Ilford Multigrade paper developer solution ....Good only for 24hours?

Asha

Asha

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Asha
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Having just used a 1 liter solution of multigrade developer at 1:9 dilution to soup one sheet of 10x8 paper, the said solution is now in a light/airtight kaiser bottle with a view to using it again tomorrow evening.

My question relates to the life of the said solution.

According to the ilford bumph, diluted, multigrade is only good for 24 hours!!
I suspect that not unlike other chemical shelf life expectancies, this may be a very conservative time span.

The past couple of wet printing sessions have seen me soup several sheets of paper and then go a number of days before the next session so I've discarded the solution.

If 24 hours is the limit then fine, I'm not trying to save money on the cost of chems, nonetheless, like fixer and stop, I'm not going to purposely discard a product that still has the ability to do what it is designed to do.

For any of you that use or have used this developer, how quickly do you find it loses it's "working ability" ?
 
My first thought (and my last, never having used this developer) is that it wouldn't work. Developer goes off by oxidation, and sitting around in an open tray for dish development lets a lot of oxygen get at it.
 
It’s very much like the use by date on a lot of foods

it’s best before x date. You can use it after this date but you will get the best performance from it within the specified times given.
Printing isn’t too bad has you can always mix up a fresh batch of it gives poor results but for film you only get one chance. I miss my darkroom
 
I use Nova vertical slot tanks which have floating lids. Because there is very little contact between the chemicals and the air when the lids are used between sessions, the chemicals can be left for several weeks between sessions. I'm not suggesting that everyone should buy vertical tanks but the point is that if print developer can stay good for a few weeks in a vertical slot processor with a lid then it should be able to stay good in a full opaque bottle stoppered bottle.

Before I had a slot processor I would prepare the smallest amount of developer I could get away with, for this reason. In a 10*8 tray I found 500ml was just enough.
 
Royal male said:
It’s very much like the use by date on a lot of foods

it’s best before x date. You can use it after this date but you will get the best performance from it within the specified times given.
Printing isn’t too bad has you can always mix up a fresh batch of it gives poor results but for film you only get one chance. I miss my darkroom
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Yes as you say only one chance with the negative, hence i often shoot two frames of the same scene if I know i can't return to the location or if the scene / light is unusually impresive.

Once the neg is there then printing via darkroom methods or scanning can be repeated as many times is necessary to obtain the desired result with only the cost of consumables being the drawback.

I have only just got myself back into darkroom processing after 35 years and tbh it's very much new as back then I was only a young teenager lucky to have an opportunity to share time with an older friend ( phoypgrphy student) in the lab.

I'm enjying the whole experience though, much more than scanning / PPing on a computer.
 
I'd do a small test print in the "geriatric" soup. It'll either work as expected or not - if it works, great but if not, it's a few cents in the bin rather than (possibly) more cents down the drain.
 
Asha said:
I have only just got myself back into darkroom processing after 35 years and tbh it's very much new as back then I was only a young teenager lucky to have an opportunity to share time with an older friend ( phoypgrphy student) in the lab.

I'm enjying the whole experience though, much more than scanning / PPing on a computer.
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I've nothing much to add regarding your question, but great to hear you're back in the darkroom and enjoying the process (y)
 
FujiLove said:
I've nothing much to add regarding your question, but great to hear you're back in the darkroom and enjoying the process (y)
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Thank you!
I’ve even very recently treated myself to an additional new toy to aid me in the darkroom.
I’ll post it up in the relevant thread once I receive it .... hopefully in time for Christmas :)
 
Nova given it's "permanent" home and filled up with water ( with a dop of bleach;))
Slots filled with chems....Dev, Stop and 2 Fixer ( Evidently two fixbaths is preferable not that I am an expert, but seeing as I have the additional slot, then why not.):)

Presently plugged in warming up to 20°c
Could take a while as the tap water here atm is freezing!!!:eek:

No rush as I have yet to black out the room ( much easier at night:p) and then decide what 4x5 negative I'm going to enlarge into a complete hash of a print masterpiece!:LOL:

It could be a late night................
 
