# monobath for rc paper



## cyclops (Oct 5, 2017)

Back in the 90s, I developed rc paper in a commercial monobath, whose name I cannot remember.
I can't find any monobaths for paper these days, so I have a question for you good folks.

Could I mix Dektol or Ilford developer and rapid fixer to make a monobath?
I've seen recipes online for monobaths using generic chemicals, but I am not a chemist.

Thanks


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## Dave442 (Oct 5, 2017)

I had heard you could mix this up for film. I didn't seem to have any advantage over just doing the three steps.  Same for paper, I have been able to put three trays in some very cramped locations. If you have to mix up three solutions and then mix those it is just adding another step. I would be interested in knowing what the advantage is to using the monobath.


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## cyclops (Oct 6, 2017)

simplicity, only one tray; cost, only one chemical, especially for short printing runs


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## IanG (Oct 14, 2017)

Back in the late 1970's I devised a Monobath for a specialist industrial application and tested it with Ilfospeed RC papers and it worked extremely well, but Monobaths work best optinised for a specific product which was what we did. It was suggest that we sell it commercially by a consultant I used (he did some work for Alpha cameras and Elinchrom flash both then made in the same ex British TB clinic in Switzerland, his mother a member of the Lumière family). 

I think Dan Qualls (maybe Quallis) posted a simple Monobath on APUG over 10 years ago, you can't use Rapid fixer but can add Ammonium or Sodium Thiosulphate to a developer which from memory is what Dan did, I think to HC-110.

It doesn't really work out any cheaper and there are archival issue without a separate fixer bath.

Ian


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