Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
I am getting back into LF and am preparing to mix some XTOL. Would like to store it in a one-gallon glass container. I know "Google is my friend" but is there any recommendation for glass containers others have used successfully? Would not like to reinvent the wheel if there is a commonly accepted answer.
How do you remove the air and reduce the oxidation once the developer is used and the liquid level drops? Add glass marbles? I'd imagine one needs a lot once the levels drop quite bit. Or do you transfer to smaller bottles?
Thank you for ideas on both questions.
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
People do all kinds of weird things to try to slow oxidation. I wouldn't worry about it unless you're trying to store things for excessively long times.
My personal approach to XTOL was to use 5 1l bottles but that's as arbitrary as anything. I suppose if you know you will need a certain volume of stock XTOL for each processing run you could store it in a bunch of smaller bottles so that each is 1-shot.
Alternatively, XTOL is easy to use in a replenishment system.
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
Depending on how much you use at a time, smaller containers work very well -- quart and/or pint. Probably the best route to go. Glass breaks, eventually.
Glass marbles work, and one can also buy heavy inert gases to spray in the container to keep the O2 from contacting the fluid.
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
I would just get 5x 1L Plastic bottles myself. A big 1 Gallon Glass container is just asking to slip out of your hand and cause a massive mess.
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
Thank you all. Agree I'd like to stay away from a large glass container -- probably difficult to pour out of it. Is plastic Ok to store XTOL? I have a few of those collapsible (accordion) brown plastic bottles I could use.
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Koenbro
Thank you all. Agree I'd like to stay away from a large glass container -- probably difficult to pour out of it. Is plastic Ok to store XTOL? I have a few of those collapsible (accordion) brown plastic bottles I could use.
Don't use those pleated (accordion) bottles for developer. Despite being intended to get excess air out of the container as the volume decreases, they are fairly gas-permeable, meaning the whole accordion design is self-defeating.
There are lots of containers that should work better. If you go with smaller (1 liter/1quart) size bottles, you shouldn't have to worry about Xtol oxidizing before you empty the bottle unless you store it for a very long time. And, if it does go bad, it's only a few ounces.
Best,
Doremus
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
+1 for Photographers Formulary for amber glass bottles. I bought sizes up to gallon and price was ok too. They come well packed.
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
When I was using XTOL, 12-15 years ago, I stored it in 500ml brown glass bottles. It never oxidized or went bad; and it took over a year to use it up.
If I was still shooting 35mm I'd use the same method. (It's a fine developer, but I use Pyrocat-HD for sheet film.)
Re: Recommendations for 1 Gal glass container
amazon sells 32oz amber bottles inexpensive and many to a box. you just need a few marbles and / a little Nitrogen
brewing supply stores have glass wine jugs too