Rodinal-like developer from Metol

[gainer]

Mix 40 grams of Metol with 15 grams of sodium sulfite in 1 liter of water. Add 19 grams of sodium hydroxide. Filter, saving the contents of the filter paper. That which passes through the filter is mostly sodium sulfite and sodium sulfate. That which remains is mostly the Metol base. Mix the contents of the filter paper with 750 ml of water and add 85 grams of sodium sulfite. Stir vigorously while adding 19 grams of sodium hydroxide. All or nearly all of the precipitate will dissolve. Bring the volume up to 1 liter. Use as you would Rodinal.

The result is a solution of a sodium salt of the Metol base and sodium sulfite.

I also made a batch in which I mixed the 85 grams of sulfite, 40 grams of Metol and 38 grams of hydroxide to make a liter which included the sulfate formed from the H2SO4 of the Metol. It is a little darker in color, but I haven't seen a difference in performance. Sodium sulfate is sometimes used in tropical developers to slow the reaction and minimize swelling of the emulsion, but the amount created here is probably not enough to do that job.

[claudiosz]

I have prepared 250 ml for a try, and is really impressive the high resolution of my negs. I tried with TMX 2 1/4x3 1/4, and is the look of high definition that I am looking for. I did my own experience with a solution of metol in TEA, 318 g/l and add the sulfite and hidroxide. I like a lot.

[joefromhun]

Hi everybody. I'm new here. 2 days ago I tried to mix this developer, but there was nothing to filter, I didn't see precipitate in the solution. After 2 hours I put the other chemicals into , the developer's colour is brownish-yellow, but works. Is it normal? The developed negs are very soft (Agfa APX 400S) , and lighters than the others developed in 1:50 Rodinal.
Please forgive my bad english, I'm hungarian. Have a good day, Joe

[Tom A]

Hi Joe, I mixed this developer a couple of weeks ago, and didn’t have any precipitate either. The colour is light golden hue, and the developer works fine. My result with this developer looks very much like the results that I get from R09.

Tom

[craigclu]

Patrick, could you expand on the precipitate expectations? I recall giving this a shot when first posted and found no precipitate as others have mentioned. What are we missing here? What micron filter are you referring to? I use the standard milk filters in a ceramic perfed funnel rig and wonder if you are using something finer?

[Snapshot]

For those of you who are interested, the pH of this developer is approximately 11.8 at 1+50 dilution. The original value I posted was incorrect. I triple checked the reading this time. Pardon any inconvenience this may have caused.

[WDX-RED]

Yesterday I used METOLAL developer...

Film - Ilford Delta 3200@3200 - 35mm film

METOLAL - 1+25, 11minutes @ 70F ( 25x13ml of water + 13ml of METOLAL )

Time - 11minutes for RODINAL - DigitalTruth - 3200 in RODINAL

Film is low transparent, I'm confuse...It is completly darker than normal, everywhere....And on film there are a stripes from the perforation to down....It is looks like the METOLAL was exhausted....

I used - 4g METOL, 8,5g sodium sulfite (anhy), 3,8g sodium hydroxide to 100ml of water....

I will try HP5+, 1+50, 8minutes @70F and I'll post results....
(50x6,5ml of water + 6,5ml of METOLAL)

[glbeas]

Sounds a bit like over agitation to get the stripes from the sprocket holes. You might want to re-check the components to be sure the concentrations are right.

[Alan Johnson]

I did not get a precipitate either but the all-in version works OK.
It gives slightly more grain than Rodinal.
With Metolal I found it necessary to use double the time quoted on digitaltruth development chart for Rodinal to give similar density,which may explain why negatives referred to by WDX look a bit thin.

[WDX-RED]

So, double the time ? 22minutes, 1:25 METALOL, Delta3200@3200 70F.....

[WDX-RED]

I developed Ilford PAN 100@100 ( similar to FP4+)

Metolal 1+50, 8minutes, @70F, agitation for the first 30 second, than 10 seconds every minute, pre-bath (wet) in 70F water for 1 minute...

picture.....CLICK HERE

Metolal suprised me....

I will try increase the contrast, somewhere about 5-6minutes at 1+25.....