Hubl's Glycin Paste

[semeuse]

a glycin developer, excellent for stand development, popular from the early 20th century (reference Cassell's Cyclopedia of Photography and Anchell & Troop)

hot water (125F / 52C) 500ml
sodium sulfite 165g
glycin 135g

mix well - takes some time to get all the glycin to dissolve
then add

potassium carbonate, crystaline 625g
water to 1000ml

This makes a thick, creamy stock solution with great shelf life (I have used year old stock with no problems). When diluting for use, I have found that I must use distilled water or else I end up with a cloudy solution that gives uneven results (I assume there is something in my tap water that reacts with the chemistry). Distilled water gives a clear pinkish solution (kind of looks like gasoline) that is a wonderful stand developer.

Suggested starting points for use:
diluted 1:30 for 10 minutes with minimal agitation for Efke PM50

I particularly like this for roll films:
diluted 1:55 for 45 minutes, agitate for first minute, then leave it alone; after 45' a 30 second water rinse, then fix.

[Ole]

So how thick is the stock solution, really? Is it easy to measure in small quantities?

There's a reason why it's called "paste"...

[David A. Goldfarb]

Atget used it.
juan

Does it cause vignetting at the top of the frame?

[semeuse]

I'm not really sure that Atget used it, but Anchell's note on this formula leads us to think so - now I'll just need that time machine to take me back to Paris 1910
The stock solution is similar to heavy cream, so actually quite easy to measure out in fairly small quantities.
Some of the positive attributes of stand development, besides being able to go out for a cup of coffee or a beer, are great edge definition and wonderful tonalities, even with fast "grainy" films like Efke 400 (pushed to 1600).

[seawolf66]

Are you folks saying that a stand developer , requires no agitation, what are the set backs for use-ing this type of developer : New at this real older stuff of film work: saw a young woman doing prints on premounted canvas frames which she had coated and stored in the dark till dry and brought to the school to process into canvas prints , have not seen the finished product , but thought "how Neat"

[semeuse]

Are you folks saying that a stand developer , requires no agitation, what are the set backs for use-ing this type of developer

agitate for the first minute, then just let it cook - some setbacks are, besides time, you must have a very diluted developer that doesn't cause streaks on the film which is why glycin works so well here and the possibility of uneven development if you don't use a flat bottomed tray for sheet film

[Chazzy]

agitate for the first minute, then just let it cook - some setbacks are, besides time, you must have a very diluted developer that doesn't cause streaks on the film which is why glycin works so well here and the possibility of uneven development if you don't use a flat bottomed tray for sheet film

If the emulsion side of sheet film is up, how could ridges on the bottom of the tray make any difference?

[semeuse]

I'm not really sure, but my guess is that the contact points would have a slight temperature difference that causes a minute developer speed difference - I only noticed the problem when working during hotter periods.

[semeuse]

one thing that I just noticed about my original formula post - I neglected to mention that before use, you must shake the stock solution well, especially if it has sat for any length of time

[seawolf66]

I am told that Glycyn has a short shelf life , thats fine but after its mixed what is its shelf life , what type of metheod does one use to figure out the lenght of time
one would use for developing a film such as lets say FP4 ilford 4x5 film- Just thinking of toying with this stand development procedure! all thoughts well come ,
Not ready to invest into a book on this stuff yet just a hunting expedition thats all

[juan]

Lauren, my experience with glycin is that it lasts a very long time in solution. I've used Ansco 130 more than a year after mixing. I've also been able to keep it longer than two years in powder form by freezing it.
juan