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Thread: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

  1. #1
    Andrew "The RedSun"
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    Aug 2012
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    Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    I know this question is rather generic. Say just general BW C-76 (small tank), C-41 and RA-4 processing (rotary tank/drum) in personal use.

    It seems some folks re-use the BW chemicals, even the developers. Then most use the color chemical as a one-shot. The labs do not throw them away, but they replenish the liquid.

    Then when you do color test printing, do you pour the chemical back to the main container? Or you throw it away and do not want to cross-contaminate the main bottle for main color printing? With the rotary tank/drum, you do not waste so much chemical.

    Maybe I answered my own question?

  2. #2

    Join Date
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    Boston
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    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    I dump XTOL with each use. But I reuse fixer, of course. And I send C-41 out to a local lab.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    St Paul, MN
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    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    BW:
    r09 - one shot
    Pyrocat HD - one shot
    Fixer - one shot

    C-41 Rollei digibase kit - reuse. Even in BTZS tubes I keep the small working solutions in brown bottles for a few weeks at least. The c-41 kit would not be economical at all if used one shot for me.
    My website Flickr
    "There is little or no ‘reality’ in the blacks, grays and whites of either the informational or expressive black-and-white image" -Ansel Adams

  4. #4

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    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    Yes. No

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    London, UK
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    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    I was just going to ask a similar question.

    Regarding fixer - I'm currently tray developing and with my slosher, it's meaning I'm having to use about a litre and a half of chemicals to cover the sheets properly, although I'm going to look and see if I can reduce this if only by 250ml. I'm going through fixer and stop like it's going out of fashion at the moment as 1.5l of chemicals means 150ml of fix, 75ml of stop.

    Stop - I hear some people just use a water stop rather than a chemical stop? I know there was a few raised voices when it was talked of just using water rather than chemistry. What is the general consensus, if there is one? Is water a good enough stop?

    Secondly - temperatures. If I'm storing my diluted, reused fix, it's not going to be 20c exactly when I pour it into the tray. It might be warmer by a few degrees. Is this going to have any significant impact?

    Sorry to hi-jack the thread but wanted to add a few additional questions and didn't an almost identical thread would be wise.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Beaverton, OR
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    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    Quote Originally Posted by RedSun View Post
    I know this question is rather generic. Say just general BW C-76 (small tank), C-41 and RA-4 processing (rotary tank/drum) in personal use.

    It seems some folks re-use the BW chemicals, even the developers. Then most use the color chemical as a one-shot. The labs do not throw them away, but they replenish the liquid.

    Then when you do color test printing, do you pour the chemical back to the main container? Or you throw it away and do not want to cross-contaminate the main bottle for main color printing? With the rotary tank/drum, you do not waste so much chemical.

    Maybe I answered my own question?
    I re-use or replenish where ever the chemicals allow it.

    With B&W and RA it's re-use to exhuastion and times are extended as the print count goes up.

    With C41 I replenish. For the developer it's typically used for several runs over a couple weeks with each run replenished. The rest of the chemical working solutions are kept and replenished in perpetuity.
    You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain

  7. #7

    Join Date
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    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    Using trays doesn't change my re-use. I do though filter as it goes back into storage.
    You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain

  8. #8
    multiplex
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    local
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    5,356

    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    i use caffenol c, ansco 130 and sprint speed fixer.
    i make 2-3L of caffenol C in a large container / deep tank
    and reuse it for 3-4 months, remove half, mix in a new 1-1.5 L of developer.

    ansco 130, i reuse when it isn't completely spent, and use it for paper negatives ... and then give to the waste hauler ...

    fixer ... i use 2 baths, and reuse them until they are 2x the original "clip test clear time"
    then recover the silver, then give to the waste hauler.

    often times i put my color film in b/w chemistry to get b/w negatives
    or i send to a lab to get color ..

  9. #9
    Andrew "The RedSun"
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    Aug 2012
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    East Coast, USA
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    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Barendt View Post
    I re-use or replenish where ever the chemicals allow it.

    With B&W and RA it's re-use to exhuastion and times are extended as the print count goes up.

    With C41 I replenish. For the developer it's typically used for several runs over a couple weeks with each run replenished. The rest of the chemical working solutions are kept and replenished in perpetuity.
    When you replenish, do you keep all the old liquid? I do not think you are going to lose much liquid and the chemical can be exhausted. When you keep adding the replenisher, the volume can just add up. Does it make sense?

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Blue Ridge, VA
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    124

    Re: Do You Re-use Your Chemicals?

    Catechol-based film developer (very diluted): one-shot.
    Paper developer: switched to LPD and replenish at conclusion of each session.
    Water stop (film and paper, except when lith printing): one-shot.
    Fixer: use first bath to silver saturation then recover silver before disposal; move second bath to first bath and make new second bath.

    Since moving to a house with a septic system I have become more aware of what I am putting into the system, causing me to revise the ways that I use several chemicals. I know, I should have been more environmentally conscientious even when on a municipal system, but I guess enlightenment is better attained late than never.

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