5-liter Graduates for Mixing Chemistry

[Conrad . Marvin]

Neither am I. After mixing five liters of XTOL, it usually sits in those 250ml amber glass Boston Round bottles for more than a year before I have to stir up another batch. No difference in performance over time. I find it convenient not needing to mix the powder very often.

Works for me, fill them right up to the top. I haven’t had a bottle that wasn’t working correctly yet.

[abruzzi]

I just have a row of wine boxes on a shelf in the darkroom--Xtol, D76, Dektol. Just draw what you need, and the bag doesn't fill with air to replace what you draw, so it stays "sealed." I've had the stuff last for at least several years.

[interneg]

The only one that tempts me is XT3 since it is ostensibly identical to XTOL in working characteristics. Expensive though (basically 3x the price of XTOL in the US), but anyway.

If you need larger quantities of ID-11, can’t you mix two or more boxes of 5l at a time?

1L XT-3 is currently cheaper than any of the 1L Ilford powder developers over here - but at that quantity you're essentially paying a premium for the small size (and in the case of Perceptol & Microphen, the reality of the demand for them). 5L/ equivalent working solution thereof (i.e. concentrates in 1L bottles for 1+4, 500ml for 1+9) seems to be the most popular quantity used overall for film developers that aren't aimed at industrial use today.

Regarding larger quantities of ID-11, it's more from a packaging waste-reduction/ storage of the packages perspective - and people not being able to remember to not mix random numbers of 'A' and 'B' (if they can, they will). You could probably get a 10L pack into the 5L box (just).

[HMG]

I mix xtol in 2 2500ml batches without huge regard for the % of A and B. Then I put in 1L bottles with an equal amount from each batch. No doubt there is some very, very slight difference due to measuring error, but nothing I can notice.

I thought about a 5L jug, but all I could find handy is the 5L vinegar jug from Costco. Maybe one day I'll rinse one out well, let it sit full of water for a week with water changes every day, then rinse again with expired developer.

I could wish for 4L batches of xtol, but they'd probably cost the same as the 5L.