[Leica] Re: Chemicals

[Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>]

At 02:00 PM 12/22/98 -0800, you wrote:
>DIY E6;
>
> I have tried to find something to seal the partially used
>concentrate bottles without success so far.  Do you have any suggestions?

When I used to do all of my own film processing (over many many years), I
used a product in a spray can, that had a long snout. The can was filled
with an inert gas. You put the snout down in the bottle, pushed the spray
nozzle for a few seconds, and capped the bottle. The inert gas displaced
all of the oxygenated air. I don't remember the brand name, or anything
else about it other than it did indeed work. Actually, before the gas was
available, I used glass marbles. Pour glass marbles into the bottle until
the fluid level is at the top, then cap. Before using new marbles, you
should wash them in a dilute acid wash. Muriatic, HCL, whatever... because
the unwashed marbles can change the pH upward. The pH of E6 first developer
is, if I remember correctly, 10.62 (that may be C-22 dev pH)... Anyway, the
point is still the same. The unwashed marbles can move it toward 11, which
is undesirable. But a dilute acid wash (or soak), will eliminate this problem.

I always used a pH meter to adjust developer pH's. Those of you who want
absolutely perfect and consistent results, should be adjusting the pH of
your first and color developers. pH meters are inexpensive. A pH 10 buffer
solution for calibration and you are on your way. Not absolutely necessary,
but desirable for perfectly consistent results. 

The reason I don't process my own E6 anymore, is time. The only good
process is the long Kodak process. Mixing chemicals, adjusting pH, loading
reels, processing, cleaning-up (the worst part), and mounting the slides
(second worst part) is VERY VERY time consuming.

About twelve years ago (guessing) Calypso Color Lab (now called Calypso
Imaging) opened up, literally five miles from my house.
http://www.calypsoinc.com Their process is carefully monitored, they give
2hr. mounted E6 turnaround, push, pull, snip, and all of the other stuff
that makes life easy. It just simply became uneconomical (time is money) to
spend the long hours needed to process color film myself. Clean-up is the
worst part BECAUSE, your tanks, reels, drums, etc. must be really clean to
avoid contamination for the next run. This is why you don't (or at least
didn't a few years ago) run the stabilizer through your rotary processor.
Traces of previous chemicals (carried from step to step) is not a problem.
Traces of post chemicals (later steps) can indeed cause a giant problem.

Anyway, the easiest solution is to use marbles. Use some dilute swimming
pool acid, soak the marbles, mix them around, let them soak overnight, then
rinse well in distilled water, and store. Use them to take-up the used
solution space in your developer bottles.

Jim