TF-4 Fixer Longevity?

[Chris Strobel]

Hey Guys, The Formulary claims a 6 month longevity for a mixed working solution of TF-4.When I asked them about the shelf life of an un-opened bottle of TF-4 concentrate, they couldn't give me a definitive answer.Does anybody know how long its good for un-opened in a room temperature bathroom shelf with subdued light?

[Gem Singer]

I can't give you a definitive answer either.

My one gallon plastic bottle of super-saturated concentrate is still going strong after nearly four years. Stored the same way that you describe.

Just shake well. Add the resulting milky slurry to the proper amount of water, wait a few minutes, and it becomes a clear working solution ready to use.

I reuse my working solutions until they reach their capacity.

BTW, Photo Formulary has released an improved version, TF-5. It is not in a super-saturated solution. No need to wait until the working solution clears.

T-stands for Troop (Bill Troop, a former Kodak research chemist).
F- stands for Formulary (Photographer's Formulary, Condon,Montana).

[Chris Strobel]

BTW, Photo Formulary has released an improved version, TF-5. It is not in a super-saturated solution. No need to wait until the working solution clears.



Oh great, now you tell me, I just took delivery of three bottles of TF-4 :eek: Oh well next round of fixer I guess I'll be ordering TF-5.I just talked to Bud over there about exchanging it, and he said the cost to ship it back would probably not be worth it, but he'd give me a discount on my next TF-5 order.Thanks for the info on storage.BTW when you re use TF-4, how do you tell when its reached its capacity?I've always just used it one shot?

[Gem Singer]

Test it with a piece of exposed film.

When it becomes slow to clear the film, it is beginning to reach it's capacity.

If black oxidized silver particles begin to appear, they can be removed by passing the used fixer through a coffee filter.

This stuff is kind of expensive to use as single shot.

[Drew Wiley]

Formulary recommends a volume rate based upon an archival application of this fixer. Therefore, without having substantiated these volumes through my own testing, I strictly follow their guidelines and always use the fixer one-shot, for both paper and film. Better safe than sorry, since film and paper aren't cheap either.

[Gem Singer]

I certainly agree. Film and paper are not inexpensive.

Since the OP now has three bottles of TF-4 that needs to be utilized before replacing it with the newer TF-5, it would be wise to toss the working solution after a single use.

[PViapiano]

That's really a waste of fixer. There's no need to use it one shot. Even if you haven't done your own testing, it will be good for at least half the capacity claimed and that's being extremely conservative! I use TF-4 for paper and have found it to be good for the stated capacity.

[IanG]

T-stands for Troop (Bill Troop, a former Kodak research chemist).
F- stands for Formulary (Photographer's Formulary, Condon,Montana).

Bill Troop worked for Adobe as a Type designer, until they parted company, he has never worked for Kodak or any other company as a Research Chemist.

The F stands for Fixer, Troop's developers are sold as TD-

Ian

[PViapiano]

Drew,

I just re-read your previous post. What do you mean by "follow their guidelines" and then use it one-shot?

I haven't seen anything from the Formulary that recommends one-shot? There are stated capacities on the TF-4 bottles.

Please clarify and enlighten me...

[Chris Strobel]

Drew,

I just re-read your previous post. What do you mean by "follow their guidelines" and then use it one-shot?

I haven't seen anything from the Formulary that recommends one-shot? There are stated capacities on the TF-4 bottles.

Please clarify and enlighten me...

Me too :D

[Drew Wiley]

I didn't say you HAVE to you it one shot. What my custom is, is to merely mix a
stated amount for the matching amount of paper in a given work session,
which I discard at the end of each session. With film, it's the volume of working solution needed for the tray or tank. But the whole point of TF4, or presumably now TF5, is that it's an "archival" fixer which washes out relatively quickly without a wash aid. So if someone is going to cut corners, why use a deluxe fixer at all?

[Ron Marshall]

So if someone is going to cut corners, why use a deluxe fixer at all?

It's not cutting corners if you flush it with 90% of it's capacity remaining.

FF lists the capacity, square inches. I use two thirds of that then dump. I always do clearing tests and the time doesn't vary much over the life of a working strength batch.

[Thebes]

Many people use TF-4 to maintain an alkaline pH during their process, this might be important with, say, PMK film developer. So there are several reasons to use it, not just archival print processing.

I don't see how using near something's stated capacity is cutting corners, Is there a proposed method by which older fixer washes out more slowly?

[Henry Ambrose]

I've tested TF4 and it works past the stated capacity. I don't do it but it was good to know. It is a super long lasting fixer. I do use separate bottles of working solution for film and paper.

[PViapiano]

I didn't say you HAVE to you it one shot. What my custom is, is to merely mix a
stated amount for the matching amount of paper in a given work session,
which I discard at the end of each session. With film, it's the volume of working solution needed for the tray or tank. But the whole point of TF4, or presumably now TF5, is that it's an "archival" fixer which washes out relatively quickly without a wash aid. So if someone is going to cut corners, why use a deluxe fixer at all?

Drew...

Tell me how you do this? I'm curious...

If you're going to do 15 prints instead of the 30 fiber prints as capacity states for a liter, do you mix it 1:7 instead of the normal 1:3?

[Gary L. Quay]

Last year, I was given sample bottles of TF4 by the folks at Blue Moon Camera & Machine, who were clearing out their attic. They were old stock, possibly from the early 1990s, and they worked just fine.

--Gary

[Rick Moore]

Last year, I was given sample bottles of TF4 by the folks at Blue Moon Camera & Machine, who were clearing out their attic. They were old stock, possibly from the early 1990s, and they worked just fine.

--Gary

I'm very glad to hear this. I just discovered two gallons of TF-4 concentrate, sealed in the original box, never opened, from 2001. No one in my family will confess to accepting the package and putting it into a cabinet under a workbench in the storeroom.


--
Rick