# Question about TMAX developer



## ahelg (Feb 19, 2005)

Today I started purchasing the some of the stuff I need to start developing my B&W negatives. I bought the Kodak TMAX developer. I would like to some advice about it.

Should I mix it fresh strait before I use it or should I mix the hole lot and put it in my AP chemical bottle?

Do I dispose of the developer after I use it or do I use it several times?

How do I dispose of the developer? Do I pour it down the drain or do I have to deliver it at a chemical collection point?

I did not see any TMAX Fix and Stop. Does this exist?


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## Hertz van Rental (Feb 19, 2005)

With regards to your questions about the developer - try reading the technical data that came with it.
Developer can be used stock (undiluted) in which case it can be reused a number of times. Or it can be diluted which makes it 'one shot' - you throw it away after use.
Read the tech info and make your own decision as to which is most cost effective for you. If you are going to be deving a lot of film then it is usually best to use it as stock.
Remember that diluting a developer changes it's working properties. Stock solutions tend to develop to a steeper CI curve (more contrasty). Diluting lowers the CI and tends to help supress grain. The CI that you develop to is largely dictated by your enlarger type. If you are using a diffuse light source in the head you need a higher CI. Point source heads (bulb+condenser) need a lower CI.
Developer is fine if you flush it down the sink. We've all been doing it for years.
There is no T-max fix or stop. Any will do.
A good place to start is here:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...f4016/f4016.jhtml?id=0.1.18.14.23.18.16&lc=en
Kodak are very good with their tech publications and you can find most, if not all, of your answers here.


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## Allsmiles7282 (Feb 19, 2005)

If you are looking for a good brand other than Kodak, I have been using Ilford chems for a while and am very happy with them.  Most places that sell Kodak chems should sell Ilford as well.  Just a thought. =)


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## Christie Photo (Feb 20, 2005)

I like T-Max.  I do little in the darkroom these days.  When I do, it's usually a couple of rolls.  And, it could be many months before I'm in the dark again.

T-Max does need to be diluted 1 part concentrate with 4 parts water.  I mix only what I need for single use and dump it when I'm done.  I don't think this particular developer can be replenished.

The concentrate has a long shelf life...  maybe 2 years.  The diluted working slolution has a much shorter shelf life of a month or two.  So if you have a large amount of film to develop, it would be practicle to mix a larger batch if you will exhaust it within a short period of time.

Here in the states I pour the developer down the drain.  I'm not aware of any value in recovery.


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## Hertz van Rental (Feb 20, 2005)

If you are doing processing on a commercial scale then silver recovery becomes essential. All commercial labs do it. You can recover several pounds of silver a year. For the quantities produced by the average amateur it would cost more to recover than the silver would be worth.


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## JamesD (Nov 14, 2005)

Okay, I know that TMax is a film developer, not a paper dev, and all....

But, I'm using it to develop 4X5 paper negatives and it's working fine. I've also been using it to develop 4X5 contact prints from said paper negatives, since it's already handy. My question is....

Does developing paper in film dev exhaust the dev faster than film? I don't intend to use the dev I'm using for paper on film, but it's mixed to the standard 1+4 film concentration. I'm developing by inspection, usually around 25-40 seconds, then drip-drop plop in the stop. (Sorry, I HAD to use that phrase! It's been ringing between my ears for a week!)

Thank ya!
-James


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## nealjpage (Nov 14, 2005)

Silver???  I thought that only came out in the fixer.  At least it's what we recover at school--developer we pour down the drain.


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## Hertz van Rental (Nov 15, 2005)

Paper and film use the same chemistry so most film developers will process paper and vice versa. The problem is that they perform different functions so the developers are tailored to fit those functions. A paper developer will get far better results with paper than will film for example.
You can get universal developers that do both - but the results on paper and film are pretty uninspiring.
Try using a good paper developer like Dektol. You should see a big difference.

And exhaustion rates are pretty much the same.


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