Can I mix only part of a bag of D76?

[InsuredDisaster]

EDIT: AW CRAP! I see this has been answered before. First post and I just post an overasked question. My bad. Mods, feel free to delete this turd.


I'm a cheap bastard and have 100+ rolls of BW film sitting in a big box so I figured rather than buy 1 gallong bags of D76, I'd buy a 10 gallon bag. But then it arrived (actually Legacy Pro L76) and suddenly I've got cold feet. My plan was to just use 10% of the bag at a time, but my concern is that I'll pour in an unbalanced mix of powered chemicals. I'm assuming that there are actually a number of different powered chemicals in the bag, and instead of having a mix of 50-50 (say if there were only 2 chemicals) I'll end up with a mix of 30-70 or something awful like that and end up with a useless batch off D76.

So, can I mix just 10% of the bag at a time or would that ensure a disaster?

Thanks.

[markbarendt]

Not reliably, doesn't mix/isn't mixed in a uniform manner as a powder so you don't really know what you will get if you mix a partial batch.

[keithwms]

I mix partial batches all the time, it works well without any issues.

[EASmithV]

You're not supposed to, but i've done it before without any ill effects.

[tkamiya]

I think your reel will unroll and film tank will explode if you do that.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I think your reel will unroll and film tank will explode if you do that.

Definitely explode. Yes...

[fotch]

Hello InsuredDisaster and welcome to APUG. Interesting name, I won't ask you how to came to choose that. Anyway, rather than risk having a problem, mix up all of it and then use as much of it as you can. It does keep awhile if in bottles filled to the brim.

Perhap if there are other photographers near you, you could share it with them.

[RalphLambrecht]

EDIT: AW CRAP! I see this has been answered before. First post and I just post an overasked question. My bad. Mods, feel free to delete this turd.


I'm a cheap bastard and have 100+ rolls of BW film sitting in a big box so I figured rather than buy 1 gallong bags of D76, I'd buy a 10 gallon bag. But then it arrived (actually Legacy Pro L76) and suddenly I've got cold feet. My plan was to just use 10% of the bag at a time, but my concern is that I'll pour in an unbalanced mix of powered chemicals. I'm assuming that there are actually a number of different powered chemicals in the bag, and instead of having a mix of 50-50 (say if there were only 2 chemicals) I'll end up with a mix of 30-70 or something awful like that and end up with a useless batch off D76.

So, can I mix just 10% of the bag at a time or would that ensure a disaster?

Thanks.

yes, you can, but you may get sa partly developed film

[Steve Smith]

The people who advise not to do this are being guided by questionable reasoning such as logic and common sense.

If you think you can give the dry ingredients a good mix before you divide it up, there should be no problems.


Steve.

[Rick A]

Not questionable reasoning, just a cautious aprehension to seperating dry chems that most likely are not a true homogenous blend. But, what the heck, go for it. The worst that can happen is not all rolls will develope the same. The best that can happen is you are happy with the results.