ILFOCHROME HOME-BREWED BLEACH

[Photo Engineer]

This example of a dye bleach single layer was made using a dye bleach made up of thiourea, KBr, H2SO4 and Phenazine. That is a Stouffer step wedge and the dye is Solantine Red.

PE

[Stephen Frizza]

CLM 1K. My first tests with home-brew developer and bleach. Agefix 1+5 as fix and then RA-4 blix. There was a bit of visible silver in the campfire picture in the flame before blix.

Scanning is a bit problematic as always, because that super-glossy feeling is missing. I ended up to make raw scans first and then do exactly the same level corrections to every scan, so you really can compare the relative densities. The first one is without hypo in developer. Scanning exaggerates the difference somewhat.

Step wedge steps are 0.15 (half stop).

HRST 2 years ago I was thinking this was not a good thing you do,As process control could be lacking.I also feared such home brews could bring on the death of ilfochrome faster. Upon reflection now ilfochrome has died I think your work is to be commended.

~steve

[Fragomeni]

So has anyone come up with a viable way to do this?

[DREW WILEY]

The more relevant question would be, will a homemade bleach be the death of YOU? It's pretty damn
nasty just to work with, let alone brew up yourself. About the only nice thing about sulfuric acid is that
it is super simple to neutralize with just a little baking soda. ... but why??? Ciba is now just about
extinct. I have just one box of 20x24 paper frozen and about three gallons of each chem. End of an era.

[Fragomeni]

Nothing involved with the Cibachrome process is more extreme then the chemicals I've handled in my past experiments so that's not really a concern. Beside, if you've properly educated yourself regarding the materials and you take safety precautions seriously there is little to worry about with even the harsher chemicals that can be used in various photographic processes. Granted, that type of experimentation isn't for everyone and is often more appropriate for those with a chemistry background or at least a solid understanding of the materials and dangers that come along with them. Safety and education are the key to safe handling in my experience.

As far as Ciba being out of production or extinct, many photographic processes have been out of production and "extinct" for quite a long time and the primary common denominator that you find with many if not most of them is an eventual dedication to reviving and continuing work with them despite lack of commercial production. When something is new the honeymoon love affair only last so long. When something has been established as an undeniable fixture in the history and legacy of a medium, there will always be those interested in pulling it from the ashes if at all possible.

So what about this home-brew bleach?

[Photo Engineer]

By the time you fine tune the bleach to give a good result, you will use up all of the paper stock you have!

PE

[lightwisps]

Wow am I ever in!! Lot's of paper crapping up my freezer, can't get the chemestry.

[DREW WILEY]

Ciba wasn't the first chromolytic paper made, but coming up with any home-brew dye-destruction color
paper would be quite an accomplishment. It probably rates up there right alongside tranny film in terms
of needing industrial muscle to produce. As interested as I would be in a replacement/improvement for
Ciba, I'm not going to wait !! I unfurled a roll of Fuji Supergloss just two days ago, having moved on
to color neg and RA4 prints several years ago. To some extent, I already know what to expect; but it's
the result of my new internegs from older chromes that I'm really anticipating. I have a tad of past
experience with this, but largely, it's uncharted waters. I doubt that anyone has tried doing it quite the
way I am attempting it. ... and no sense asking me the specifics until I myself see if I've pulled off a
series of gold medals or bellyflops!

[StoneNYC]

Wow am I ever in!! Lot's of paper crapping up my freezer, can't get the chemestry.

Still waiting on a list I think? How many chems do you want?


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rudeofus]

Ciba wasn't the first chromolytic paper made, but coming up with any home-brew dye-destruction color paper would be quite an accomplishment. It probably rates up there right alongside tranny film in terms of needing industrial muscle to produce.

I realize that PE sets pretty high standards here but according to him, homebrew Cibachrome would be just about the only type of color paper that amateurs could possibly make for themselves. While it's trivial to home brew RA4 chems, the paper is out of our reach once it's discontinued.