# a crazy idea...



## Chine (Jun 16, 2015)

A crazy idea strolls in my mind. I have a small darkroom and I want to form some homebrew develop and fixer acid. How about it? I'm crazy or is it possible?


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## 480sparky (Jun 16, 2015)

If you mean buy the raw chemicals and mix your own developer and fixer?

Sure it can be done.  People have been doing that for the past 160 years.


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## Chine (Jun 16, 2015)

yes, I know, but is it a workable solution? Where could I find a good recipe? What equipment I need?


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## limr (Jun 16, 2015)

Chine said:


> yes, I know, but is it a workable solution? Where could I find a good recipe? What equipment I need?



Homemade developer: Caffenol. A few links to start: Caffenol  and  http://www.caffenol-cookbook.com/

I use it exclusively so if you decide to try it, I'm happy to help you out.

As for the fixer, I still use Ilford Rapid Fixer, but there are recipes for using a salt solution. The issue with that is I think the negatives don't last as long, but I suppose that's only an issue if you are worried about passing the negatives down to kids/grandkids.


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## unpopular (Jun 16, 2015)

Chine said:


> A crazy idea strolls in my mind. I have a small darkroom and I want to form some homebrew develop and fixer acid. How about it? I'm crazy or is it possible?



I did it quite a bit.

The formulation isn't difficult. Review the chemical MSDS and common lab sense for safe handling. Some raw chemicals such as pyro- are probably better left alone, but just about everything else, it's doable.

Finding a decent textbook is the only hard part. I had one, but I gave it away with my chemicals and don't remember what it's called.


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## terri (Jun 17, 2015)

Steve Anchell knows more than we're likely to forget.   

Photographers Formulary can supply you with more than you'll likely ever need.  

They can supply with you with all the MSDS and are happy to chat over the phone for personal advice on your setup.   

Take a look at the links, then give it a go and have fun!


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## Chine (Jun 18, 2015)

First of all, thank you for the advice.



limr said:


> Chine said:
> 
> 
> > yes, I know, but is it a workable solution? Where could I find a good recipe? What equipment I need?
> ...



maybe I'll start with developer. If I decide to try Caffenol, I'll contact you. I think your links are very useful to start with homemade developer.





terri said:


> Steve Anchell knows more than we're likely to forget.
> 
> Photographers Formulary can supply you with more than you'll likely ever need.
> 
> ...



The book look like interesting, but I couldn't use it so much.


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## unpopular (Jun 18, 2015)

There are a lot of developers out there that have not been tested. I never got to actually making the developer, but i did run several extracts of tobacco. There are a lot of interesting compounds in tobacco once you take out the tar, which is easy to do - just run it through water then isolate the aromatic compounds with a non-polar solvent, I used terpenoid, and separate the two layers. The compound would then be evaporated, dissolved in ethanol and activated into a developer.

I keep trying to convince someone to try making a developer with Urushiol. Thus far I haven't found anyone who wants to give it a go.


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## Chine (Jun 20, 2015)

unpopular said:


> There are a lot of developers out there that have not been tested. I never got to actually making the developer, but i did run several extracts of tobacco. There are a lot of interesting compounds in tobacco once you take out the tar, which is easy to do - just run it through water then isolate the aromatic compounds with a non-polar solvent, I used terpenoid, and separate the two layers. The compound would then be evaporated, dissolved in ethanol and activated into a developer.
> 
> I keep trying to convince someone to try making a developer with Urushiol. Thus far I haven't found anyone who wants to give it a go.



wow, I study agriculture science and I deal with botany and chemistry every day. This argument is very interesting to me! Would be very fascinating to try the reducing extract of various plants to develop our film.


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## limr (Jun 20, 2015)

Chine said:


> unpopular said:
> 
> 
> > There are a lot of developers out there that have not been tested. I never got to actually making the developer, but i did run several extracts of tobacco. There are a lot of interesting compounds in tobacco once you take out the tar, which is easy to do - just run it through water then isolate the aromatic compounds with a non-polar solvent, I used terpenoid, and separate the two layers. The compound would then be evaporated, dissolved in ethanol and activated into a developer.
> ...



There have been folks playing with tea and wine as a developer base. Coffee is already known to work. I'm sure there are other plant-based formulae that could work.


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## Chine (Jun 20, 2015)

Great! I would have more time to experiment all this.


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