Let's make an Alkaline Fix (TF-2)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 4 авг 2024
- We've made two great developers in previous videos but before we can develop a film we need a good fix. Pyro developers like alkaline fixers, to maintain maximum stain, so we'll make an alkaline fix that'll work with any developer, TF-2.
TF-2 is a really good fix and works well with standard films such as Ilford Pan F, FP4+, HP5+, TriX, etc. but is a little slow with tabular grain films like Kodak T-Max and Ilford Delta - for those you might need a rapid alkaline fix like TF-4.
It also works well with all darkroom papers so this is a really good all round alkaline fixer.
John
Pictorial Planet
www.pictorialplanet.com
Would love to see a episode dedicated to fix. Alkaline, hardening etc. the effects they have
Interesting
Thank yo, just what I needed.
Good!
William Henry Jackson who photographed the west (Colorado, Wyoming etc) had a mule named "Hypo'. Just a tidbit. Like your videos. :)
Love it!
Hello john, thanks so much for your channel - theres so much there for me. A couple of questions about the fixer: what dilution do you use for paper fixing? And how long would you say fixing of fibre based papers would take? (Or, how do I measure “clearance” time for paper fixing?) Oh also, can you tell me about “chemical“ and “technical“ grade chemistry? I can obtain the Na thiosulphate in “technical” grade, at supposedly, 99% purity, for half the price of the “chemical” grade. Thanks. Colin
Hi Colin! Use the same dilution as for film and fix for two minutes for fibre paper, one for RC, both with constant agitation. As for chemicals I use technical grade most of the time and have no problems. I couldn't afford the highest grade anyway.
@@PictorialPlanet thanks John. Much appreciated!
Hi John, another question.. I just got your book and I was wondering about the difference between TF2 and TF3 since I shoot a lot of Tgrain films. Your book says that you should avoid using TF2 with T grain films but does it make this fixer-film combination not usable? Had also a look in to TF3 but its hard to come by ammonium thiosulfate in liquid form. I found some in powder form this is really difficult to dissolve in water. Also I found on page 313 another recipe for a fixer which uses ammonium thiosulfate but when I mix this up I get a green/yellow slug forming on top of the fixer...Im sure I might be doing something wrong... So i guess bottomline of all these questions above is, what fixer(s) should I use with modern T grain film emulsions, because your book says TF2 should be avoided, I can't make TF3 since the liquid is hard to come by, I can make the fixer on page 313 but I get a green slug, then there is a recipe on page 312 which also says that t grain films are not recommended. Really curious to know your thoughts on this!?
I uploaded a new video a couple of weeks ago on a rapid fixer that will answer your question - Agfa 304. Check it out my friend.
Hi John,
Thanks for the video!
I’ve given this a spin for the first time tonight. I’ve developed HP5+ at box speed and after testing on a film leader, I’m getting a total of 3mins 45 seconds (at 2.5 x the clearing time of 1m 30s) does that sound about right for this fixer? Thank you.
Sounds about right.
@@PictorialPlanet thank you. It worked really well.
Thanks for reporting back! Good news!
John , i like the idea of a homemade fixer like this but i need to make the TF-3 version as i mainly use Ilford Delta film stock . Having an embuggerance of a time sourcing the ammonium thiosulphate 60% solution needed to make the TF-3. Tried all the usual sources , perhaps you might know one that i dont ? If not is there an alternative alkaline fixer that is suitable for flat grain films?
I'll do a video on making a rapid fix. Stay tuned!
@@PictorialPlanet excellent , looking forward to that one , thank you .
Interesting, that sodium metaborate is not available outside the States. Any ideas John why that is? Oh, btw, I've been watching your videos & enjoy them (& learned a lot). Paul (Colorado).
No idea Paul. I remember it was common enough 40 years ago but not these days. I did find David Cliffe at stillphotographic.com sells it in U.K. and some other Formulary products.
See my comment just posted under this video!
@@PictorialPlanet see my second comment under this video!
This is brillant thank you. It is indeed very hard to find Sodium Métaborate in Europe. I found out that Bellini is now commercializing a Sodium metaborate solution said to be 280gr/liter.
Would this work as well ? If so, I am guessing that for 10g of Sodium Metaborate i´d need 1/28th of a liter so aprox 36ml.
Many thanks for your help ans those great vidéos !!
Hi Florian! Yes, sounds like it would work just fine. Here we can get borax which, with sodium hydroxide makes metaborate but I think it’s hard to get in the EU?
