I finally did it... developed my own film!

**StiffLegged** · 02-02-2020, 02:56 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by tuco

Due to your water supply situation you've described, I'd stick to the classic acid stop bath and hypo clearing agent steps in your film development process.You may hear you can stop with water only and use an alkaline fixer to make a hypo clearing agent step redundant. But stopping with water really should take multiple fill and drains of the tank; whereas, an acid stop bath is only 30 seconds and a 1 liter mix lasts a while thereby lower water usage for that step. And a hypo clearing agent really shortens the wash time too.

+1! Generations of B&W shooters depended on these methods and they didn't let us down!

Congratulations on some nice-looking results, good shadow detail and smooth tones! You've done it now, welcome to the wonderful alchemical world of developing your own; I'm slightly envious since I remember how much I enjoyed it too.

**PWhite214** · 02-11-2020, 06:18 PM

Y'all have me planning a trip to pick up supplies to make my first batch of caffenol. Hopefully the weather will clear enough to shoot some low ISO film though I have some Tri-X I can use. I bought distilled water today. Looking forward to trying this.

Phil

**fs999** · 02-12-2020, 03:37 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by PWhite214

Y'all have me planning a trip to pick up supplies to make my first batch of caffenol. Hopefully the weather will clear enough to shoot some low ISO film though I have some Tri-X I can use. I bought distilled water today. Looking forward to trying this.

Phil

Some hints.
- You must find water free washing soda (also called soda ashes), backing soda doesn't work or you need to dry it in the oven.
- Use vitamin C in powder not in tablets (they add often something and is harder to dissolve).
- For CL, CLCS and CL-CN recipes you need a 0.1 gram precise balance.

Here some most used recipes :

You can also find help here : https:/www.facebook.com/groups/caffenol. Good luck.

brewmaster15 · 02-12-2020, 03:58 AM

I picked up the wash soda(Arm and Hammer) and powdered vitamen c at Amazon... its very cheap... also picked up a small gram scale there.

AL

tuco · 02-14-2020, 08:46 AM

Originally posted by StiffLegged

+1! Generations of B&W shooters depended on these methods and they didn't let us down!

Congratulations on some nice-looking results, good shadow detail and smooth tones! You've done it now, welcome to the wonderful alchemical world of developing your own; I'm slightly envious since I remember how much I enjoyed it too.

Thanks.

I use water for a stop bath and an alkaline fixer a lot because that is a requirement for developing a pyro negative. If you use an acid stop bath, it will remove the staining properties that you're trying to get with the developer.

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02-02-2020, 02:56 PM - 1 Like	#16
StiffLegged Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2018 Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,610	Originally posted by tuco Due to your water supply situation you've described, I'd stick to the classic acid stop bath and hypo clearing agent steps in your film development process.You may hear you can stop with water only and use an alkaline fixer to make a hypo clearing agent step redundant. But stopping with water really should take multiple fill and drains of the tank; whereas, an acid stop bath is only 30 seconds and a 1 liter mix lasts a while thereby lower water usage for that step. And a hypo clearing agent really shortens the wash time too. +1! Generations of B&W shooters depended on these methods and they didn't let us down! Congratulations on some nice-looking results, good shadow detail and smooth tones! You've done it now, welcome to the wonderful alchemical world of developing your own; I'm slightly envious since I remember how much I enjoyed it too.

02-11-2020, 06:18 PM	#17
PWhite214 Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 82	Y'all have me planning a trip to pick up supplies to make my first batch of caffenol. Hopefully the weather will clear enough to shoot some low ISO film though I have some Tri-X I can use. I bought distilled water today. Looking forward to trying this. Phil

02-12-2020, 03:37 AM - 1 Like	#18
fs999 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Luxembourg Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,626	Originally posted by PWhite214 Y'all have me planning a trip to pick up supplies to make my first batch of caffenol. Hopefully the weather will clear enough to shoot some low ISO film though I have some Tri-X I can use. I bought distilled water today. Looking forward to trying this. Phil Some hints. - You must find water free washing soda (also called soda ashes), backing soda doesn't work or you need to dry it in the oven. - Use vitamin C in powder not in tablets (they add often something and is harder to dissolve). - For CL, CLCS and CL-CN recipes you need a 0.1 gram precise balance. Here some most used recipes : You can also find help here : https:/www.facebook.com/groups/caffenol. Good luck.

02-12-2020, 03:58 AM	#19
brewmaster15 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: CT Posts: 1,860 Original Poster	I picked up the wash soda(Arm and Hammer) and powdered vitamen c at Amazon... its very cheap... also picked up a small gram scale there. AL

02-14-2020, 08:46 AM	#20
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,019	Originally posted by StiffLegged +1! Generations of B&W shooters depended on these methods and they didn't let us down! Congratulations on some nice-looking results, good shadow detail and smooth tones! You've done it now, welcome to the wonderful alchemical world of developing your own; I'm slightly envious since I remember how much I enjoyed it too. Thanks. I use water for a stop bath and an alkaline fixer a lot because that is a requirement for developing a pyro negative. If you use an acid stop bath, it will remove the staining properties that you're trying to get with the developer.

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