Re: Do you store diluted D-72 (Dektol) ?

In article <878xxa58ms.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Steven Woody <anti-spam.narkewoody@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>
> i dilute working solution from stock. but in any print session, i only develop
> 2 to 3 sheets (sometimes only one), so i wanna hear your suggestion about how
> to treat the remaining working solution, throw them into the drain?

I've stored diluted and partially used Dektol for several days (up to a
week or two) in stoppered bottles with no obvious problems on subsequent
uses. Of course, it's possible my standards are just too low (or somebody
else's are too high -- it's all relative, after all ;-) ). The commercial
Dektol might also keep better than a home-brewed D-72.

> i also like to know any _well used_ one-shot receipt as general as D-72, so i
> will never sweat the above problem.

I don't recall ever seeing any one-shot print developers. I'd speculate
that's because most people make many prints in a session, so most people
would find a one-shot developer to be too much effort. You could probably
dilute D-72 more than usual for economy, but that would extend development
times.

I believe replenishment is a more common solution. I've heard that DS-14
(http://silvergrain.org/Photo-Tech/print-dev-recommend.html) works well as
a replenished formula, using itself as a replenisher. You'd basically make
up more than you need (say, two liters rather than one liter, if you use
one liter in your trays). When you're done with a session, you'd pour the
used developer back in its 1-liter bottle and top it up using the second
liter (which should probably be split across several small bottles to help
preserve it). Although I've tried DS-14 for a few prints and got good
results, I've not yet tried replenishing it. Replenishment will work for
many other developers, too, but I don't have details offhand. IIRC, Kodak
offers a replenisher for Dektol -- or maybe I'm thinking of D-76. Perhaps
you could find the formula with a Web search or by checking photographic
chemistry sites.

Another option might be a divided developer. These are rare for paper, but
check http://www.apug.org/forums/article.php?a=87 for one mix-it-yourself
formula. The idea is that the expensive chemicals go in the first of two
baths. This bath is re-used indefinitely, with replenishment. The second
bath is discarded after each session, but it's pretty cheap. I've not
tried this formula, so I can't comment on it.

--
Rod Smith, rodsmith@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.rodsbooks.com
Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking
.

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