[Russell W. Barnes]

Has anyone here ever used non-porous ceramic baking beans to displace the air in developer bottles? I have several dark-brown 200ml - 350ml glass bottles into which I shall distribute my stock ID-11, and I thought I'd make it last a bit longer by displacing the air from each partially-used one as I go.

I've heard about folks using glass marbles to do this.

[Alex645]

Has anyone here ever used non-porous ceramic baking beans to displace the air in developer bottles? I have several dark-brown 200ml - 350ml glass bottles into which I shall distribute my stock ID-11, and I thought I'd make it last a bit longer by displacing the air from each partially-used one as I go.

I've heard about folks using glass marbles to do this.

These days, I use containers with floating lids and in the past, I used accordion-type plastic bottles like these made by Arista:

Arista Air-Evac Bottle - 1 Liter | Freestyle Photographic Supplies

No, I have not used ceramic baking beans, but I've known many people that have used glass marbles in glass bottles.

[honey bo bo]

This is the type that I always used in the 80's. No mess No Fuss Air evac

---------- Post added 06-22-18 at 09:06 AM ----------

This is the type that I always used in the 80's. No mess No Fuss Air evac

Store in the brown jugs but buy one of these to use for current juice then you only have to fill to the top for the ones you're not using No Fillers

[Ontarian50]

I never cared for the air evac accordion bottles. Firstly, the cap had to be really well sealed for the bottle not spring back, sucking in air over time.

Secondly, they were wickedly difficult to clean. All those accordion pleats kept liquid rolling around in them - almost impossible to get them dry inside.

I did use the glass marbles technique. It was a bit fiddly, but worked fine. Eventually, of course, you have a bunch of marbles to clean!

[Russell W. Barnes]

I guess it's a toss-up between robbing the ceramic baking beans from the kitchen cupboard and buying an accordion bottle, then. Sounds like a plan! I don't mind using stuff to fill the bottle but although those beans claim to be 'non-porous' I was curious about any residue that may come off them.

Thanks for the replies.

[WPRESTO]

I always found glass marbles suitable, especially because you can get them in larger sizes. Modest extra work to sieve when disposing of developer, then rinse and set aside to dry.

ADDENDUM: Please do not ask me to send you my no-longer used marbles. I've lost all of them.

[ChrisPlatt]

Thirty years ago I bought some accordion bottles, Falcon Air-Evac IIRC.
I mixed up my powdered D-76 with warm water as recommended.
I poured it in the bottle and squeezed out all the air. So far so good.
Placed on a shelf the bottle flexed, bent sharply in the middle and fell over.
Entertaining yes, kind of like a Slinky, but no way to store your developer.

Chris

[Wheatfield]

Has anyone here ever used non-porous ceramic baking beans to displace the air in developer bottles? I have several dark-brown 200ml - 350ml glass bottles into which I shall distribute my stock ID-11, and I thought I'd make it last a bit longer by displacing the air from each partially-used one as I go.

I've heard about folks using glass marbles to do this.

Marbles work, but can be rather fiddly. I kept a can of Dust-Off around for this sort of thing. It's an oxygen free gas that is quite inert and is heavier than air. I'd just squirt a little bit of canned gas into the bottle and let it do what it did.
It seemed to work. I could keep developers for a very long time with no problems.

Later I started using a JOBO processor, which used very small amounts of solution compared to vertical tanks. In order to have sufficient capacity, one needed very concentrated developers (and very careful timing as development times were in the range of 3 minutes). My developer of choice became HC:110, as I was able to mix it strong enough to work for me.
As it is a very concentrated liquid, more like syrup, and on it's own very resistant to oxidizing, I was able to give up trying to keep developers from going bad. I used a pipette to grab what I needed to make a tank mix, and did one shot developing.

[abruzzi]

I just finished drinking a box of wine (not much of a wine drinker, normally) that I will be using to store XTOL developer. The boxes of wine have a water tight bag that can be reused. The benefit of the bag is the air can be completely removed, and as you draw more developer out, the bag compresses, rather than letting air in. Its not good for reuse or for small quantities, but for storing large quantities mixed from power, its perfect. (the wine boxes are 5 liters, and XTOL powder mixes to 5 liters.

[Russell W. Barnes]

I've decided to opt for the baking beans (for now), and bought some ceramic ones yesterday, described as non-porous, which I've just washed and no residue or dust. Moreover, they fit down the funnel into the bottles! I don't think I'll be using them in anger just yet as I intend developing films with a 1+1 solution; 150ml of stock at a time, so the one litre mix of ID-11 I've ordered won't last so far that it will get chance to expire.


But if I like it and decide to stick with it, then I'll use the beans. I like the wine box idea too.

[Alex645]

I just finished drinking a box of wine (not much of a wine drinker, normally) that I will be using to store XTOL developer.

I like the wine box idea too.

I consider myself a wine drinker, but I can't say I've ever bought wine in a box because:

a) That's a lot of wine!
b) Wine stored in plastic is like drinking wine from plastic cups.
c) I've never seen wine worth drinking come in a box.
d) Optics (aka aesthetics): I feel it's like serving caviar out of a gallon sized tub.

I also work with lots and lots of teens and tweens, and putting something toxic into a wine container could lead to tragedy.
I guess one could always change the box cover so that it is very clear, the contents is NOT a drinkable fluid.

[Russell W. Barnes]

'...and putting something toxic into a wine container could lead to tragedy.
I guess one could always change the box cover so that it is very clear, the contents is NOT a drinkable fluid.'

Indeed. One must be careful with food and drink bottles and the purpose for which they are used. But if the foil bag is removed from the box and secured and clearly marked, I don't see an issue.

I don't see me rushing out to buy a box of wine but I know someone that may have a couple of old containers...

[ChrisPlatt]

I've bypassed the problem entirely by switching to concentrated syrup developers, e.g. HC-110 and Rodinal.

No stock solution is required. Just measure out the small amount of the developer and mix in water at the proper temperature.

And no, I don't put marbles in the bottles. These developers last for years even in half-filled bottles.

Chris

[abruzzi]

a) That's a lot of wine!
b) Wine stored in plastic is like drinking wine from plastic cups.
c) I've never seen wine worth drinking come in a box.
d) Optics (aka aesthetics): I feel it's like serving caviar out of a gallon sized tub.

I have this thing--I have a very hard time throwing away something I paid for. Buying a $15 box of wine just to dump the wine down the drain so I can fill it with XTOL just feels like being wasteful.

So I drank the wine mixed with juice--faux sangria.

[Russell W. Barnes]

I've bypassed the problem entirely by switching to concentrated syrup developers, e.g. HC-110 and Rodinal.

No stock solution is required.

I'm tempted to get some Rodinal and I probably shall at some point, but right now I just want to compare ID-11 to the DD-X I've been using hitherto on Ilford film. I understand Rodinal does indeed keep for ages.