Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/09/23

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Subject: [Leica] Where to get B&W chemicals from for an overseas shipment
From: marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small)
Date: Sun Sep 23 15:32:53 2007
References: <46F6BBB5.5080803@zabrovsky.com> <200709231939.l8NJdNt0015385@server1.waverley.reid.org> <46F6D689.9030107@zabrovsky.com>

At 05:11 PM 9/23/2007, Alex wrote:
 >Thanks.
 >Frankly, I'm still quite a newbie into B&W processing yet, so far about
 >15 rolls (mostly Tri-X), all in HC-110. Do you mean that FORMULARY is
 >kind od set of chemicals aimed to mix up into various kind of
 >commercially available developers ? Sound kinda lego... ;-)    Does that
 >allow to yield HC-110, XTOL and other developers similar to those
 >available commercially ?
 >That might be solution, however I suspect lots of precise chemical
 >measurements and hassle may be involved...am I wrong ?

Many of us who do extensive darkroom work have 
come to mix our own basic formulae.  I would 
suggest that you check out the PHOTOGRAPHERS 
FORMULARY website.  There are a number of 
worthwhile books available -- I have found 
Dignan's 150 BLACK AND WHITE FORMULAS the most 
accessible.  There is also the PLI (Photo Lab 
Index), a massive volume, and the outstanding 
GEVAERT MANUAL.  Copies of these are readily 
available inexpensively from the Advanced Book 
Exchange and the like.  CHAMPLIN ON FINE GRAIN is 
a bit harder to find but is most worthwhile.

Very few of these formulae are protected by law, 
most because of age.  The Rodinal formula dates 
to 1892, that for D-76 from 1926.  XTOL is still 
protected by a patent but it is a simple formula 
based on orange juice, and equivalent mixes can readily be developed legally.

Rodinal is generally my developer of choice 
because of its longevity -- I have a bottle of 
1962 production which still works and works quite 
well.  But D-76 is my fall-back and, on a Sunday 
evening when I run out of everything else, I can 
whump up a liter in a few seconds from chemistry on hand.

Give it a try:  it is also a LOT less expensive!

Marc


msmall@aya.yale.edu
Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!



In reply to: Message from alex at zabrovsky.com (Alex) ([Leica] Where to get B&W chemicals from for an overseas shipment)
Message from marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small) ([Leica] Where to get B&W chemicals from for an overseas shipment)
Message from alex at zabrovsky.com (Alex) ([Leica] Where to get B&W chemicals from for an overseas shipment)