Comrade silver printers,

I am looking for an odourless fixer formula of the rapid type. I had a bash at TF-3 (see pp 106 in S.Anchell's Film Developing Cookbook) and such strong was its smell that it made my work in the darkroom intolerable.

I then switched to non-rapid Kodak F-24 (see pp 152 in S.Anchell's The Darkroom Cookbook) and the 5´ + 5´ fixing times were too long to bear.

If one of you could provide me with a rapid formula that does not smell you will help me sustain my tradition, namely, of mixing my entire chemistry!

Best regards, Mako

-- Mako (mako-photography@gmx.de), November 11, 2001

Answers

You were using the TF3 at 1:3 dilution, right? I use it at that dilution and things are tolerable. At full strength, the ammonia vapors are quite overpowering.

If that does not provide an answer, take a look at using plain fix. See http://www.heylloyd.com/technicl/plain.htm for more details and good reasons to go with plain fix.

Good luck, DJ.

-- N Dhananjay (dhananjay-nayakankuppam@uiowa.edu), November 11, 2001.

Sprint makes ordorless fixer. Vanilla scented stop bath. I don't have the info to get in touch with them right know, so if you can't find it, let me know. Raven

-- Raven (mtand13@netreach.net), November 11, 2001.

Try Sprint at sprintsystems.com.

-- Ken Burns (kenburns@twave.net), November 11, 2001.

Thank you guys, Especially you, DJ, for the tip about Lloyd Erlick's technical page. This really is a treasure trove! Cheers,

-- Mako (mako-photography@gmx.de), November 12, 2001.

Clayton also makes an odorless fix. Actually you can smell the odor in the bottle but it becomes odorless when diluted for use. I buy mine from The View Camera Store. I also buy the Clayton odorless stop bath from them.

-- Brian Ellis (bellis60@earthlink.net), November 12, 2001.

If the smell is overpowering your darkroom is dangerously underventilated. This can lead to cumulative damage to your respiratory system and internal organs. Using odorless products will not necessarily help. I would urge you to invest first in a baffled fan or a personal ventilation system.

-- Andrew Held (Heldarc@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001.