Alternative paper developer needed
I've used Nacco's Printol 12 for several years now with great results. A $13 bottle lasted me well over a year. I went to Freestyle for more and was informed that NACCO is out of business. I ended up with some clayton P20 which is 2x the price and recommends a 1:7 dilution. I haven't had the chance to print any negs that were printed with the Printol yet but results seem similar to previous prints. These developers are similar, right?
What's the closest equivalent to Printol 12 that's liquid, has long shelf life, and cheap?
thanks
vinny
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
Dektol....$13 should be 2 gallons stock, diluted 1:2 for 4 gallons working solution.... How many gallons of Printol did $13 buy?
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
hi vinny
you might want to try ansco130 (forumulary 130 )
it doesn't cost too much, is easy to mix
and the stock solution lasts forever.
i get about 8 gallons a year, and do prints and film in it.
the folks at the formulary are top shelf too :)
john
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
Quote:
Originally Posted by
John Bowen
Dektol....$13 should be 2 gallons stock, diluted 1:2 for 4 gallons working solution.... How many gallons of Printol did $13 buy?
Dektol is sold only in powder form afaik, costs about $6.50/gallon, must be mixed in hot water, lasts about 2 months in partially full container.
A gallon of printol made about 10 gallons of working solution at 1:10 for $13 and lasted for at least a year undiluted.
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jnanian
hi vinny
you might want to try ansco130 (forumulary 130 )
it doesn't cost too much, is easy to mix
and the stock solution lasts forever.
i get about 8 gallons a year, and do prints and film in it.
the folks at the formulary are top shelf too :)
john
FWIW, I just mixed up a batch of Ansco 130 as john nanian suggested and...I'm liking it!:)
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
Freestyle sells a variety of concentrated liquid chemistry under their Arista brand name. They have at least two levels of product: Arista Premium and Arista (I think). I believe, but do not know for sure that all of these are actually made by Clayton. For sure, the Premium line is made by Clayton. I think the Arista prices are pretty reasonable.
In general, liquid developers cost more than the powder versions.
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
Ethol LPD once published a system whereby a gallon of powder could be used to make up a gallon of working solution and a gallon of replenisher. I used the working solution according to directions, and even though it got so dark one had to tonque the print out of solution to see the image, it never stained. IIRC, one added about an ounce of replenisher for every ten or so 8x10 prints after the working solution got a bit slow. Just keep pouring the working solution back in the jug after a working solution. When the gallon of replenisher was used up, mix up another batch.
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
I'd recommend the Ansco 130, too. I've used the PF version, and I've mixed my own. I use it by diluting 1:1, then pouring the developer into two 1L glass bottles. I use one for my working developer, and at the end of every session, I top up the bottle with developer from the second bottle. When the second bottle is empty (usually more than a year later) I mix new. The stuff gets really dark sometimes, but it still works just the same.
juan
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
The only downside with Ansco 130 for me (apart from the upfront cost) is the three-minute development time. My prints don't look *that* much better in 130 than in Dektol, and I irrationally resent the extra time spent. But my tests over the last few years suggest that for modern cold-tone papers, the choice of print developers is not critical. So it was back to Dektol for me.
Re: Alternative paper developer needed
As i mentioned in my original post, i'm not interested in Powders, ie Dektol. I don't get to print that often and heating water, mixing, then waiting for a working solution to cool isn't what i'm looking for.
David, you are correct regarding Clayton and Arista. They didn't have the whole line in the store though.
Ansco 130 looks like it's about $36.00 per 4 gallons as apposed to printol which was $13 for about 10 gallons. The clayton P20 i picked up makes 7 gallons for $23. So far it's the best deal for price and convienence.