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  #1  
Old 30th March 2009, 03:39 PM
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Default Avoiding Xtol failure

Years ago, when Xtol was sold in 1L packs, I have experienced the famous failure. I was using Kindermann steel tank and tap water. Xtol was about one month old, stored in a platic bottle.

Due to many reasons, I would like to try it again but I'm a bit scared. What is your standard procedure of using Xtol with success.

Thanks
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Old 30th March 2009, 06:01 PM
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I used XTOL for quite a few years and only moved away from it about 18 months ago as I felt Kodak would discontinue it at some point and I wanted to find an alternative at my own pace. Never experienced the 1 litre pack problem but I only used a few as I soon moved on to the 5 litre packs.
All I do is follow what Kodak tells you to do and I found it produced very good negs. XTOL is supposed to give you a speed increase of approx 1/3 stop but I ignore this and just rate my films at the given ISO. I mix up the powders as stated in a 5 litre container and decant to brown glass dev bottles for storage (full to the top). Mostly I would use 1 litre of stock neat for six 35 mm films (or the equivalent for 120 films) and then throw it away after six films had past through it. I also used it at 1+1 as a one-shot dev but to be honest I couldn’t t see any difference in the two methods. I have tried 1+3 but the dev times were so long I wouldn’t do it again and I couldn’t say the negs were any better anyway. So I would recommend using it neat following Kodak’s tables for number of films passed through or 1+1 as a one-shot dev.
All in all I found it to be a very dependable dev and very good for 400 /125 ISO films – TriX, HP5+ Neopan 400 and FP5+ etc. I have not used XTOL for the newer T grain types of film so cannot advise on this one.
The only points I would be especially aware of is in making sure that part A is completely dissolved before adding part B and then making sure everything is dissolved before storing. XTOL does mix very easily if the water is warm but occasionally it takes a bit of stirring. I also always filter it as it is put into the storage bottles.
As mentioned above use Kodak’s dev times and storage recommendations and I am sure you will be pleased with the results.
Neil.
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Old 30th March 2009, 06:06 PM
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Thanks! What kind of water (tap/destilled) and dev tanks (plastic/steel) are you using?
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Old 30th March 2009, 08:56 PM
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Use Rodinal :-)
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Old 30th March 2009, 09:08 PM
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Use Rodinal :-)
The worts developer? I think not.
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Old 31st March 2009, 07:49 AM
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I've been using X-tol for a number of years for all my films and I've found it to be utterly reliable. I mix with my tap water (Sussex and very, very hard) in a dedicated plastic bucket and decant into 1l ex-squash bottles. I usually find 5l of X-tol last around 6 months, but should I have much over the 6 months I chuck it and mix fresh - after all it's a very cheap dev.

Jack
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Old 31st March 2009, 08:43 AM
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Thanks! I'm using stainless steel tank which could also be the cause of the problem - so I read. Is there an official explanation available?
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Old 31st March 2009, 08:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Miha View Post
Thanks! What kind of water (tap/destilled) and dev tanks (plastic/steel) are you using?

Straight out of the tap for devs but filtered. Never had a problem with tap water in Devon And Cornwall - maybe paying the UK's most expensive water rates is worth it after all

I have a variety of Patterson, Jobo etc plastic type tanks and only use those.
One of the Patterson tanks takes 5 films and I have done 5 in there many times with XTOL - no problems.

Best of luck!

Neil.
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Old 31st March 2009, 09:46 AM
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Quote:
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Use Rodinal :-)
Quite agree. Utterly reliable, very cheap, lasts for years. Very sharp, nice grain structure. Tried lots of others, but I always return to Rodinal!
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  #10  
Old 31st March 2009, 11:18 AM
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Quite agree. Utterly reliable, very cheap, lasts for years. Very sharp, nice grain structure. Tried lots of others, but I always return to Rodinal!
Ilfotec HC, my current developer, offers the same, plus tighter grain and more resolution.
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