# Homemade developer



## Jeff Canes

I ran across an article in a back issue of Shutterbug that had two recipes for developers.

#1: 8oz of water, 4 teaspoons of instant coffee crystals, 2 teaspoons of  washing soda, stir until uniform, develop for 25 minutes

#2: 8oz of water, 8000mg of vitamin C tablets, 5 teaspoons of  washing soda, develop for 30 minutes

Tonight I tried the coffee recipe but with a few changes.

My steps 
1. I had no instant so, I mixed 10oz hot water with 5 teaspoons coffee, let cool and drained off grinds
2. And 3 teaspoons of washing soda stirred 
3. Refrigerate  to 68F
4. Developed for 25 min
5. Stopped with cool water, water was clear after third flush, did two or three more
6. Next standard Kodak fixer for 10 min
7. Washed with tap water
8. Used photo-Flo
9. Hang to dry

The out come was that negative are light, but images appear clear and defined, my first guess is that I undeveloped the roll. Could it be the changes in the mix or something else.

Maybe this is best I can expect. 

Camera Specs: Canon A-1 full auto, Tmax 100 (old roll stored at room temp)

Any options, other that I nuts


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## Soulreaver

Undevelopping causes a diminishing of the high lights, and reduction of contrast.Did it in my first roll  :? , due to inattention.
Perhaps in your case you had to use a stronger coffee


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## aggiezach




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## oriecat

How weird!  That would be fun to try out...  but what the heck is washing soda?


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## malachite

> Could it be the changes in the mix or something else.


Maybe your coffee was decaf?   Too cool none the less........


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## Jeff Canes

oriecat said:
			
		

> How weird!  That would be fun to try out...  but what the heck is washing soda?



Washing soda is sodium carbonate an old traditional cleaning powered. Look for it in the laundry section. 



			
				malachite said:
			
		

> Could it be the changes in the mix or something else.
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe your coffee was decaf?   Too cool none the less........
Click to expand...


The coffee is some high powered Trappist monk stuff, but Ill look in to that


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## murrayatuptowngallery

Also see Donald Qualls' posts on APUG.org Caffenol + C cuts development time for Caffenol in half but has less negative staining.

Many have said that brew coffee doesn't work well as it is the 'wrong kind'; one being Arabica and the other being Robusta already. The instant freeze dried crystals are the kind that works better (I think Robusta...or I got the names switched...but not the instant part)

Also see http://www.costaricacoffeeart.com/for a different take on using coffee as developer.


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## Jeff Canes

wow this is old


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## Alpha

Jeff Canes said:


> would this is old



would this is grammar.


sorry I had to.


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## Early

It's a wonder there's not more on this.  Half the fun of setting up a darkroom was experimenting with different ingredients.  You don't have to be a chemist, but just learn what each ingredient would do for a neg. or a print.


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