroom is completely dark with the lights out and the door shut.
The most important thing in developing film is consistency.
I got a Jobo 2500 series drum and reels from eBay for $25, I got a thermometer at the local camera outlet for $10, I also bought a couple 1 liter bottles for $2 each, and a digital egg timer for $1. A packet of D76 cost $2.50, and a bottle of fixer was $7. This is all the equipment necessary for basic developing, one packet of developer will process 10 thirty-six exposure rolls of film. The one liter bottle of concentrated fixer will fix 40 thirty-six exposure rolls of film.
The process for developing film is simple. Opening the film canister and removing the film is easily done with a bottle opener, or a pair of pliers. Threading the film onto the film developing spool is a bit tricky, plastic spools are easier than the metal ones. Once the film is on the developing spool, you can cut off the little plastic film spool. You then put the developing spool into your developing tank and put on the lid tightly. The above process is of course done in absolute darkness, in a changing bag, or in a darkened room.
Next you must prepare your chemicals, I use only 3, developer, fixer and water. I adjust the temperature of my chemicals to 20 degrees C using warm or cold water, depending on the time of year. The first step is developing ( I don't bother with a prewash or soak), which takes 8-10 minutes depending on the film and developer. The next step is the stop bath, for which I use ordinary water, and takes less than a minute, and last is fixing, which takes 5-7minutes. After fixing I wash the film in running water for at least 10 minutes, and then add a few drops of Dry-well, or Sunlight dish soap to the tank before emptying the water and
removing the film.
I hang the film to dry in a dust free place (your shower is a good choice). I attach a weighted clip to the bottom to keep the film hanging straight, and letting it dry overnight will let it get flatter. I then cut the film into strips containing 6 exposures. If I want them to be extra-flat, I will put them in plastic sleeves and put them in a heavy book for a day or two.
The normal process at standard dilutions takes about 30 minutes, including the wash, plus drying time. I enjoy developing film, it is a stress-relieving activity for me, or something to do when the weather is too bad to shoot.
