How long do you keep D76?

[Ed Weatherly]

I started developing film again about 8 months ago and devloped my first few rolls with Rodinal from a friends darkroom. Then I bought a package of D76 powder, mixed it and and am using it as a one shot developer for mostly 400 speed Trix or HP5+. The Developer is stored in a dark amber glass jar but is at ambient which can range from 35 degrees F to 100 degrees F.

My question is how long would you keep it in those conditions?

Thanks,

Ed

 

[presspass]

A lot depends on how much air is in the bottle. If it's full and tightly sealed, it could last six months. It could last llonger if the temperature is stable and somewhere within five degrees of 70 F.

 

[Gareth Rees]

The sachet from Kodak states: Solution Life...Stock solution 6months in full stoppered bottle and 2 months in half full bottle.

Regards
Gareth

 

[Roger Hicks]

The sachet from Kodak states: Solution Life...Stock solution 6months in full stoppered bottle and 2 months in half full bottle.

Regards
Gareth

Dear Gareth,

But this is conservative. I've known a full, well-stoppered bottle to last 2 years or more. Mostly, it's OK until it darkens beyond "weak straw" colour to "tea" colour.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Gareth Rees]

Dear Gareth,

But this is conservative. I've known a full, well-stoppered bottle to last 2 years or more. Mostly, it's OK until it darkens beyond "weak straw" colour to "tea" colour.

Cheers,

R.

Dear Roger, thank you.
This is good to know.
Regards
Gareth

 

[CliveC]

Along the same lines, how about HC-110? I was sold a bottle of it at a very steep discount because it had changed colour. I was assured it was till good, however. Anybody have experienced with aged HC-110?

 

[Ed Weatherly]

As I stated the ambient temp ranged from about 40 degrees to 100 degrees. It has been mixed for about 6 months and there is no discernable change in color ,but I don't have a lot of experience with it either.

So, should I dispose of this batch of D76 or use it? I have two rolls of fairly important HP5+ that I need to develop. I either stick with the D76 or switch to Fomadon which I have and is unopened. I have never used Fomadon but have used Rodinal.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ed

 

[anjoca76]

As I stated the ambient temp ranged from about 40 degrees to 100 degrees. It has been mixed for about 6 months and there is no discernable change in color ,but I don't have a lot of experience with it either.

So, should I dispose of this batch of D76 or use it? I have two rolls of fairly important HP5+ that I need to develop. I either stick with the D76 or switch to Fomadon which I have and is unopened. I have never used Fomadon but have used Rodinal.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ed

You're supposed to mix it up at around 125F, so I wouldn't worry much about the temperature fluctuation. D76 is pretty resilient. If it's important film, though, just spend the $6 and go buy another, fresh package of it, if for no other reason than peace of mind. If it were expensive, then I guess I could see risking, but D76 is dirt cheap. As for how long I keep it, usually 3 months or so.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

I used D76 for many years, but quit using it because I found it gains strength while stored in the bottle. This resulted in some over-developed negatives and general inconsistency, so I switched to T-Max developer, which I mixed as needed as a one-time developer.

 

[huddy]

If the film is important, go buy fresh developer; at the least, shoot a test roll of HP5+ to see how it fares.

 

[Overkill-F1]

I store developer in many small glass bottles instead of one large one to avoid the air space in the bottle as it is used up.
...Terry

 

[Roger Hicks]

I used D76 for many years, but quit using it because I found it gains strength while stored in the bottle. This resulted in some over-developed negatives and general inconsistency, so I switched to T-Max developer, which I mixed as needed as a one-time developer.

Actually, it's weirder than that. It actually cycles up and down in strength. Not a lot, and I've forgotten how, but I'm pretty sure that's the case.

Cheers,

R.

 

[taskoni]

I never had to store D-76 longer than 2 weeks as I develop regularly my rolls. Good to know tho'.

Regards,

Boris

 

[Ed Weatherly]

Would you all feel comfortable using Fomadon (brand new) on the HP5+?

If I lost the pics on the roll, it would not be the end of the world but I wouldn't be happy.

Thanks for all the great insight.

Ed

 

[Mike-D]

I mix my D76 from scratch using the original formula. My rule is to not use it if its over a month old. I find the contrast rises after that. Steve Anchell documents this in one of his "cookbooks" and I find it to be true.

