Using TF2 as my main fixer while traveling.

I would like to use TF-2 for all of my films. I know it is not recommended for modern T-grain films but is that only because of the time it takes to fix those films. Also, how long should you fix T-grain films in TF-2? The reason I am choosing TF-2 is that it is simple to make and with sodium thiosulfate anhydrous is pretty concentrated and looks really like it would be easy to travel with. I probably won't use T-grain films often but I would love to have that option.

The goal is to travel with compact and easy to use chemistry. I think I am going to take 510 Pyro, Rodinal and maybe HC-110 with me. TF2 should work with all of them, correct?

For a sodium thiosulfate fixer the best guideline for tabular or non-tabular films would be to use the fixing instructions for Kodak T-Max films with powder fixers which are sodium thiosulfate (ie Kodak Professional Fixer). Kodak indicates 5-10 minutes estimated and to find the specific time by multiplying the clearing time by 2. That is a general good practice for fixing. All fixers work the same way regarding the fixation process, so the only difference between Kodak Professional Fixer and TF-2 is the pH.

Since TF-2 is not acidic, there is no real danger of overfixing because only acidic fixers bleach with prolonged fixing and washing is not normally impeded unless you go way way long.

If you want to simplify further, note the metaborate isn’t required in TF-2. All that does is buffer the fixer to higher alkalinity if you use an acid stop bath. Even so, you can just do a water rinse between stop bath and fixer and a plain sodium thiosulfate+sodium sulfite fixer will stay mildly alkaline. As long as a fixer isn’t significantly acidic there is no advantage to it being alkaline vs neutral. In fact the closer it is to neutral the less odour it will have, which is nice.

The choice of developer makes no difference.

Someone is wanting to expend a lot of effort on persuading a horse to push a cart. Bottle of rapid fix (C-41 fix if you want near neutral pH - or TF-5), powder developers (XT-3 or D-76 etc) or one of HC-110 or Rodinal if you must, and make sure you have stopbath. Leave it at that. The rest is guaranteed to waste time, effort and materials on irrelevant parts of the process.

I see no benefit to be had using TF-2, unless you're making it from scratch (you don't specify). Even then, you will have a working dilution liquid that you have to take around with you, so once you have a working solution, it's kinda irrelevant which fixer you choose. Either way, you have a bottle of working solution to carry. (Unless you are making new fixer from powder every time you need fix, which would be extremely wasteful.

I'm inclined to agree with interneg: just get a liter bottle of TF-5 (or TF-4) and you'll have the added benefit of short fixing times and much shorter washing times, which is useful when not at home. No matter what, you will have to deal with the working solution as you travel. If you're not away too long (or don't expect to process more than about 20 rolls of film, you could mix a liter of TF-5 (or TF-4) before you leave, and just use that liter of mixed fixer for the duration of the trip.

Also, I see no reason to carry more than one developer concentrate when you travel. There is very little practical difference between HC-110 and Rodinal, in terms of negative proprieties. If it were me, I would likely choose PMK Pyro, just because it's a favorite and a small volume of the concentrates goes a long, long way.

I am going to be traveling for a few months. I looked into leaving the fixer behind and just buy sodium thiosulfate from pool cleaning stores as I travel but I don't see them being available to me. So a few bottles of powdered fixer looked like an easy solution. 160 grams of sodium thiosulfate (anhy) with a few other components for TF2 looked like an easy solution.

Other possibility is to order from amazon international but that will cost me $50 for only one small package of fixer.

i was thinking I can just mix the fixer up into individually small bags and tuck it away in my luggage. Hay whats the worst thing that can happen. Nobody has ever gotten in trouble caring bags of white power into another country before, right?

Has anyone ever carried a bottle of TF-4 or TF-5 on a plane before?

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Originally Posted by Andy F

Has anyone ever carried a bottle of TF-4 or TF-5 on a plane before?

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You can't carry any liquids on a plane generally right? You could check them probably.