Do you add the borex and sodium hydroxide into the mix at this point? Or do you have to make the sodium metaborate youself as described in your other video, and then add it?
I managed to purchase scales and all the chemicals needed to make Pyrocat HD after reading your book. I then realised current my fixer might not be up for job if I want to keep the staining properties.
Many thanks for your awsome teaching videos John.
I mix mine separately and then add.
Thanks John. Would you still use the 600/700 ml of water and then the 300 ml of water as decribed in the two videos and hope the volume of all the chemicals bring it up to 1000 ml? Or better to use less water making the TF-2 and then top it up to 1000 ml after adding the 300 ml used to make the sodium metaborate?
@@PictorialPlanet
@precinctbarbers7542 I'd use less water initially and then add my metaborate solution then top it up. I'd try to keep it close to the adding metaborate to making the litre. If it's over a small amount it won't make much difference at all. It's not like a developer that needs greater accuracy.
Brilliant help John. I'll let you know how I get on using it with Ilford Pan F.@@PictorialPlanet
Hi John, just a question, won't Sulfite reduce the stain of 510-pyro negatives? I read somewhere on flickr that Jay said about 20% sulfite solution will unstain 510-pyro.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Irsan! The 15g of sulphite is only 1.5% and well under anything that would affect the stain. Glad you asked though. This might help others .
@@PictorialPlanet Ah, my bad, I mistakenly thinking that 15gr/L was 15% solution. I should've not skip math class back in school 🤣😁
Thank you again John 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Ha! Yes, made the same mistake myself, it's no bigy. But I'm glad you asked. It's an important point. Thanks for watching and hope you follow me for more.
Hi, John. Is this fixer one shot only or re-usable? If the latter any guidance as to capacity of the fixer?
This fix is re-usable until it takes twice as long to clear the film as it did when fresh. This is the guideline for all fixers including the rapid fix I make in another video.
Thanks.
Sorry to bother you once more, John. Silverprint have sodium thiosulphate tetrahydrate. Would I need to use the same quantity as the pentahydrate?
Incidentally, they have sodium metaborate in stock now. Thanks again.
Hi John. Give them a call. I have never heard of it. Thiosulphate comes as pentahydrate (usually) or anhydrous. As far as I know that's the only two forms. But I'm no chemist so give them a call and see if it's a typo.
Secondly, great news about the sodium metaborate! Pass it on :)
3:40 you got mail :D. Well i stopped using acid fixers when i started with 510-Pyro,...just because alkine fixers work with most developers.
Good move!
John - Can Sodium Thiosulfate (anhyd) be used in place of the penta?
Yes. To replace penta with anhyd use 2/3 the amount.
@@PictorialPlanet HI John, the 2/3 conversion you suggest is in line with what I have used in the past (.64). The TF-2 on page 314 of your book lists 120g anhyd as a replacement for 250g crystal, or about a.48 (1/2) conversion. Can you please confirm the anhydrous for TF-2 should be around 165g? Thanks!
Good spot!! My book is incorrect and I've amended the 6th edition source file. Thank you, Jeff for spotting that. Truly appreciated. Yes, 165g anhydrous would be right NOT 120g anhydrous. Cheers!!
Do you still use a stop bath with this fixer, the darkroom cookbook says you don't have to use a stop bath but you can do a tap water rinse instead.. Is it also possible to go straightly from de developer to the fixer? I assume if you do that the life span of your fixer drops drastically when you move directly from developer to the fixer since there will be a abundance of developer left on the sheet or film?
You are quite right in your assumption, Max. Without removing the developer before dunking in the fix it'll really lesson the life and contaminate of the fix. I use a water bath wash if three 30 second agitated rinses in 20C tap water. It removes most of the developer, is gentler to the gelatine emulsion (no PH shock) and protects the integrity of the fix. Good question!
@@PictorialPlanet Thanks a lot! Im asking because when I want to print bigger I can only fit two trays of 50x60cm in my darkroom.... So I thought I could skip the stopbath if I use TF2... I think Ill need to try it out, maybe it could work if I use the fixer as a one shot...
It will work like that but I have a small darkroom too and have your same problem. What I do is develop in a safe developer E-72 and then carry my developed print to my wash station and wash it thoroughly. I then fix it in TF2 or 4.
I make my own stop bath: kitchen vinegar + tap water. Simple.
Hi John, I am about to mix my TF2 for the first time... Is it absolutely a no go for T-grain/Delta or it just takes too long? at the moment I only have this and the usual ilford rapid fixer, which one should I use with a stain developer on modern (T&D) films?
