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sully75
14-Feb-2012, 13:25
I've heard people complaining that accordion bottles are no good. I have a couple and they seem great. Am I missing something?

ic-racer
14-Feb-2012, 13:29
I have never seen a comparison of developer activity in accordion bottle vs. regular bottle. If you like it keep using it.

E. von Hoegh
14-Feb-2012, 13:33
I've heard people complaining that accordion bottles are no good. I have a couple and they seem great. Am I missing something?

They tend to split with age at the folds, and are hard to get clean.

EdWorkman
14-Feb-2012, 15:27
I thought one would be great for D-76, but the folds can't be cleaned

Roger Cole
14-Feb-2012, 15:33
Supposedly, the plastic from which they are made is far more air permeable than most other plastic bottles, in order to be able to flex. This defeats their very purpose.

I've used them but quit when I read this. I really didn't notice that they were appreciably better or worse than other plastic bottles. Maybe someone has some real data.

domaz
14-Feb-2012, 16:39
It seems like cleaning out old Wine bottles and using Wine savers is probably just as effective at getting air out. Wine savers and bottles are easy to find (plus you get an excuse to drink the wine).

wclark5179
14-Feb-2012, 18:12
I use empty 1 & 2 liter soda bottles. The plastic doesn't react with photography chemicals and the lid seals the bottle. So far I haven't wore out any lids from opening & closing. I put my stock developer in green plastic soda bottles and put the bottles under a sink in a bathroom.

I use masking tape to mark with a Sharpie pen the contents and date mixed.

Hope this helps.

Lachlan 717
14-Feb-2012, 18:43
Supposedly, the plastic from which they are made is far more air permeable than most other plastic bottles, in order to be able to flex. This defeats their very purpose.

If this was true, wouldn't they "unconcertina" over time as the compressed plastic reverts to its normal size?

Peter Galea
14-Feb-2012, 19:46
Seriously?
Chemicals in drinking vessels?

Ari
14-Feb-2012, 20:05
Seriously?
Chemicals in drinking vessels?

Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to drink the chemicals.

Roger Cole
14-Feb-2012, 20:11
If this was true, wouldn't they "unconcertina" over time as the compressed plastic reverts to its normal size?

One would think. Humm.

Peter Galea
14-Feb-2012, 20:13
It's basic household safety not to use common drink containers to store chemicals,
I hope you don't have children, or grandchildren who could discover them.
I would spend a few dollars and buy proper containers.

jayabbas
14-Feb-2012, 20:15
Two words: Suck and trash. A short description of those type of bottles.

BetterSense
14-Feb-2012, 20:33
They are terrible.

I also use a variety of PET and glass drinking containers to hold my chemicals (more or less properly labeled), and I'm not dead yet, nor are any small children. I use wine boxes for my pre-mixed developer and I use all my film developer one-shot now. My print developer I keep in salsa bottles and I don't care about oxidation...it doesn't get good till it gets nice and brown anyway.

Scotty230358
15-Feb-2012, 00:36
I had three of these concertinal bottles and every one used to extend back to their original size over a period of time. I now only use brown glass winchesters for all my chemical storage. I know of a UK seller (Wains of Tunbridge Wells) that supply them by the dozen.

wclark5179
15-Feb-2012, 04:44
Hi Peter!

I like using mt soda containers. My youngest adult sibling is 31 and he and his wife live in Cleveland Ohio.

There are a lot more serious chemicals in most peoples home that can cause far more damage than photographic chemicals in mt soda containers.

Our grand children haven't taken to any of them as I've shown them what I do and they understand. They are in a location that is secured so as little fingers won't explore.

I find they work the best for me. I've had a darkroom for over 50 years so I have some experience with this.

Just trying to help.

Roger Cole
15-Feb-2012, 05:30
I don't have a problem using beverage containers, with the labels removed and suitable labels (as easy as masking tape and a sharpie) attached.

We don't have children now. When we do, they'll be locked out of the darkroom until old enough to understand. It's not that difficult. Worrying about this too much strikes me as unnecessarily alarmist. Of course accidents have happened but due to mislabeling, not labeling, leaving in places like the refrigerator etc.

Children should be kept out of the darkroom. Anyone old enough to read who picks up a soda bottle with the soda label off and a hand written one labeled "Developer" or "Selenium toner" or whatever and takes a swig, deserves what they get. Let Darwin have at 'em.

bigguy88
15-Feb-2012, 05:39
try to use the same bottle for the same chemicals.

jp
15-Feb-2012, 08:13
I re-use household consumer bottles for chemicals with new labeling. This may include: Wide mouth juice and gatorade bottles, laundry detergent bottle, distilled water jug, windshield washer fluid jugs (has locking top), etc... For smaller amounts of chemicals, I'll re-use bottles that photo chemical liquid concentrates come in. (relabeled with a sharpie). Sharpies or crayons write permanently and well on most plastic bottle caps.

Darkroom is off limits to kids except under personal supervision. At their present ages, they have learned the tray at the faucet is water and they can play in that, absolutely everything else is "chemicals" that they aren't allowed to touch.

E. von Hoegh
15-Feb-2012, 08:17
Seriously?
Chemicals in drinking vessels?

Absolutely. I've been known to use my Pyrex lab graduates in the kitchen, too.:)

false_Aesthetic
15-Feb-2012, 08:27
Why spend more for a brown bottle just cuz it folds?

Dev in Tropicana OJ Bottles. The gallon size.
If you keep em cool the chem lasts forever.
I usually keep mine in the fridge.

Replace lost volume in container with frozen strawberries and you're good to go.

Also makes sangria down right interesting.

E. von Hoegh
15-Feb-2012, 08:31
Why spend more for a brown bottle just cuz it folds?

Dev in Tropicana OJ Bottles. The gallon size.
If you keep em cool the chem lasts forever.
I usually keep mine in the fridge.

Replace lost volume in container with frozen strawberries and you're good to go.

Also makes sangria down right interesting.

A touch of stop bath adds a nice piquance to salads.:)

domaz
15-Feb-2012, 14:27
Seriously?
Chemicals in drinking vessels?

What's really a drinking vessels and what's a chemical vessel? A wine bottle with the label removed is a glass bottle. Having said that I would never consider buying a open bottle of booze at an estate sale (yes I have seen them for sale). No idea what's really in there.

Scotty230358
15-Feb-2012, 14:35
I would never consider buying a open bottle of booze at an estate sale (yes I have seen them for sale). No idea what's really in there.


Would Sir like ice and soda with his urine? :D

Scott Walker
15-Feb-2012, 14:54
I have a few accordion bottles kicking about but prefer using brown plastic chemical bottles. I would not ever use drinking containers to store chemistry in....probably wouldn't disguise a handgun as a hairdryer either. :D

Roger Cole
15-Feb-2012, 14:57
A hairdryer normally doesn't have it's markings removed and a label saying "Colt .45 - Not a hairdryer!" in big letters.

Scott Walker
15-Feb-2012, 15:05
Having said that I would never consider buying a open bottle of booze at an estate sale (yes I have seen them for sale). No idea what's really in there.

When we purchased our farm I found a dozen 1 gallon glass jugs full of a clear...ish liquid and nicely stoppered with a cork. knowing that the prior owner had a still up until the 70s I thought it could be some nicely aged shine.
Turned out to be gasoline :(

.....and, no I didn't find out the hard way :p