DIY Chemistry

TheKrikkitWars

TheKrikkitWars

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Joshua Kelly
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Does anyone have any information regarding the composition of photographic chemistry. I've got a fair amount of lab equipment, and I'd like to have a go at making my own chemistry. Especially if I can make it cheaper than bought stuff by bulk ordering from the bible (Sigma-Aldrich Catalog).
 
There are assorted recipes in older versions (and possibly newer editions) of Michael Langford's Basic Photography. B&W soups only and some toners.

A search with Google (or similar) may find you some colour recipes too.
 
I'll see if I can dig out some of the material I have from when I was mixing my own dev's, although from an academic perspective, it was of interest to me, I have to be honest in that I have more repeatable and or reliable results with the comercial devs I use. You might find also some of the chemistry difficult to obtain.

mark
 
Try and find an old copy of the Ilford manual of photography. Theres a load of different recipes in the back. One thing you will need is a REALLY accurite scale for small qualtities of chemicals. I somehow doubt it will work out much cheaper in the long run, but you can "talior" your mixes to suit your way of working. Wayne
 
I list these in no particular preference, as the previous poster commented you will need a precision mechanical balance or similar resolution digital scale.

I have used these formulae with good results, but prefer the comercial dev's for my professional work.



Borax developer

metol_____________________2 grams
hydroquinone_______________5 grams
sodium sulphite_____________100 grams
borax_____________________2 grams
water_____________________1000 cc

dev time 12 minutes at 18 degrees c



Buffered borax developer

metol______________________2 grams
sodium sulphite______________100 grams
hydroquinone________________5 grams
borax_______________________8 grams
boric acid___________________8 grams
potassium bromide____________0.25 grams
water______________________750 cc @ 52 degree C
water to mate_______________1000 cc

dev time 20 minutes @ 18 degrees C



Metol Sulphite developer

metol_________________8 grams
sodium sulphite_________125 grams
sodium carbonate_______12 grams
potassium bromide_______1.5 grams
water__________________1000 cc

dev time 8 minutes @ 18 degrees c


I have several others that may be of interest to you, but these are the ones that I have used in the past, note once mixed, none of these will keep very long.

mark
 
swanseamale47 said:
One thing you will need is a REALLY accurite scale for small qualtities of chemicals.
Click to expand...

I take it that a ±0.1mg scale will do the trick?


Thanks everyone, I'll just have to find the time and energy to have a go now.
 
Its a thirty-some year old electromechanical one, gifted to me by a mentor of mine, along with a huge crate of glassware. All stuff that his former employer didn't want, but thought should be saved from the skip.
 
To be honest a balance that accurate for such large quantities is irrelevant. No point being accurat to 1/10000th of a gram in 1 litre. How accurately can you measure 1 litre? And then depending on the temp of the water this will effect the concentration anyway.
 
ThisPhotoGuy said:
To be honest a balance that accurate for such large quantities is irrelevant. No point being accurat to 1/10000th of a gram in 1 litre. How accurately can you measure 1 litre? And then depending on the temp of the water this will effect the concentration anyway.
Click to expand...

I could do this to ridculous tolerences, but seen as I'm going to stuggle to control temperature it would be a waste of time. In any case, I shall still have a bash once I get paid (whenever that is) cos I now have a roll of film gone a bit awry that would be a total waste of money to develop "professionally".
 
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