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Help! Newbie and developer/permawash



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 20th 04, 10:36 PM
Kelly
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Default Help! Newbie and developer/permawash

I'm taking an introductory B&W darkroom class at my art college, and we
mixed our three batches of chemicals last week: developer, fixer, and Heico
Permawash. In pulling out the bottles from the locker this week, I
discovered I'd labeled the fixer, but in the general confusion of the school
darkroom had left blank tape on the two other brown bottles. Is there any
way to pour out a small amount to determine which is which? (The developer
is TMax developer, if that makes a difference.) Or do I need to go through
teh development process with a small piece of test film to see if things
work?

Thank you in advance!

  #2  
Old February 20th 04, 10:44 PM
Tom Gardner
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Default Help! Newbie and developer/permawash

I almost hate to say it but...taste them after tasting knowns. You probably
won't die.


"Kelly" wrote in message
...
I'm taking an introductory B&W darkroom class at my art college, and we
mixed our three batches of chemicals last week: developer, fixer, and

Heico
Permawash. In pulling out the bottles from the locker this week, I
discovered I'd labeled the fixer, but in the general confusion of the

school
darkroom had left blank tape on the two other brown bottles. Is there any
way to pour out a small amount to determine which is which? (The developer
is TMax developer, if that makes a difference.) Or do I need to go through
teh development process with a small piece of test film to see if things
work?

Thank you in advance!



  #3  
Old February 20th 04, 10:53 PM
Norman Worth
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Default Help! Newbie and developer/permawash

Short of tasting, there are other things you can do. If you have access to
a pH meter, pH indicator tape, or even litmus paper, developer is alkaline.
The wash in neutral. You could put a small piece of fogged film or paper in
some of it and see if it develops. Smell is sometimes also an indicator -
Permawash is odorless.

"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
.com...
I almost hate to say it but...taste them after tasting knowns. You

probably
won't die.


"Kelly" wrote in message
...
I'm taking an introductory B&W darkroom class at my art college, and we
mixed our three batches of chemicals last week: developer, fixer, and

Heico
Permawash. In pulling out the bottles from the locker this week, I
discovered I'd labeled the fixer, but in the general confusion of the

school
darkroom had left blank tape on the two other brown bottles. Is there

any
way to pour out a small amount to determine which is which? (The

developer
is TMax developer, if that makes a difference.) Or do I need to go

through
teh development process with a small piece of test film to see if things
work?

Thank you in advance!





  #4  
Old February 22nd 04, 02:23 AM
Richard Knoppow
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Posts: n/a
Default Help! Newbie and developer/permawash


"Jean-David Beyer" wrote in message
...
Kelly wrote:
I'm taking an introductory B&W darkroom class at my art

college, and we
mixed our three batches of chemicals last week:

developer, fixer, and Heico
Permawash. In pulling out the bottles from the locker

this week, I
discovered I'd labeled the fixer, but in the general

confusion of the school
darkroom had left blank tape on the two other brown

bottles. Is there any
way to pour out a small amount to determine which is

which? (The developer
is TMax developer, if that makes a difference.) Or do I

need to go through
teh development process with a small piece of test film

to see if things
work?

Thank you in advance!


With the lights on, put a piece of scrap B&W film in each.

The one in
the one that turns black is in the developer, and the one

in the
PermaWash will stay pretty much the same.

--
.~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User

85642.
/V\ Registered Machine

73926.
/( )\ Shrewsbury, New Jersey http://counter.li.org
^^-^^ 4:55pm up 45 days, 4:17, 2 users, load average:

2.16, 2.20, 2.17

The Permawash will clear the anti-halation dye so the film
will look different but won't blacken it.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA




  #5  
Old February 24th 04, 12:40 AM
Louie Powell
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Posts: n/a
Default Help! Newbie and developer/permawash

"Kelly" wrote in
:

I'm taking an introductory B&W darkroom class at my art college, and
we mixed our three batches of chemicals last week: developer, fixer,
and Heico Permawash. In pulling out the bottles from the locker this
week, I discovered I'd labeled the fixer, but in the general confusion
of the school darkroom had left blank tape on the two other brown
bottles. Is there any way to pour out a small amount to determine
which is which? (The developer is TMax developer, if that makes a
difference.) Or do I need to go through teh development process with a
small piece of test film to see if things work?

Thank you in advance!


Kelly -

Another replier has suggested putting a scrap of film into each of the
mystery chemicals, and the developer will be the one that causes the film
to turn black. But there are three other things that you might also try.

First, developers tend to have a pronounced odor, while PermaWash is
odorless. So take a sniff.

Second, some developers have a faint color (typically brown), while
PermaWash may have a slight blue cast. So pour a little of each into
glass containers, and then compare them.

Third, developers are what chemists refer to as "bases". Another replier
suggested using a pH meter - that will work, but another way to identify
bases is to stick a couple of fingers into the liquid, and then rub the
fingers together. Bases will cause your fingers to feel "soapy". In the
old days, soap was made by combining animal fat with lye, a strong base.
In a similar fashion, developers will cause a soap-like substance to be
created from the oils in your skin. By the way, unless you have
allergies, this is perfectly harmless. And if you are allergic to photo
chemicals, the time to learn this is now so that you can take appropriate
protective steps.



 




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