The TF2 will work but take a long time. It will also have a shorter useful life. If you use Ilford rapid fix then wash the film in alkalised water, a teaspoon of sodium carbonate in a gallon of water, fully dissolved, will help retain as much stain as possible. Final wash should be in distilled or deionised water.
@@PictorialPlanet Thanks for the quick reply, great tip as always, I have no issues with it taking too long, ( however not exactly sure how long in minutes it could be) ... so for modern film I'll use the alkalised water before final wash, would you recommend this method over TF2 for classic films too, or TF2 retains more stain?
I'd stick with TF2 if you can. As you'll have seen, I prefer classic films like FP4 anyway but if the times are too long try my other RUclips video on making an Agfa rapid fix
Making Rapid Fix - AGFA 304
ruclips.net/video/NierVwwJRLQ/видео.html
Hey John, is it possible to make 500ml TF-2 instead of the 1L by simply halving the materials? My reasoning for this is that I have low shooting frequency and since TF-2 keeps for roughly 2 months, I don't want to waste it unnecessarily. Thanks
Hi Rushabh! Yes, all the formulas I show can be halved. Just halve everything. Of course, you are also halving the capacity but most of the time that's ok.
@@PictorialPlanet Thank you so much. I assume half the capacity would mean roughly 10 films
Yes, that would be about right. Note that tabular grain films are very hard on fixer and I don't recommend this one for those type of films. For those see my AGFA 304 video for instructions or purchase my special alkali-fix from my website shop.
@@PictorialPlanet Got it, thank you so much for the help!
Hi! Any idea if I can use TF2 to fix salt prints faster? I Have the TF3 recipe but can't get hold of ammonium thiosulphate in my country, and the ready-made TF5 is quite expensive to import...
Sorry, I don't do salt prints.
@@PictorialPlanet Thanks!
Hi. Found your channel from a Google search looking for info on Barry Thornton's chemicals and the related chemicals that were produced and sold by Monochrome Photography in the UK after Barry's death. I came across a bag of Alkali-fix that I bought from Monochrome Photography years ago. The website is gone now. It's a powder/crystal so assuming I'm correct that it should still be OK to use, do you have any information on how to mix stock solution or working solution from it? Cheers.
How much does it weigh?
There's 576g including the two ziplock bags so about 550g of powder.@@PictorialPlanet
@instography That will make 1 litre of stock solution. Dilute that stock 1+4 to make working fix. Fix film for twice clearing time, paper for 2 minutes. Use separate working solution for film and paper.
Excellent. Thanks very much for your help. @@PictorialPlanet
I’ve been using TF4 for quite a while with all my developers, mostly with 510, how is TF2 different?
TF-4 is a good fix, Doug. It's a commercial formula and is a rapid alkaline fix suitable for all films. TF-2's formula is in the public domain so we can make it in the darkroom. It's not rapid and better described as zen.
Sir, I’m curious that if one doesn’t have SODIUM METABORATE, one can use borax and Sodium hydroxide. But, if using sodium hydroxide in the process of using warm water to facilitate the dissolving of the previously added chemicals, would this cause the caustic sodium hydroxide to rapidly boil over the mixing beaker?
The amount of sodium hydroxide is very small and won't cause problems unless you water is very hot indeed, too hot for mixing darkroom chemicals. When mixing darkroom chemicals the water should be around around 50c. The small amounts of hydroxide won't be a problem in 600 or 700 ml water at that temperature.
@@PictorialPlanet Thank you for the prompt response. It seems after some searching, that sodium metaborate can be acquired at Freestyle Photo, not more than fifteen minutes from me. That’s my first stop Monday morning. The way you are able to convey you knowledge in such understandable terms is fantastic. Thank you again!
Excellent idea. When I lived in the states I used Freestyle quit a bit. Good store.
I'm just learning about all this how good does TF2 work with d76 developer
This is a good question, Russ. It's not the developer but the film that effects TF2s success. TF2 is good with cubic grain films such as FP4 Plus but not good with tabular grain films such as Delta and TMax.
"A little squirt of butane.". Can you explain how you do that? I gather it's to remove any oxygen in the storage bottle.
Hi Steve, I recorded your answer a while back. ruclips.net/video/rTvf-dQohFo/видео.html
Hi John, in the test linked below, the extra stain rom the alkaline fixer seems to be applied universally to the whole image and not selectively where needed. The longest tonal range was from the rapid fixer. What are your experiences with this?
ruclips.net/video/FPkQ374ynL4/видео.html
I had missed that video, interesting. I need to test this.