Palldium or Platinum ?

[Vaughn]

The staining developers do seem to add significantly to any base fog (and future exposure times) a film might have (especially due to aged film). An alternative to Pyrocat HD that I use occasionally is Ilford's Universal PQ Developer for out-of-date film with base fog issues...and with old and fresh FP4+ (nice combo for Pt/pd).

Have you worked with other developers? I haven't used Ammonium citrate for years, not since I switched away from Crane's Cover, but that will get you cooler images than Pot. oxalate. And less toxic.

[Alan9940]

I don't know anything about the citrate developers, but Sodium Citrate might be another option to look at. B&S also carry what they call "Cold Tone" developer. I think this formula is for working at cold temps, but it might provide cooler tones, too. Again, no experience with this developer, but might be something to consider. Yeah, using Pyrocat-HD can get tricky for pt/pd because most folks go to a 2:2:100 dilution to reach the contrast necessary for alt printing. This dilution certainly works fine, and I've used it myself, but it will significantly contribute to the level of base stain. Might want to consider playing around with some other developer formulas, as Vaughn suggests.

[Vaughn]

A small correction, Bostick and Sullivan sells Cold Bath Developer as opposed to Cold Tone. Cold Bath Developer is just that -- designed to be used right out of fridge (with up to a 4-stop decrease in printing speed.)

A mix of Potassium oxalate monohydrate and Potassium dihydrogen phosphate

https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/pro...cold-bath-1qt/

[Fred L]

The 7x17 film I'm exposing is expired, and would need to check the date. Other developers I use are HC-110 and Rodinal, the latter of which really doesn't help with expired films. Wonder if one can add Benzo Triazole to Pyrocat

If I could afford it, I'd get one of Cone's led UV units with the tighter spacing, and the vacuum frame. Unfortunately I don't have $5700 or so to spare (don't even want to think about how much that is in $CDN....sigh

[Alan9940]

Thanks, Vaughn. I meant to write Cold Bath, but the gray matter / hand signals didn't work. ��

[koraks]

If I could afford it, I'd get one of Cone's led UV units with the tighter spacing, and the vacuum frame. Unfortunately I don't have $5700 or so to spare (don't even want to think about how much that is in $CDN....sigh

You could build a LED UV exposure unit for a fraction of the cost and simply use a decent old-fashioned contact frame. Will work a treat for continuous tone negatives. Expect to drop a couple of hundred $ at the most. It's not rocket science; get some COB leds, coolers and drivers, mount to a frame, hook it up and go.

[jnantz]

Tin Can posted this link a few years ago
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I can't remember the thread, but those lights attached to a piece of plywood .. and bob's your uncle