Ilford Rapid Fix considerations

[jnantz]

I've been looking for those markers to detect chemical contamination in prints (and films) they were much easier to work with then the chemical stain-kit .. I haven't seen the markers(and the print retouching markers) in decades, mine all got all used up and tossed...

.. anyone have a line on where to purchase them?

[Doremus Scudder]

There are too many variables involved for a definitive one-size-fits all method unless the method overshoots (conservatism), which someone trying to minimize water usage presumably wouldn't want to resort to. Therefore it is up to the individual to determine empirically with residual thiosulfate testing etc. As Ron Mowrey would often say - "if it works, it works".

+1000

The HT-2 test is simple. It's a lot easier and takes less time than reading "Mysteries of the Vortex," not that I'm saying you shouldn't.

What you should do is quit complaining about the lack of available resources telling you exactly what to do with your particular style of fixing and washing and just do the blanking tests.

Want to know if your fill-and-dump regime washes film and fiber-base prints effectively? Test.

Best,

Doremus

P.S: you can get the formula for HT-2 and download the "Hypo Estimator" comparison scale here: https://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/A.../archival.html

[John Layton]

Thanks folks...sorry for being so picky-picky (don't know what got into me). Happy Thanksgiving!

[Tin Can]

https://www.digitaltruth.com/data/fo...?FormulaID=158

Hypo CLEAR

Never used it

no plans to use it

https://www.google.com/search?q=Hypo...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[Michael R]

It’s not necessary, but useful to reduce water consumption and wash time.

Incidentally for those wishing to mix their own HCA the formula can be simplified to just sodium sulfite if distilled water or a calcium sequestering agent is used. The function of the bisulfite is to lower the pH from alkaline to neutral, to avoid calcium precipitation from hard water.

https://www.digitaltruth.com/data/fo...?FormulaID=158

Hypo CLEAR

Never used it

no plans to use it

https://www.google.com/search?q=Hypo...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[jnantz]

It’s not necessary, but useful to reduce water consumption and wash time.

Incidentally for those wishing to mix their own HCA the formula can be simplified to just sodium sulfite if distilled water or a calcium sequestering agent is used. The function of the bisulfite is to lower the pH from alkaline to neutral, to avoid calcium precipitation from hard water.

yup, that's pretty much what the navy figured out when they washed their film and prints in ocean water in WW2, the sodium sulfite recaptured and neutralized/hooked up with the fixer, and they didn't have to endlessly wash things and waste regular (rare on a navy vessel) water.

[Tin Can]

all good to know

What pissed me off was NOBODY years ago could tell me what is HYPO!

I don't use enough water at my location, water is cheaper the more I use

75 years ago locally was called Little Egypt, then they made lakes, dams, and water flowed well even this year, my yard is almost all clay at the moment

[Michael R]

Yeah the HYPO thing is an old mistake that stuck. People called fixer hypo which was incorrect since fixer is thiosulfate, not hyposulfate. Likewise hypo clearing agent should be called thio clearing agent but the old hypo name stuck.

Either way, the active ingredient in HCA is the sulfite ion, which does its clearing job by ion exchange.

all good to know

What pissed me off was NOBODY years ago could tell me what is HYPO!

I don't use enough water at my location, water is cheaper the more I use

75 years ago locally was called Little Egypt, then they made lakes, dams, and water flowed well even this year, my yard is almost all clay at the moment

[Tin Can]

Perhaps we should stop this old man idiocy

1 old man at a time

[Michael R]

Seems a little excessive for bad nomenclature, but alright. I volunteer to be dealt with first.

Perhaps we should stop this old man idiocy

1 old man at a time