Chinese Amidol Analysis

[Blacky Dalton]

For those that are interested, Dale Grant has posted his chemical analysis of the Chinese Amidol on the MAS site;

http://michaelandpaula.com/mp/AzoForum/one.asp?ID=10524&PgNo=&GID=10524&CID=5

Looks like contamination of Fe and Ni are responsible for the red wine color and I would say the high amount of Sn and possibly other contaminants would be responsible for the black sludge.

B. Dalton

[Carol Dent]

I bought a half pound of it and paid full retail ($105.00) from a prominent supplier. . .didn't know it was the Chinese Amidol until I tried to use it. It mixed up blood red with black sludge that had to be filtered. I ran a few sheets of Azo through it and after I realized I had to wash the paper for 4-5 minutes to clear the stain, I decided LIFE WAS TOO SHORT!!!

[Eric Rose]

what no lead?

[Turner Reich]

You wanted cheap Amidol and what did you get, cheap Amidol. Maybe some cheap Azo paper from China? Get the lead out and make them Chinese children work. It breaks my heart, exploit children in an emerging communist country with no labor laws or product laws and then complain it doesn't work. Maybe they could send some mercury to help wash it out of the paper quicker.

[Michael Kadillak]

We all know that Amidol has always been a very expensive photographic chemical. Anyone that has participated in analog photography knows many "frugal" individuals that are constantly looking to stretch a buck as far as it can go. If that works for them then that is great. I also know many photographers that are pleased as punch with this product and deal with its unique properties to make marvelous prints.

That said I want to state my sincere appreciation to the two years of damn hard work that Greg Davis put into making this happen. Bravo!

We need more gracious people like Greg to keep the analog wheels greased. Think of all of the people that had an opportunity to experience amidol based upon this work? If it is not your cup of tea, fine. You have many other channels to acquire Amidol. But please don't take this discussion into a dig on China. We have no facts to make such claims and the reality is that many of the products that we will all use in the years ahead in LF and ULF photography will likely come from China including cameras, film holders, lenses and very likely sheet film. Welcome to the brave new world....

[David A. Goldfarb]

Do we know where the amidol we were using before came from? It is sold by U.S. and European companies, perhaps, but many such things are manufactured in China and India.

[Jim Galli]

Here to say that I have used the product within the last week. Filtering through some diatomaceous earth is a minor inconvenience. Having done that my papers both Azo and Ilford MG IV were easily washed after a normal trip through Kodak Hypo Clear. Sure there's always an easier and also always a more expensive way to do things. Those are choices we all make.

[Daniel Grenier]

....Filtering through some diatomaceous earth ....

All right Jim. I'll bite... what exactly is "diatomaceous earth" ? I have a lot of this Chinese amidol - but I've yet to use it and since I'll have to filter it, maybe I need some of this "earth" ? Where do you get it, use it, and how much is it?

Thanks

[Michael Jones]

But please don't take this discussion into a dig on China. We have no facts to make such claims and the reality is that many of the products that we will all use in the years ahead in LF and ULF photography will likely come from China including cameras, film holders, lenses and very likely sheet film. Welcome to the brave new world....

Oh come on, let's go there. We never did anything like that in this country. Well, maybe not after Louis Hine or the Triangle Shirtwaist fire...

Maybe its really Canadian Azo the Chinese amidol is reacting with...

As Michael points out, this is just one issue we deal with, not dissimilar to the quality of water you use to make your chemical solutions. As David points out, we did not know the origin of the amidol we purchased before Greg made this deal happen. And it's not like I don't filter other solutions I use.

Like Jim said, its personal choice.

Welcome to gelatin silver photography: the newest alternative process in a brave new world.

Mike

[Paul Metcalf]

Ok, Jim, I had to look that one up (diatomaceous earth). Probably only available from China! (just kidding). Now I know why your cat acts like it does.

[Michael Jones]

All right Jim. I'll bite... what exactly is "diatomaceous earth" ? I have a lot of this Chinese amidol - but I've yet to use it and since I'll have to filter it, maybe I need some of this "earth" ? Where do you get it, use it, and how much is it?

Thanks

It a fine powder used extensively in swimming pool filters. It's relatively inert and comes in huge bags. Dump a bunch into a funnel with filter paper in it, pour your solution in and wait as it perks through.

Mike

[Michael Jones]

It a fine powder used extensively in swimming pool filters. It's relatively inert and comes in huge bags. Dump a bunch into a funnel with filter paper in it, pour your solution in and wait as it perks through.

Mike

Daniel:

Now that I think about, since its winter in Canada, find a drained swimming pool, dump all your Amidol into it, fill with distilled water and then run the filter for a couple of hours. Pump into some stainless steel drums and you are set for life. :cool:

Mike

[Richard Wasserman]

All right Jim. I'll bite... what exactly is "diatomaceous earth" ? Where do you get it, use it, and how much is it?

Thanks

Daniel,

Try swimming pool supply stores, it's used in filters and is cheap, about $1.00 a pound. Hopefully Jim will fill us in on how to use the stuff-I have a lot of Chinese Amidol too I'd like to use.

[Jim Galli]

All right Jim. I'll bite... what exactly is "diatomaceous earth" ? I have a lot of this Chinese amidol - but I've yet to use it and since I'll have to filter it, maybe I need some of this "earth" ? Where do you get it, use it, and how much is it?

Thanks

I bought 20 lbs. on ebay. Cheap. Lifetime supply. I mix up Micheal Smith's formula then pour it through a coffee filter with the earth. The idea isn't new with me, I read about it at Michael & Paula's site.

[jnantz]

diatomaceous earth also the stuff that is in "camp filters"
so if you are on the trail and you need to
filter water to drink it, it works well
so you don't get "the huckleberry 2-step"

some can filter down to the chlorine molecule ...
( read: very small ).

sorry to read the stories of woe.
but glad to read there is a work-around ...

[Steve Sherman]

You can also filter with high quality paint strainers. I am in the auto refinish business and when we get filters from our supplier which have metal stainers rather than fabric these metal strainers will filter extremely small particles.

And they're free!

[Merg Ross]

Filtering Amidol? I thought that was normal procedure, at least it has been for me. I am down to the last five pounds of a supply that I have used off and on for forty years. It is Lot No. 105 from G. Gennert of New York and Los Angeles, a company that was in operation until 1921. So, this is very old Amidol, and almost black. But after a slow trip through a coffee filter, it performs well. Perhaps I will give Jim's tip a try, thanks.

[Michael Jones]

Filtering Amidol? I thought that was normal procedure, at least it has been for me. I am down to the last five pounds of a supply that I have used off and on for forty years. It is Lot No. 105 from G. Gennert of New York and Los Angeles, a company that was in operation until 1921. So, this is very old Amidol, and almost black. But after a slow trip through a coffee filter, it performs well. Perhaps I will give Jim's tip a try, thanks.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Thanks for putting this into proper perspective.

Mike

[EdWorkman]

Diatomaceous earth is composed of the skeletons of diatoms- those teeny sea creatures.
It is mined by the RR carload near Lompoc, CA, USA, for one domestic source.

[chris_4622]

Diatomaceous earth is also used to filter wine.
I've filtered my amidol using a coffee filter and it has worked well.