Allan Reade
Established
I've recently begun developing BW films and use ID11 because it's cheap and readily available here. At 1:3 the litre of concentrate may last me a few months. I've tried squezing the bottles to eliminate air with limited success, then small marbles. How about inflating a balloon to expel almost all the air? Is the rubber liable to be attacked by the developer and so spoil the developer?
Thanks for any advice.
Allan
Thanks for any advice.
Allan
charjohncarter
Veteran
I heard that that 'canned air' replaces the oxygen. You just shoot it into the bottle, it is heavier than air so it displaces. I do it with my fixer concentrate
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
Balloons sound messy, if theoretically possible. I think CJC's idea of "canned air" sounds better. From memory it's actually compressed nitrogen gas and displaces the the oxygen-rich air.
wgerrard
Veteran
When we exhale, that's mostly CO2, right? Anyone know if it's anywhere near pure CO2. Why couldn't we just exhale into the bottle?
Freakscene
Obscure member
No. What you inhale is about 21% oxygen and 0.04% CO2. What you exhale is about 15% oxygen and 4-5% CO2. It's not enough difference to have an effect. When CO2 dissolves in water, it makes carbonic acid in equilibrium with other dissolved components, but this, if sufficiently strong, could change the pH of the alkali in the developer. What you need is pure nitrogen gas (like wine saver) or a noble gas like helium.
If you can get helium and actually fill the space with it (it's a lot lighter than air) it should work. But D76 or ID11 should be fine over a few months.
Marty
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
What if you hold your breath until you nearly pass out ... how much oxygen would be left then?
If you don't know the answer here Marty I'll be disappointed!
wgerrard
Veteran
I'd be too dizzy to blow into the bottle.
retro
Well-known
I use glass bottles and a wine pump to suck the air out.
visiondr
cyclic iconoclast
Marbles, my friends, marbles; cheap, easy, effective, environmentally responsible.
JohnTF
Veteran
What is even more important is that most tops leak, if you have concerns, put Saran Wrap under the cap, it is denser than the others, and I find the chemistry lasts far longer.
I have a few glass stoppered bottles, those really work well, but are hard to find, the stoppers were ground to match the bottles.
Inert gases, --Argon is the third most common gas in the atmosphere, might be the cheapest, now if you can only get it out of the light bulbs. ;-)
Biggest hoax was the accordion bottles, they increased the surface area of the bottles.
I used to sell stoppers, the best leak, without Saran Wrap.
I used to use only glass bottles, but found the plastic chemistry bottles used for Kodak's chemistry (ask a one hour lab to save some for you, think they are 5L) were sold by BH and when properly sealed seemed to keep the soup fresh.
I have seen the bottles of wine preserving gases sold at Trader Joe's, seem to work for wine.
Most Balloons also pass air, so probably not worth the effort.
Regards, John
I have a few glass stoppered bottles, those really work well, but are hard to find, the stoppers were ground to match the bottles.
Inert gases, --Argon is the third most common gas in the atmosphere, might be the cheapest, now if you can only get it out of the light bulbs. ;-)
Biggest hoax was the accordion bottles, they increased the surface area of the bottles.
I used to sell stoppers, the best leak, without Saran Wrap.
I used to use only glass bottles, but found the plastic chemistry bottles used for Kodak's chemistry (ask a one hour lab to save some for you, think they are 5L) were sold by BH and when properly sealed seemed to keep the soup fresh.
I have seen the bottles of wine preserving gases sold at Trader Joe's, seem to work for wine.
Most Balloons also pass air, so probably not worth the effort.
Regards, John
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Allan Reade
Established
Thank you all for your replies.
While it is true that holding my breath for long enough will make the problem go away, I will try to find a solution I can live with
More marbles are probably a good start.
Allan
While it is true that holding my breath for long enough will make the problem go away, I will try to find a solution I can live with
More marbles are probably a good start.
Allan
RayPA
Ignore It (It'll go away)
That's not a bad idea. But I think your best bet is to store the solution in smaller bottles (if you mix up a litre, store it in two half litre bottles) or use a bigger tank with a floating lid. When I worked in a pro lab we used to mix up 20+ gallons at a time and store it in tanks with small chemical-resistant plastic balls that floated and completely covered the surface. We stopped using the solid floating lids, because they always seemed to become submerged. Not sure where to get those floating balls, though.
/
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
Probably as a result of riding a motorcycle the way that's shown in your avatar!
RayPA
Ignore It (It'll go away)
HA! No that is Mr. Rollie Free atop his Vincent Black Lightning breaking the land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats.
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presspass
filmshooter
Exactly. They're available in the big box discount stores, usually somewhere near the fish tanks or floral arranging supplies. Just wash them off well and, obviously, make sure they'll fit in the bottle you're using. No huffing, no puffing, and no trying to squirt canned air into a bottle. Ideal.
Freakscene
Obscure member
What if you hold your breath until you nearly pass out ... how much oxygen would be left then?
If you don't know the answer here Marty I'll be disappointed!
If you hold your breath longer, the amount of CO2 decreases due to diffusion back the other way.
Marty
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
So the amount of oxygen increases?
What is the deal with the marbles? How exactly do those work?? Wouldn't you spill them when trying to pour out the developer??
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
Like the "Fastest Indian in the World"?
Muggins
Junk magnet
I think Mr Free's balls might not have floated... Given that he was doing 150mph on a salt flat, the possible consequences of even the most minor of abrasions had he come off are eye-watering just to think about. No, I think Rollie had balls of steel!
Anyway, it's an excuse to post this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxKTzwaEa2o
Adrian
(Hmm, I wonder how my fixer and stop bath are, given that I think I made them up in April... just to keep us on-topic!)
Anyway, it's an excuse to post this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxKTzwaEa2o
Adrian
(Hmm, I wonder how my fixer and stop bath are, given that I think I made them up in April... just to keep us on-topic!)
Eugen Mezei
Well-known
You also can use the parts of a broken windshield. This is easy to get in scrapyards for old cars. Possibly cheaper than marbles.