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> Re-using old chemical bottles |
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#11
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I use the new concertina bottles which can be ordered from AG. They are very different from the older ones. The ltr bottles will not compress much below 500mls because they are of a thicker plastic.
All my bottles are marked for certain chemicals so there is no chance of contamination. You do have to keep an eye on them to make sure the lids are tight and have worked well over the years. The thing with storing chemicals is that you have to find a method that you are confident with. When in doubt try it out for yourself.
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Mitch http://photomi7ch.blogspot.com/ If you eliminate the impossible whatever remains no matter how improbable must be the truth. |
#12
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Bargain Basement replacement seals
With most of the pound shops closed at the moment you may have difficulty in getting the silicon you need. As a suggestion and don't laugh but I have successfully replaced seals with discs of butyl rubber cut from old lorry inner tubes. Tyre outlets will give you a whole used one for nothing. The rubber is about 1.5mm thick which is more than adequate.
Cut it into manageable sections wash what you need thoroughly then cut discs slightly larger than the inside of the caps. They compress well and will provide a completely airtight seal - all for nothing. Some of the colour chemical bottles that the stock solutions come in only have a thin heat applied seal which do not work properly afterwards, no matter how tight you screw the cap on. These home made seals work perfectly. |
#13
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Quote:
Like it. will keep it in mind. Thanks John
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Mitch http://photomi7ch.blogspot.com/ If you eliminate the impossible whatever remains no matter how improbable must be the truth. |
#14
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Well, to be fair, lots of people use plastic bottles for stock developer without issues, but the problem with plastic is that there are many kinds and some are (very) slightly porous to oxygen. Glass has the advantage that you know for sure it will not pass oxygen (although you then have to worry about the material of the plastic stopper and it's sealing material ).
Assuming you are buying a liquid ready-made B&W developer, just leave the stock solution in the manufacturer's bottle and either (a) use it all within the manufacturer's recommended time for an opened bottle once you have started to use it or (b) invest in some Tetenal Protectan or (c) use Rodinal, which has legendary keeping qualities... |
#15
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Or better still buy a can or two of this, like I have mentioned in previous posts.
It's a LOT cheaper and definitely does the job and seems to be lasting just as long so far. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223973714...m=223973714970 Terry S |
#16
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I did buy one of these several months ago with the intention of testing how much gas is in there (a simple case of weighing a can before use and again when empty) but have not got around to it yet, and it still sits on a shelf... My logic is that whilst the argon is under pressure in those cans, it is not liquefied. A can of liquefied argon has a volume of >800 times the liquid when squirted out as a gas. Butane (used in Protectan) liquefies at much lower pressure (and a gas to liquid ratio of 250:1) which is why you can put liquefied butane in a thin metal can but liquefied argon requires a canister capable of withstanding >48 atm (as used in welding). It is not clear how much compression has been achieved in those cans so it will be interesting to see how much gas is actually in there in practice. Last edited by Bob; 14th May 2020 at 05:37 PM. |
#17
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Quote:
The others are plain plastic with a neoprene insert inside and these are 100% airtight. When I make up developer for C41 I fill the bottles up to the stated capacity and then - microwave - (yes really!) them for a short time 30 seconds will be enough for a 150cc bottle. I then fit the cap and screw it down. The liquid inside will have expanded and as it cools down it will form a semi vacuum inside. You will know if it has worked because when you open the bottle there will be a short sharp hiss as the vacuum is released. I have kept C41 Dev this way, pre mixed for over 6 months. For some reason after this, the screw caps become very tight - incredibly tight and you will need some sort of grip to unscrew them. Last edited by John King; 13th May 2020 at 07:37 AM. |
#18
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Quote:
But, back to the subject in question, which is the bottle tops. Now if I've got this right John, there is a third type of bottle top, which I will get with my bottles, which is called a 'Polycone screw top'. It is described as a '...white screw top R3 Polycone cap. The cap liner forms a tight leakproof seal, once screwed into place. Perfect for the healthcare and chemical industry.' https://www.ampulla.co.uk/Shop-For-G...-169-196-3950/ I just love it that I normally learn something new every time I read the posts on this forum. Terry S |
#19
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Yes it is the polycone type of top. It is a semi ridged polythene seal and yes it seals perfectly. probably the best there is available to us common folk!
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#20
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Quote:
Cheers. |
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