Quote Originally Posted by rjr
Re that GAF Universal Developer - when visiting the Foma factory shop in Prague three weeks ago
I shopped a packet of their kind of "Universal Developer". Itīs a bag of 220g, mixing up to 5l solution and
is designed for developing papers at stock strength and film when dilluted 1+3.

According to the package it contains Sodium pyrosulphite (whatever salt that is!), hydrochinone and phenidone.

The pack is labeled with "univerzalni vyvojka - univerzalna vyvojka - universal developer" and cost me
48 czech crowns, est. 1,50EUR.

No standard time for all films, though. Fomapan 100 is listed with 5min at 20°C, 200t at 3.5min, Foma 400 at 7.5min.

Look at www.foma.cz for the details and ask J and C or Fotoimpex if they can order it for you...

BTW - I bought just out of curiosity and because I read your message regarding that GAF developer few weeks earlier. ;-)

Best, Roman
"According to the package it contains Sodium pyrosulphite (whatever salt that is!), hydrochinone and phenidone."

Sodium pyrosulphite Na2 S2 05 is also called sodium disulphite (bisulfite) or sodium metabisulphite (metabisulfite).

AFAIK the first Phenidone/Hydroquinone "Universal Developer" formulation was published by Ilford. It does not contain either Glycin or Metol and thus is not similar to Ansco 130. I started compounding it in the 1970's and used it for many years as a paper developer (I added benzotriazole). The results were very similar to Kodak Dektol, but with a longer shelf life for the concentrated stock solution.