IMG_0987.JPG

A quick iPhone snap of a makeshift handle for the paper clips.
I think it will prove easier than handling seperate clips when more than one is required to support the paper.
The metal rod cost me a quid and for the moment I have attached a couple of plastic ties to the ends to stop the clips sliding off.

It may work it may not.... I’ll find out real soon as tank is up to temp , intrepid enlarger etc is set up.

Time to go to the dark side !! Lol
 
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You don't mean you've actually made a print!!!

Well done.
 
StephenM said:
You don't mean you've actually made a print!!!

Well done.
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First one with the Nova!

The beauty now of course is I can simply unplug it, replace the lids and leave everything and go to bed!
But I ain’t, I reckon another print is in order, possible a keg already scanned and inkjet printed.... a comparison will be interesting.
 
Î’ve yet to try my abilities at dodging and burning..... I’m concerned that I may find that rather difficult to master.
Only one way to find out!
 
Before you do get too carried away by the ease of making prints, don't forget that although from paper in easel to print out of fixer might only be 5 minutes, ther's going to be a 30-45 min wash still to come...
 
StephenM said:
Before you do get too carried away by the ease of making prints, don't forget that although from paper in easel to print out of fixer might only be 5 minutes, ther's going to be a 30-45 min wash still to come...
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If it's Ilford Multigrade RC paper it's only a 30 sec wash. Maybe you're thinking of fibrebase paper?
 
StephenM said:
Before you do get too carried away by the ease of making prints, don't forget that although from paper in easel to print out of fixer might only be 5 minutes, ther's going to be a 30-45 min wash still to come...
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Yeah most of the paper is fiber but this is RC so only a shortish wash I thinks?!
 
Darkroom said:
If it's Ilford Multigrade RC paper it's only a 30 sec wash. Maybe you're thinking of fibrebase paper?
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Yes, the typical times for single weight and double weight papers. I was working on the assumption (based on prior knowledge) that fibre was the order of the day.
 
Asha said:
Is it really such a short wash for rc paper?
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Yes. The difficulty is getting the chemicals out of the paper base. RC paper encloses the paper in plastic, so it's really only the emulsion to worry about.
 
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StephenM said:
It's either the inside of your sink with a plug, or the de la Warr pavilion. I'll guess the former :)

And nice one.
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Why do I have a vision of you hanging onto him to stop him tumbling over the edge of the handrail? :eek:
 
The camera perhaps... :p
 
Peter B said:
Why do I have a vision of you hanging onto him to stop him tumbling over the edge of the handrail? :eek:
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No chance, Stephen was entertaining himself with his new 5x7 outfit and thus showed a complete lack of concern at the danger I had put his borrowed Canham in! [emoji13]
The whole outfit was hung over the rail and confirming focus with a loup was impossible..... stopped down to F/32 iirc in an attempt to ensure I got what I wanted in focus.

I could do to stop putting myself and my kit in these extreme conditions.....says he planning on heading out tomorrow with the 10x8 to an area just outside the village which never sees the sun in winter and with present temperatures will mean the likelihood of black ice !!!
 
Asha said:
I could do to stop putting myself and my kit in these extreme conditions.....says he planning on heading out tomorrow with the 10x8 to an area just outside the village which never sees the sun in winter and with present temperatures will mean the likelihood of black ice !!!
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Having taken a tumble on black ice a few weeks ago, I'd caution you to keep an eye open. :crying: Mind you, I was only taking digi shots with the camera round my neck, rather than a properly bagged LF kit. (y)
 
Peter B said:
Having taken a tumble on black ice a few weeks ago, I'd caution you to keep an eye open. :crying: Mind you, I was only taking digi shots with the camera round my neck, rather than a properly bagged LF kit. (y)
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Just to add to the fun, the shot that I have in mind, seen today whilst out walking, is going to involve me setting up in the middle of the road!! I have a habit of holding up traffic with my togging as @StephenM has been witness to!

It’s a narrow access road so very quiet but what’s betting that a vehicle will want to pass just as I get set up and composed !
 
You don't really want to appear in the "Nutters with cameras" thread do you?:p

Although that's better than appearing in your local casualty department, so take care on the roads with black ice possibly around.
 
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