If I fix for inconsistent times over the recomended time am I screwing anything up?

[sully75]

That's over 3 cycles of film development. With the TF-4 I do 3 changes of water, no photoflow or perma-wash, don't seem to have any problems with residual fixer.

[Leigh]

With water bath rather than running water wash you definitely need a hypo clearing agent.

Water bath does not remove fixer worth a darn.

- Leigh

[sully75]

With water bath rather than running water wash you definitely need a hypo clearing agent.

Water bath does not remove fixer worth a darn.

- Leigh

Ok. My negatives look better than they ever have.

I'm pretty sure the Ilford method does not use running water nor hypo clear.

[Leigh]

I know nothing about the "Ilford Method". I think I started processing about 30 years before they published it.

- Leigh

[RichardSperry]

http://www.adorama.com/KKFXG.html

Kodak's basic general fixer has hardener.

[bob carnie]

Over fixing paper with a rapid fixer will bleach out the highlights slightly , but I am talking in the 10 minute range, I am not sure of the effect for film but anything over 10 minutes would be a concern in my darkroom.

[jnanian]

paul

if you reuse your fixer make sure you don't over-use it. i would do a clip test before you process your film to make sure it is still good
and give you a full-fix time. don't reuse your fixer if it clears your scrap of film in 2x the original clear time. to make sure you aren't
UNDER fixing your film, make sure fix for 2x the clear time ...
the photo flo just helps you dry your film without streaks, it has nothing really to do with fixer ...

[jnanian]

leigh

i never heard that using the soak method doesn't leach fixer out of prints or films,
i have heard it works at least as good, if not better than filling and dumping with running water, and it doesn't waste that much water.

[Leigh]

i have heard it works at least as good, if not better than filling and dumping with running water, and it doesn't waste that much water.

I don't understand "filling and dumping with running water".

Wash techniques are one or the other. You use running water, or you fill and dump.

A proper archival final wash sequence with Perma-Wash only takes four minutes of running water.

- Leigh

[sully75]

Leigh,

The Ilford method is fill - agitate (first 10x then 20x then 30x) - then soak 5 minutes. Rumored to be archival.

It's not fill - dump - fill - dump.

I use motor bases, so I don't do the soak. I just leave it running and change the water out a few times. My negatives have been super, super clean since I switched to TF-4 fixer.