PDA

View Full Version : Soft-Pack Developers.


Keith Tapscott.
18th April 2014, 02:19 PM
Has anyone had any experience with developers sold in soft-packs?

The claim is that the developers last longer due to no air space.

http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/3770/firstcall-r09-film-developer-rodinal-formula-500ml-softpack

DaveP
18th April 2014, 02:31 PM
I recently bought some Rodinal in one. I'm hoping that I can keep it going till my great great great grandchildren are born.

Mike O'Pray
18th April 2014, 04:19 PM
I haven't tried one, Keith but a wine-bag certainly works in my opinion and the soft pack looks like a wine-bag but will in fact be custom-made for photo chemicals so if anything should be even better

Mike

EdBray
18th April 2014, 04:53 PM
I've got a couple of developers in those bags here Keith, but as I tend to only use Pyrocat HDC I haven't actually used one. I do use the wetting agent that also came in one. If you want to try one I can drop one off on the way home when I am back at work on the 29th April, I know Rodinal is one, I am not sure what the other is off the top of my head though.

JOReynolds
18th April 2014, 09:14 PM
I bought Rodinal in bags. Seems like a good idea, but I haven't tried it yet. Will report.

KevinAllan
18th April 2014, 09:22 PM
I have the Firstcall Rodinal in a softpack and have previously used warmtone developer in the same packaging. The nozzles seem to leak; I store them inside a sandwich bag but have to throw out the sandwich bag and wipe residue off the container from time to time.

Mike O'Pray
18th April 2014, 11:20 PM
Based on my experience with wine-bag nozzles which can leak albeit very, very slowly I think that Kevin's leak is in the nature of the nozzle type. The Firstcall nozzles certainly looks like wine-bag nozzles

My bags in wine-boxes hang over my sink so no problem for me but if they have to sit over an area where the leak cannot be tolerated then something like Kevin's solution is fine.

Usually my leaks are so slight that the liquid eventually forms a kind of petrified drop at the end of the nozzle and in effect seals itself. This usually happens if I haven't dispensed any liquid for a few days. If you were using the bags every day or even every other day then in my case with wine-bags the leaks wouldn't even have a chance to form. They are that slow.

As far as I can tell the leak does not allow any air into the bag which is key

Mike

Keith Tapscott.
19th April 2014, 07:18 AM
Thanks all. :)

Ed, I will accept your kind offer. :D

Keith Tapscott.
19th April 2014, 07:26 AM
I haven't tried one, Keith but a wine-bag certainly works in my opinion and the soft pack looks like a wine-bag but will in fact be custom-made for photo chemicals so if anything should be even better

MikeDo you have a link to these type of wine bags Mike?

Mike O'Pray
19th April 2014, 11:11 AM
Do you have a link to these type of wine bags Mike?

Yes, I am regularly found in the alcohol section of several supermarkets usually hiding from the wife and my minders from the local AA group:D

On a more serious note any of the 2.25L (Sainburys -spoil sports:mad:) or 3L (Aldi and some ASDA) wine-bags are fine:). Of course you have to drink the stuff first. A nasty job but somebody's got to do it.

The alternative is boxes called Polypins. These are brand new bags and boxes for the purpose of storage of home brew wine and still cider.

I haven't used them but will when my AA minders catch up with me:D

There is a thread on these Polypins on FADU going back a few years or you can do a "Google"

Mike

Keith Tapscott.
19th April 2014, 03:46 PM
I searched for Polypins. Hopefully, the 5 litre size will be suitable for D-76 in 1 U.S. Gallon (3.8 Litres) size packs.
Likewise with Bromophen.

http://www.murphyhomebrew.com/equipment/5-lt-polypin/prod_5.html

Mike O'Pray
19th April 2014, 05:46 PM
I have just had a look at these. They look as if you could fill them much easier than the supermarket wine-bags which are more of a rectangular shape and have to be filled outside the box then eased back in through the top. A square box looks much easier than the taller rectangular commercial boxes.

Wherever the former link led to in the old thread I don't think it was to murphybrew and the prices,if I recall correctly were much higher but if these Murphy bags hold wine successfully and they must otherwise they wouldn't be able to sell them then they'll hold dev, fix etc equally well.

Looks like a good find there, Keith

Mike

Argentum
19th April 2014, 06:09 PM
Has anyone had any experience with developers sold in soft-packs?

The claim is that the developers last longer due to no air space.

http://www.firstcall-photographic.co.uk/products/3770/firstcall-r09-film-developer-rodinal-formula-500ml-softpack

You gotta laugh, if there's one developer which lasts forever in opened half full bottles, it's rodinal.