I have been using TMax 400 + PyroCat HD, along with TF-4 Archival Rapid Fixer from Photographer's Formulary. It's a great fixer, it's alkaline, and doesn't require any Hypo clearing agent. According to the paperwork which accompanies the PyroCat kit, 10 to 15 minutes washing time is enough.
Perhaps it's my water, but I find that it TMax400 requires much longer washing time to remove the red dye. .. Any tips ?
I've used both TMY and TMX in sheet films with TF-4, and it's worked great for me. I process in a jobo cpe-2, fix for 5 min, and wash in the jobo, 10 changes of water, changing every 45 sec. or so (I sometimes get a little sloppy in the timing, and always just err on the side of more time). I ussually stop seeing dye's in the wash water around 4'th or 5'th change of water. Not exactly a solution, since it sounds like you're doing things in a pretty similar way, but that's what works for me. I'm not sure if it would make any signifigant differance, but I've not used pyrocat with t-max yet (I was just given a nearly full box of expired TMY though, so that'll change real soon), my experience with these films has been with t-max rs developer.
Peter
What you're seeing with TMY is the magenta sensitizing dye, and it takes me as long as 20 minutes to fix my negatives to the point where they're clear. It also makes this film impossible for me to develop by inspection. So be it. That's a small price to pay for such a marvelous film.
A teaspoon of sodium sulfite to a liter of water while you're washing will remove the magenta stain quickly. I change the water 5 times, soak for three minutes in sodium sulfite, then change the water 5 more times - each time dwelling for 30-60 seconds. Works great and no pink stain.
Pete - Thanks, that sounds great ! Any idea if it will affect the Pyro stain ?
Removing the red dye is extremely dependent upon your developer, fixer and water quality. I find that adding sodium sulfite does nothing, treating on PermaWash helps a little, and fixing for longer than 5 minutes in TF-4 is somewhat helpful.
The ONLY thing that works 100% for me is soaking the negs with a very very slow water flow for 30-60 minutes.
I have also found that some residual dye does not affect my printing whatsoever.
Mike
Hi
I using hypo clearing agent exatly for this. After 5 minutes in the fix I push it 3 times in water and then 1-2 min in hypo clearing then washing 5-6 times and all is perfect! I learned thad from the beginning of TMax about 20 years ago!
Any idea if it will affect the Pyro stain ? Sodium Sulfite in the developer will inhibit stain formation, but I don't know what effect it has in the wash. My observation has been that the stain appears just as prominent.
Michael, your experience is interesting, but I have found sodium sulfite to be quite effective. Sodium sulfite is the active ingredient in Kodak HCA as well as Heico Perma Wash. While washing negs in a tray, I can actually see the magenta stain disappear while in a sodium sulfite solution. BTW, I always fix T-MAX for at least 6 minutes.
Regards, Pete
won't sodium metaborate do the same thing as far as removing the magenta stain?
lee/c
Hi Lee,
Years ago when I was using Rollo Pyro (ABC+) I used a sodium metaborate after bath and it did not help with the magenta stain as near as I could tell. I think the only thing sodium metaborate will do, is help the formation of pyro stain, but I think it just adds to general stain. I'm not a chemist, but that's been my observation.
Regards, Pete
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