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68lbs

68lbs

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April 2008
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Ok, before I press the buy button for good, can I just confirm that this looks like what I should be buying for home developing. I don't want to buy stuff, and then find out i'd have been best off getting something else instead.

Paterson Developing Tanks & Spirals
Paterson Universal Tank £21.03 £21.03 [ X ]
Film Changing Bags
65x75cm Changing Bag Lge £28.38 £28.38 [ X ]
Film Developers
Ilfosol 3 Film Dev 500ml £5.86 £5.86 [ X ]
Fixers
Hypam Rapid Fix 500ml £5.86 £5.86 [ X ]

We have a couple of thermometers floating around the house, and i'll get jug(s) from somewhere like Wilko.

Many thanks.
 
Yep that looks about right.

Don't skimp on Stop. Lasts for ages and makes your Fix last longer. You could go for Rapid Fix also.

Depending on what film you are developing I'd recommend you go for ID11 rather than Ilfosol 3.

Check the thermometers are accurate to +/- 0.5 deg C at least.

You may need at least a 500mm measuring cylinder as well as some Wilko cheapo jugs.

Once the Fix / Stop (and Dev if you go ID11) are mixed up you will want to store them. Personally I use spent plastic milk cartons.
 
I paid about half that for a changing bag on ebay.
 
Freester said:
Don't skimp on Stop.
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Skimp? I wasn't going to get ANY, and just use water to rinse.

Freester said:
Depending on what film you are developing I'd recommend you go for ID11 rather than Ilfosol 3.
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Oh... erm, it's Neopan 400 from OneTen that I am using at the mo. And looking on Flebay, it seems this is the most popular to find listed too, so will probably be my choice for a while.

Freester said:
Check the thermometers are accurate to +/- 0.5 deg C at least.
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(y)

Freester said:
Once the Fix / Stop (and Dev if you go ID11) are mixed up you will want to store them. Personally I use spent plastic milk cartons.
Click to expand...

Oh... I never really thought about that. Because I can use the chems for a few lots of developing, yeah?

Kev M said:
I paid about half that for a changing bag on ebay.
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Yeah, I was hoping to get one that I didn't end up ripping first time I wrestle with the film in the dark. :D I got a cheapo corded remote for my Canon off ebay and broke it within a week. I've given up on ebay for a lot of stuff nowadays.
 
all seems good. just add a stopper (if you want!) and do you have "storage" tanks/bottles for the mixed & diluted chemicals (seeing that they can get used quite a few times).

Oh, and funnels, you can use one, but I would suggest getting two (one for the film dev., and one for the fixer/stopper) that way it keeps the chemicals from getting mixed.

OOH! and lots of old rags/towels. stuff WILL get stained, so its worth having something near-by to mop it up.

and another (but not essential) thing is a hose/rubber pipe that attaches to a tap, meaning that it is much easyer to rinse things than filling up the tank and shaking it -just leave the dev tank with the hose stuck in it.

but these are all helpfull extras really....
 
and a B&W enlarger:LOL:

ive got two (somehow!) folded away in this tiny flat i'm in, I bought them thinking I could convert a closet into a darkroom, but it turned out to be too small and too much hasle!
 
Yeh Ilfosol 3 for Neopan 400 will be OK.

Looking at the fact sheet on the Ilford website the mix is good for a good couple of films so you will want to store the mixed up dev.

The stop and fix is multiple use. It's a good idea to use stop because

1) It makes the timings more reproducible and consistent (esp. important with Neopan 400 at 6.5 mins at 1-9 dilution Ilfosol3).
2) Your fix will last more times.
 
The changing bag I got is very good, double skinned with a ripstop like outer material. Unfortunately I've just checked the sellers shop and he's not listing anything at the moment. Definately wouldn't spend £30 on one though.
 
sidxms said:
I developed my first roll yesterday on my own and basically it went fine apart from drying the film part which I didn't get right, leaving lines all over my film

sid
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Ahh yes forgot to mention wetting agent. Supposedly Fairy Lipsquid will have the same effect but all the advice on here was to use dedicated wetting agent.
 
Freester said:
Ahh yes forgot to mention wetting agent. Supposedly Fairy Lipsquid will have the same effect but all the advice on here was to use dedicated wetting agent.
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What's this? No mention on the dev guide I was looking at. :shrug:
 
68lbs said:
What's this? No mention on the dev guide I was looking at. :shrug:
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Unless you live in a region of unbelievable pure water the last rinse should use a wetting agent to break down surface tension.

Otherwise drops of water will dry leaving 'drying marks' - usually lime / calcium deposits on your negative.

The guide I use to developing B&W here then click on the link to the PDF.

HTH
 
Get some pegs and some little weights to hang your processed film up to dry and a weight attached to the peg at the bottom of the film to stretch it out while drying.
 
Many thanks for the advice everyone. And for that linky to Ilford. I've printed that off and will be having a read tonite before I venture any further :)
 
For more predictable results use your developer as a one shot. I use ID11 and mix the stock solution 1+3 and discard after use. Each time you reuse developer you have to allow some added time for the previous uses, so you do not get consistent results.

One drop of washing up liquid in 500mls of water will do fine to act as a wetting agent.

You can use about 10mls of white vinegar (acetic acid) in 500mls water to act as a stop bath

I bought this changing bag for 120 film. works great, well made and more than adequate for medium format films.

Hope this helps!
 
Big wooden pegs do OK for drying but will mark the negative so make sure you attach it on the leader, not a frame.
 
i didn't know that you didn't need the stopper now that i think about it!

-depending on the developer, it can be re-used quite a lot (60 films?) you just have to add around 30seconds after 10 films or 1minute every 20 on the one I use (T-Max? I think).

I know its obvious, but make sure that the film you develop first is just a spare full of randoms! You don't want anything of too much merit going to waste if something goes t*ts up!
 
At the minute, nothing is of merit. :LOL:

It's just me having some fun and learning along the way :)
 
68lbs said:
At the minute, nothing is of merit. :LOL:

It's just me having some fun and learning along the way :)
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don't say that!

you never know when you will get an amazing shot!
 
Worth trying to get some dedicated clips to hang the films to dry, they have little spikes that go through the leader and tail of the film so it doesn't slide through. It really isn't much fun when your masterpieces fall on the carpet or the dusty floor!
 
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