Where do you get your chemicals? Here's what I do.

[ASA1000]

I buy Hypo from Cesco on eBay. It's labeled for Pool DeChlorination but it; ls also photo grade. Around $35 for 10pounds shipped free. Sodium Carbonate and metabisulfite come from Duda Energy also on e-bay $12 for 5 pounds of Carb and $8 for 5lbs of metabisulfite.
I get the 'exotics' like hydroQ and Metol, etc, from the Formulary.

I have two questions: 1) Can you do better? and 2) Where do you get your sodium sulfite? (there is a guy on eBay with sulfite, but his approval rating is 8%, so he's not the guy!) so I'm still buying that from the Formulary as well.

Thanks!

[Michael R]

I still get some things from Artcraft and occasionally Formulary. I used to also sometimes get things from Bostick and Sullivan.

These days, particularly for periodic experimenting/exotica I often deal with Alphachem (Mississauga, Canada) because I can basically get anything from them.

Relatively local to me there is also a small photo supplier called Argentix. Prices are very reasonable for photo/bulk chemicals, quality has been good and service is terrific. It's especially useful in a pinch because it shows up within a day of ordering without crazy shipping prices so that's a bonus.

I only use rapid fixers so pool de-chlorinator doesn't work for me.

I'm not interested in ebay etc. as I really have no way of knowing what the hell I'm getting.

[paulbarden]

ArtCraft for everything.

[Axelwik]

Some from Bostick & Sullivan because they're just up the road in Santa Fe, and the rest from Amazon, Formulary, and Artcraft.

[JMO]

If the maker of Kodak chems is now questionable for quality, I’m wondering if there are options for making one’s own equivalent of Kodak’s Rapid Selenium Toner? I know Ilford makes a selenium toner, but does anyone make their own?

[Michael R]

Kodak T-55 is the old/other way of making KRST. However it is not advisable. I mean really a bad idea. The modern way used in commercial preparations is to use sodium selenite, sodium sulfite and ammonium thiosulfate. Those are the ingredients in KRST, Ilford, Moersch etc. They all work the same way so there is no reason to try to make KRST at home (also you need a source for sodium selenite).

If the maker of Kodak chems is now questionable for quality, I’m wondering if there are options for making one’s own equivalent of Kodak’s Rapid Selenium Toner? I know Ilford makes a selenium toner, but does anyone make their own?

[Alan9940]

ArtCraft for everything.

Same here.

[ASA1000]

Thanks Michael
yes eBay is scary, but this stuff is professionally packaged and has been 100%.... so far ;-)

[jimskelton]

It can be a challenge to find chemicals in Canada, but FLICFILM (Longview Alberta) manufactures lots of photo chemicals and distributes them at The Camera Store in Calgary. They even make CD-3!

If anyone knows where to source ferric ammonium EDTA, that would be great.

[jnantz]

I use art craft for most things too, but carbonate I get at the grocery store, vit c at trader joes, coffee I got from a local supplier, and roast it myself