Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Equipment > Darkroom

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 17th March 2021, 11:59 AM
Nat Polton Nat Polton is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 758
Default Filtering Homebrew Developers.

Years ago I mainly used ID11 then migrated to the convenience of liquid concentrates.
I used a Paterson filter funnel with the powdered ID11 and Microphen developers, always finding bits of grit and unidentified particles trapped by the filter.
I was wondering if anyone here filters out their powdered, or homebrewed developers?
If you do filter, what do you use?
Cheers.
__________________
It will all be over by Christmas.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 17th March 2021, 12:10 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jersey Channel Islands
Posts: 5,433
Default

I don't use homebrew developers these days, getting the raw chemicals to Jersey is difficult with local regulations, but I do filter ID11, I use an old filter from a long gone filter coffee machine, you can also use filter coffee paper
Richard
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 17th March 2021, 12:17 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Midlands/Aegean
Posts: 1,988
Default

I only use developers I mix myself and have never filtered them or had any issues, I started mixing my own about 1976/7.

When I used Microphen, ID-11 and later Xtol replenished I would decant most of the developer from the container and filter what was left through a coarse lab filter and more recently like Richard a Coffee filtter.

Ian
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 18th March 2021, 04:43 PM
Martin Aislabie's Avatar
Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Posts: 2,080
Default

I always filter my ID11 after having made it up into liquid form, having allowed it to stand for 24hrs before it is decanting into 0.5 litre bottles.

I always use a Paterson Filter - which is 20 microns (20 x 10^-6 metres).

Occasionally, I have one or two small particles left behind in the filter.

However, I also filter all my other chemicals for film development before using them using the same filter arrangement in the usual running order - dev, stop, fix.

I also filter all my tap water as well - 5 microns.

When I was a student in central Birmingham all those years ago, I would get quite a lot of sand and grit in the mains water and I was worried about scratching my negatives, as I squeegeed them.

My son-in-law lived in Highgate, used a Paterson filter and got loads of sand and grit in the filter, after only 20 mins of film washing.

So, what I'm saying is, on the whole, it is more likely to be sand and grit in your mains water than particles in your photographic chemicals.

Martin
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 19th March 2021, 01:52 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,796
Default

I now make my own film developer but have never felt the need to filter it - maybe I should?

I do filter, with a Paterson funnel filter, the stop bath and diluted fixer though, as they seem to get small bits of crud in them with use for some reason.

Terry S
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 19th March 2021, 04:35 PM
Nat Polton Nat Polton is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 758
Default

I have just mixed a litre of homebrew ID11. Ready for tomorrow.
Everything was cleaned spotless, but in amongst the finished developer were two tiny spirals of black plastic.
The water was filtered in a Paterson filter funnel so they must have been hiding in one of the jars of chemicals.
The Paterson takes forever to filter so as it's my fortnightly lockdown shop tonight I will have a look at the coffee filter papers.

Thank you for the idea about the filter papers.

Cheers.
__________________
It will all be over by Christmas.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 19th March 2021, 05:22 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,796
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nat Polton View Post
The Paterson takes forever to filter so as it's my fortnightly lockdown shop tonight I will have a look at the coffee filter papers.
If you have the same item as me Nat, when my Paterson filter seems to slow down, I unscrew the funnel bit, take out the metal filter, run it under a tap both sides, then put it back in the opposite way up to what it was before. A quick flush with water and it should be back to normal.

Also, I'd be curious to hear how you get on with coffee filters, as I have only used, apart from the above, 'home brew' / 'science' filter papers, and they REALLY DO take a long time!!!! So much so, that I gave up on them totally!

Terry S
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 19th March 2021, 06:13 PM
Bob's Avatar
Bob Bob is offline
Administrator
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: London(ish)
Posts: 2,746
Default

I only filter to make sure there are no bits of dust and plastic etc once the developer is completely cleared. I would not filter because I had some residue of chemicals left - that belongs in the developer, not in the filter.

I just made up some Burki and Jenny cold-tone developer from the Darkroom Cookbook for the first time an hour ago - will be interesting to see how it works tomorrow. The 1% Benzotriazole I made up went through the Paterson filter funnel without any sign of detritus but the developer had a number of tiny bits of grit and grime left in the filter. It's paper developer so not really worth filtering that tiny amount out, but for film developer it might be a different story. Both were mixed with deionised water, not tap water, so I've no idea where the grit came from.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 22nd March 2021, 06:39 PM
Martin Aislabie's Avatar
Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Posts: 2,080
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S View Post
If you have the same item as me Nat, when my Paterson filter seems to slow down, I unscrew the funnel bit, take out the metal filter, run it under a tap both sides, then put it back in the opposite way up to what it was before. A quick flush with water and it should be back to normal.

Also, I'd be curious to hear how you get on with coffee filters, as I have only used, apart from the above, 'home brew' / 'science' filter papers, and they REALLY DO take a long time!!!! So much so, that I gave up on them totally!

Terry S
You should only use the filter in one direction.

Completely agree with the back flushing - but then put the filter back in the original way - or you risky allowing a small part of what you have just bothered to flush out being allowed in to your filtered chemical.

If the filter flow rate is very low it may mean your filter is partly blocked and you should consider buying a replacement.

My usual cause of low flow rate through the filter is as a result of trapped air - which I clear by putting my finger over the bottom of the filter housing and vigorously shaking it from side to side.

Martin
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 23rd March 2021, 01:05 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Southend on Sea, Essex, England, UK
Posts: 3,796
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Aislabie View Post
You should only use the filter in one direction.

Completely agree with the back flushing - but then put the filter back in the original way - or you risky allowing a small part of what you have just bothered to flush out being allowed in to your filtered chemical.

Martin
Well, I've never thought about that Martin. It makes sense and I've obviously been lucky up until now, having done it for decades, but will try to remember your point the next time that I have to wash the metal filter.

Terry S
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How I make up my Developers--- pentaxpete Chemical formulae 1 24th February 2021 12:49 PM
Warmtone Developers Mike O'Pray Monochrome printing techniques 19 3rd July 2016 08:31 PM
filtering post exposure robinb Monochrome Film 5 14th January 2015 08:22 PM
Filtering D76? Ansel Manufactured brews 43 9th November 2014 11:08 AM
Diafine: Filtering Bath B MPerson Monochrome Film 14 2nd December 2009 08:48 AM


All times are GMT. The time now is 01:57 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.