Harvey's 777

[c6h6o3]

Has anyone using 777 tried PF's version of this developer?
And does anyone know how it compares with the Bluegrass version?

Thanks,
BILL

At $11.95/liter, 4 gallons from PF will run you $181.64, excluding shipping. This is more than $45.00/gallon. Bluegrass's price is <$60.00 for a 4 gallon case, delivered. That's less than $15.00/gallon. I need more than 1 liter when I tray develop sheet film.

Furthermore, since Bluegrass owns the rights and jealously guards the proprietary formula, one has to wonder if PF's is truly the real deal. If they're repackaging developer obtained from Bluegrass, I suppose that would account for the exorbitant price. If they're not, then what assurances do we have that it's Harvey's formula? Why not just get it straight from the source?

[c6h6o3]

BPI did make a dedicated real repenisher. I know, I still have some.

Ask BPI if they will make a run of pure real repenisher if there is sufficient demand. The use of real replinsher makes 777 even cheaper to use. You add only 3/4 ounce per 80 Sq. In. ( 80 Sq. In = 4 sheets of 4x5, 1 roll of 120, 1 36 exp. 35mm film). Actual replenisher is much more desirable than using fresh developer. You can tell them apart by the color of the labels. One is red the other blue.

777 is definitely NOT!!! sensitive to air. Because of the PPD it does normally discolor, but this has NO effect on its working ability.



A simple solution is to use 3 quart bottles and 2 pint bottles in place of a gallon bottle which will eventually fill with air. Even when you are down to the final dregs of the gallon, you simply use ever smaller bottles. You use it so slowly, even this is not any hassle at all. An emmently simple cure to what seems to be vexing imponderable.

"I only replenish every 7 or 8 sheets (or rolls)"

That statement only equates if your sheets are 8x10. Either way, you are replenishing too little especially if you are using 1 gallon or less of developer.


Fred

Fred:

They are 8x10 sheets. Now that I look at the replenishment chart again I see that the 6 oz. every 8 sheets with which I've been replenishing my gallon is less than half of what I should be adding, assuming that the area of 1 sheet is roughly equivalent to the surface area of a 120 roll.

Thanks for the tip about the color change. I've been assuming that when the replenisher gets to be the color of black tea it's no good and have then been throwing it out. And thanks for taking the time to contribute to this thread. The insights you provide are rare, since they can only come from years of experience as a successful pro. We dilettante amateurs would never stumble on these things in a thousand years.

Jim Shanesy

[Venchka]

and an excellent one. I've been using half gallon jugs.

How do I get the developer into the bladder once I've emptied it?

I have only been able to extract the spigot from freshly emptied bladders. When the wine is gone, the spigot comes out with firm but gentle prying with a SS table knife. Flat of the blade worked round and round. It eventually comes out. Rinse and rinse and rinse. I keep Xtol in a bladder in the original box. Works fine.

I have never been able to remove the spigot a second time after the Xtol is gone. I have to drink wine in amounts equal to my Xtol usage.

Thanks to everyone for all of this great information.

[Richard Wasserman]

Instead of buying a lot of cheap wine, how about using these? http://www.survivalsolutions.com/store/product41.html

Richard

[c6h6o3]

Instead of buying a lot of cheap wine, how about using these? http://www.survivalsolutions.com/store/product41.html

Richard

Unnecessary. All the air does is discolor the solution, not degrade it's reduction properties. See Fred's comments above.

[Venchka]

Thanks Richard. Not a bad idea for Xtol and other oxygen attacked developers.

[BILL3075]

Just ordered both the developer and the replenisher. Each come in 4-1 gal. packages, the former @$46.75, the latter @ $58.32.

BILL

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Well, if it's anything like Edwal 12 (available as developer #12 from Photographer's Formulary) you'll be pleased to print your negatives!

I used it for some time, replenished, and it is amazing stuff. I only use Xtol now because the Formulary ran out of PPD and couldn't get it for a while. It's a good substitute, but doesn't have the highlight intensity of the PPD/glycin developer.

[Venchka]

Just ordered both the developer and the replenisher. Each come in 4-1 gal. packages, the former @$46.75, the latter @ $58.32.

BILL

Bill,

Thanks for the up to date information! I have started a 777 fund.

[fotch]

Just ordered both the developer and the replenisher. Each come in 4-1 gal. packages, the former @$46.75, the latter @ $58.32.

BILL

Sure makes me want to try it out sometime.