Formaldehyde FREE lith developer formula please

[Terry S]

I've just started experimenting with a beginners lith kit but am worried if my interest gets the better of me, I will end up spending a small fortune on bought Lith developer.

I'm half way through a the kit Fotospeed LD20 and have only just found out that it contains formaldehyde, which I'd rather avoid if at all possible due to it's carcinogenic nature.

I've tried two formulas so far, with one doing nothing and the other looking promising.

So do members have any recommendations for ones that they have made and used themselves and have had good results with please?

Also recommendations of current papers that lith well would be good.

Many thanks.

Terry S

[JOReynolds]

Lith developers typically have a very high pH, which weakens the gelatine. Formaldehyde counters the effect. Perhaps some papers are tough enough and need no formaldehyde? Worth trying...?

[paulc]

I've had moderate success with the Ansco 70 and 81 formula listed at: http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/LithDev/lithdev.html. However, tray life is short, and should really be mixed from scratch just before use.

Note: Ignore comments about substituting acetone for paraformaldehyde - It doesn't work and you have to add potassium/sodium hydroxide to get the pH up which shortens the tray life.

I've read a little about the supposed carcinogenic risks - Whilst there may be a risk from long term exposure, there are other things in the home that present much greater health risks. Exhaust fumes from your typical car, old paintwork containing lead, that takeaway meal from a slightly dodgy Chinese/Indian/McKFC... Then there is metol which can trigger dermatitis...

[Terry S]

Thanks guys.

Paul, I've tried Ansco 81 from the link you've given, which didn't work at all on the papers that I have.

Mixed up Kodak D9 today and that looks promising, so am going to do some further tests on that but still open to suggestions.

I take note of what you're saying about risk overall, but IF POSSIBLE I just want to avoid when able. There is also of course the smell of certain things that just put one off from the start.

Terry S

[Terry S]

Just checking the price of raw chemicals to make up the formula Kodak D9, which looks promising after yesterdays tests, I am amazed at the difference in price between home made and shop bought.

With lith developers being in the £20+ range for a relatively small set of A and B solutions, making it up yourself as I did, costs about £2.20 = less than a tenth of the price of shop bought liquids.

Now that is what I call a saving which in turn will enable me to experiment a bit longer without worrying too much about the costs.

Ilford and all need not worry though, I will not be making up all of my chemicals from raw...yet.

Terry S

[photomi7ch]

Ilford warm tone paper is supposed to work well with lith.

[skellum]

Hmmm . . . tried Ilford Warmtone FB in Fotospeed lith. Not very nice. Lots of BROWN, and nothing like the pinks and yellow tones of the old fotospeed lith paper. If I didn't throw away the results I'll see if there's something I can post to show.

ps Wiesmier on here says that Slavich paper liths well.

[Mike O'Pray]

Interestingly Tim Rudman in his FPP podcast interview for which we have a thread, was very circumspect about which, if any, paper still lith well. My take on what he was saying is that these days it seems that "second pass" lith for most papers is all that is left for success

Mike

[Domingo]

Terry, do you know the Lith group on Facebook? not heavy activity and some very interesting prints there.

I've done some lith prints attracted by the process itself and the mood of the images I've seen, but I must recognize I'm far of what I want to get.

All the developers I've tested are based in the HQ, SS, PB and SC relation. The last one, 2:2:1:20 grs./litre, is giving me about two hours of life in the tray and some "interesting" prints.

[Terry S]

Thanks to all for the continuing comments.

Mitch and Skellum. Yes, I've read that Ilford WT liths well. I have some in both RC and FB so I will hopefully have time to try that out in my next session.

Mike. Yes there does seem to be a dwindling number of lithable papers but they are still out there. As for 'second pass' lith, this issomething else that I want to try once I've done further tests on my home brew lith dev.

Domingo. Yes, I've already linked to the lith group on facebook and as it turns out I have already seen your lith print on here and made a comment or two... I will have to put some of mine up so you can do like wise.

Thanks also for the simple recipe. It's not one that I have on my list that I have printed out that are formaldehyde free, so that gives me another one to try. Can you remember where you found this formula?

EDIT: Just checking my paperwork, your formula looks quite similar to the Kodak D9 recipe that I am having initial success with so far.

The recipe for that is: SOL A: 500ml water; SB 22.5g; HQ 22.5g;PB 22.5g; SOL B: COLD water 1 litre; Sodium Hydroxide 52.5g. Mix 1 to 1 then add 10 water. (If reduced down, it equals near on similar proportions for chemicals and the amount of final solution you have = about 1 litre of working solution.)

Comparing the two, my formula is a little higher on the PB / restrainer and uses SH (which is caustic compared to your SC, so might be a little safer to use, especially in the darkroom).

Terry S