Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/12/03

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Subject: [Leica] Xtol dev times - PC-TEA
From: durling at cox.net (Mike Durling)
Date: Sat Dec 3 14:23:51 2005
References: <BFB3A5CE.1FA79%mark@rabinergroup.com>

Maybe I better reiterate that it is the stock solution that has no 
water.  You dilute the stock with water at a 1:50 ratio.  A little goes 
a long way.  The Triethanolamine forms an alkaline when mixed with 
water.  The secret of its longlevity is that nothing reacts with it 
until you add the water.  Photographically this means that you don't 
need sulfite, which as you know, eats away at the grain and sharpness.

Now the viscosity is another thing altogether.  When I got mine it was 
solid, like a rock.  I had to leave it in hot water for quite some time 
to get it to melt.  Once it was melted it seemed to say that way in a 
moderately warm house.  The stock solution is also a liquid.  Looks 
kinda like a thick rodinal or maybe maple syrup.

Mike D

Mark Rabiner wrote:
> On 11/29/05 5:02 AM, "Mike Durling" <durling@cox.net> typed:
> 
> 
>>I'm pretty excited about PC-TEA.  This is a developer invented by
>>Patrick Gainer.  I think it was written up in Photo Techniques about a
>>year ago.
>>
>>To make the stock solution:
>>90G Vitamin C powder
>>2.5G Phenidone
>>1L Triethanolamine (TEA)
>>
>>The tricky part is that you have to heat up the TEA to dissolve the rest
>>of the ingredients.  TEA is not classified as hazardous and is available
>>from chemistrystore.com and Photographer's Formulary.
>>
>>In use you dilute it 1:50.  It contains NO sulfite.  There is also no
>>water in the stock solution so it is not supposed to deterioriate with age.
>>
>>I've only done a few tests to establish a development time, which looks
>>like 8 minutes @ 72F with HP5+ at 1:50.  Grain looks extremely fine with
>>none of the clumping you get with D-76.
>>
>>Mike D
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Leica Users Group.
>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Better be as the Triethanolamine is $8.80/quart!
> http://www.chemistrystore.com/triethanolamine.htm
> 
> But would be worth it to have run a roll of film without the use of water.
> Who would believe it!!?! Make for a great "trick question".
> 
> I'm going to make sure I have a vial of Triethanolamine in my holiday
> stocking hanging off the fireplace this year!!!
> 
> Says it is a viscous liquid! That might make for an interesting agitation
> issue.
> "just shake the heck out it!"!!!
> 
> "put in paint mixer". "then go have lunch"!
> 
> Mark Rabiner
> Photography
> Portland Oregon
> http://rabinergroup.com/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 

Replies: Reply from craig at craigschroeder.com (Craig Schroeder) ([Leica] Xtol dev times - PC-TEA)
In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Xtol dev times - PC-TEA)