Who uses bulk Chemicals?

[Jim Noel]

I mix everything from bulk and have done so for more than 60 years. It has been a rare occasion when I have bought pre-packaged chemistry, and have almost always been disappointed with the purchase. This applies not only to B&W chemicals, but both positive and negative color also.

[Brook Martin]

I too mix pretty much all my own. I get hypo, sodium sulfite, carbonate and what not from a local commerical pool/boiler supply house, look for a place on the railroad tracks, they deal in the tons,but will sell in 50 lbs bags. I think I pay about 1.25$/lb for sodium sulfite, its 10$/lb in a kodak bottle at the photo store.

[paulr]

by the way, if anyone in the NYC area is interested in taking some chemistry off my hands, email me and I'll tell you what I have. I'll probably keep the basics (sodium sulfite, developing agents, etc.) i'd like to give away the alternative process chemicals that I'm not going to use any time soon.

[John Bowen]

I mix some of my own developers. Sandy King's Pyrocat-HD in glycol & Michael Smith's Amidol. I use the Formulary's TF-4 for fix.

I also purchase Dektol and Zone VI Fix.

I purchase my chemicals from Artcraft, the Formulary or on rare occasions on Ebay

I purchased a digital scale on Ebay that measures to 1/10th of a gram. Cost was under $30 dollars, maybe even less then $20. I also purchased some weights to verify the accuracy of the scale. It is dead on!

[Jan Pedersen]

Most of my chemistry is also mixed from bulk including Pyrocat MC, MAS Amidol and MAS fix Sodium thiosulfate/ Sodium bisulfite and all Pt/Pd chemistry.
Buy from Artscraft, Formulary, Bostic & Sullivan and occasionally on ebay.
Also keep some Xtol and Rodinal around just in case.
It's in a way rewarding to make as much as possible from scratch.

[paulr]

It's in a way rewarding to make as much as possible from scratch.

it's also insurance against your favorite formula getting discontinued!

[Jerzy Pawlowski]

I mix everything but KRST. This way I am not afraid that anything will be discontinued, I mix whatever volume I need and I am sure it is always the same, I might be not very accurate but I am consistent. I use normal (not dark) bottles but I place them in a large box with cover, so they are always in the dark. I get chemicals from Claire from JD Photochem and sometimes the Formulary. Unfortunately my other passion that brings money does not allow much time for darkroom recently, when this will end I will be buying whatever possible in 50 or 100 lb bags again.

[BradS]

I make regular use of home made D-23, D-76/ID-11 and D-72.

[Clueless Winddancing]

"I keep a separate set of glassware for each of my processes.I keep a separate set of glassware for each of my processes." That's called keeping it Kosher .

[ronald moravec]

I make Kosher D76 and D72.

Sodium Sulfite and calcium carb come from The Chemistry Store 25# at a time. Borax is 20 Mule Team from the laundry aisle at the grocery store.
Most of the other stuff from Photographers Formulary or the stuff I inherited from my neighbor who had a wedding business in 1950/60. I have unopened cans of D76 from then. There are quart jars of hydroquinone.

The scale came from my father in laws` days in medical school, 1930 something. Still works fine
I prefer it to the cheapie balance I bought in the late 60`s which I also still have