 

[clayne]

~6 months. Dumping before 3 months is a waste of developer.

When it's on it's way out it will start to turn a saturated straw color and, most noticeably, will have a very distinct smell.

 

[JohnTF]

People get all bent out of shape about a little air in the bottle, it is about 20% Oxygen, and what ever it is going to do is nothing compared with the flow of fresh supply air through most caps, -- actually every one I have used aside from fitted glass stoppers. If it keeps you up nights buy some of the heavier relatively inert gases which can be introduced in to the bottles. Do the math, not that many oxygen molecules in a reasonable amount of air over the liquid.

Off the top of my head, at STP, V (in liters)/ 22.4 L x 6.023 x 10 e 23 x .20 % - - not to obsess or anything.

Yes, I used to sell bottle caps, from poly seal to corks, and the only ones that did not breathe air to the solution were glass stoppers fitted to the bottles, or, most others with Saran Wrap under the cap, -- not some other brand, Saran Wrap is denser and will extend the life of your solutions. You can test some samples and bottles-- I have, and so has Ctein in years past as I recall, Saran Wrap works.

Well, a good wine corker, fresh corks, and wine bottles should work as well, paper labels will stick with milk and you can celebrate vintages of various mixes?

If you are mixing up a gallon, and not processing much, you can easily find four one quart glass bottles, like the Boston bottles used in labs, and use the Saran Wrap .

There are plenty of catalogs for bottles. Many plastic bottles breathe through the plastic, some do not-- and the main problem returns to the caps.

D76 is rather easy to mix from scratch, if you have stocked up on the chemicals and have a good scale-- if you want small batches at very low cost.

Flynn Scientific and Carolina Biological used to sell a lot of glass ware to schools, and I have seen catalogs from back in my bottle selling days.

I mostly used it diluted 1:1 and tossed.


Regards, John

ps-- looking for a good scale, Ohaus triple beams are often sold by police stations at auctions after they finish with them as evidence from the kids selling pot who probably stole them from the local schools, or they should be around $100, electronic scales should be even cheaper. I used to cable them to the desks so I could have them for the next class.

 

[JohnTF]

Would you all feel comfortable using Fomadon (brand new) on the HP5+?

If I lost the pics on the roll, it would not be the end of the world but I wouldn't be happy.

Thanks for all the great insight.

Ed

I would be surprised if Foma originated any real new chemistry, I have used Fomadon, and it works fine-- I would have to rely on my friend Jan in Frankfurt who seems to have determined the formulae of many brands and knows their characteristics well.

Am pretty sure D76 has been sold under a variety of names by the competitikon.

They were linked to Neobrom in Brno in the old days, who was trying to sell me bulk chemistry -- basically a MQ developer-- at the time I was importing custom coated and packaged paper.

I used to import Foma through a friend, and Foma somehow thought bulk purchases abroad less tax should be at a rate higher than their retail with a large VAT. They asked me where I got my prices-- and after I replied at their store on Wencelas Square, they stopped making offers. I gather they were looking for someone rather less informed and/or traveled, which was odd as they had agreed to exclusive importation rights to Misha, yet were making offers to others.

They may have the last laugh as despite their odd manner of doing business and naming their films, they have settled in to a more rare niche of BW products.


John

 

[JohnTF]

You can also do a clip test, or expose a short roll-- to see how it matches with your expectations.

D76 that has spoiled, in my experience, smells like dead fish, and is rather brown. Its keeping qualities in good bottles well sealed, are very good.

It is not so expensive as to precude your mixing up a fresh batch.

I would expect Rodinal to give quite different results.

If you are beginning in the darkroom, you might be best served to stick with one developer until you feel comfortable or wish to add variables-- beginning processing is either a series of experiments, or adventures, depending on how you approach it.

I saved the Rodinal for MF processing of APX, especially in 6x9 format.

Nothing wrong with tossing in the cut leader to get an idea of how quickly it turns, and also to see how fast your fix is working. I mix my chemistry to working strength and volume in lab ware in the darkroom sink, so it is easy enough.


Regards, John

 

[clayne]

Yep. It has a rather distinct smell. Dead fish is fairly accurate. Actually now that I think about it: the exact smell, based on memory, would be canned smoked sardines.

I clip-tested expired D-76 with said smell and off-color and of course arrived at nothing developed.