Pyrocat HD

[Michael Kadillak]

My Pyrocat HD "B" solution that started out as a opaque white has somehow turned a tawny brown. While it does not seem to affect the results, I wondered if anyone else has experienced a similar event or could point to its cause?

Did I unintentionally contaminate it or did a mold somehow get started or ???

Thanks in advance.

[sanking]

Michael,

Did you use tap water to mix the solution? if you did there could be somethning in your water that caused oxidation. If you mixed the stock solution with distiled water then I think you must have somehow contamined the solution. Stock B solutions of either sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate mixed with distilled water should remain pefectly clear for months and months.

[Michael Kadillak]

Thanks Sandy. I did in fact used distilled water so I must come to the following conclusion. Even though I washed out the pipet I used to measure out the quantities of solution A before I went to measure the B solution, the B solution must have been unintentionally contaminated by solution A at that juncture. I will mix new solutions and use a separate pipet for each solution.

My thanks for being so available to the many of us interested in the unique and marvelous properties of Pyrocat.

[Ken Lee]

Speaking of PyroCat, is Photographer's Formulary the only source - and is the 10-litre size the only size available ? My 8 oz. Poland Spring water bottles are still too large to hold the small volumes of Solution A and B that result from the initial mix. Any idea of another simple method to store the solutions - especially one that would preculde air from getting in ? Where can one purchase a pipette ? Haven't used one of those since Chemistry class.



I recently shot some T-Max 100 and developed it in PyroCat. Even TMax 100 absorbs some stain - albeit not very much - and becomes more grainless than when dev'd in D-76 or TMax. Its tonalities are smoother when developed in PyroCat, than in those developers.



http://www.kenleegallery.com/proof6.jpg

[Michael Kadillak]

Ken:

You can get just about any size pipets you may be interested in from a myriad of online chemical/lab supply stores or even E*#Y. While Photographers Formulary is one of the sources of Pyrocat (don't know what other sizes they sell other than the 10L), you surely have the skills to mix your own. All I needed was a hot plate stirrer, a mag stirrer bar, an electronic scale and some pyrex glass beakers. The stirrer and scale can be purchased used (thank God everyone wants to go digital - the deals are amazing)as can the glass, but I bought new at a reasonable price. As Sandy recommends, breathing protection with the chemistry is a must wheither you mix your own or mix a kit. I got my chemistry from a discount place in Canada that escapes me now, but I can get it for you if you are interested. Great prices compared to Artcraft and Photographers Formulary.

In the long run, the beauty of doing your own mixing is that you have control of the quantity. Based upon what Sandy says, it does not appear that Pyrocat is degraded by air above chemistry in less than full bottles. As a result, I bought some plastic bottles in various sizes with swide mouth screw caps.

Cheers!

[Mike Troxell]

"...and is the 10-litre size the only size available ? My 8 oz. Poland Spring water bottles are still too large to hold the small volumes of Solution A and B that result from the initial mix"

Ken,

The Photographer's Formulary Pyrocat kits make 100ml each of solution A and Solution B. At first I thought about ordering some 100ml glass amber storage bottles from a chemical supply house for storing pyrocat. What I wound up doing was going to the grocery store and buying 2 110ml bottles of Worcestershire sauce for about 98 cents each. I forgot which brand it is but it comes in amber glass bottles and you can usually find ones in 110 118 or 120ml sizes. Dump the sauce, wash out the bottles (soak them for awhile to make sure they are clean)and relabel them as pyrocat, solution A and B.

[Ken Lee]

Mike,



"...2 110ml bottles of Worcestershire sauce for about 98 cents each"



Now you're talking !

[Hans Berkhout]

In Canada jdeiure@colba.net (Johnny Deiure, in Quebec) is an excellent reliable source of pyrocat and the other common photo chemicals. I am in no way connected to Johnny's business, no interests.

[KenM]

And Johnny's web site is
here ('http://www.colba.net/~fotochem/index.htm')