[pure-silver] Re: how critical is E6 temp and...

Hi there,
you should keep the temp of the first developer within half a degree centigrade. Everything else allows much larger fluctuations, the stabiliser can be done at room temp, no problem. However I tend not to use the "leeway" given and try to also do the other baths at very much the same temp. Just superstition I suppose.
I have a big sink, fill it properly at temp and let everything sit in there for a while (30 mins) until everything settles to the proper temperature. The first developer is only 5 or 6 minutes and a big sink will easily keep the temp for that long. I agitate by lying the tank in the sink horizontally and rotating it. This way it keeps temp as its half in the water.
Make sure you rinse once first before the developers in order to also get the films etc. up to temp. The run-off will e yellow or pink depending on the films you use. Also I tend not to mix films of different makers in the same drum. Keep Kodak to Kodak, Fuji to Fuji.
MAKE SURE YOU WEAR GLOVES! Otherwise your fingers will shrivel and suffer. Also: AVOID SKIN CONTACT WITH THE BLEACH-FIX at all costs! The stuff is vile. Causes all kinds of nasty symptoms, cancer of the testes, softens your bones, a bouquet of other cancers available at no extra cost. I have industrial acid-proof heavy duty gloves that go halfway up my arm.
I have used 6 (AGFA) and 3-bath (Tetenal). and could tell no diffeence, but there might be some in the longevity. I cannot tell yet. I have 25 year old self developed slides and they look fine colour wise.
Whatever you use, be prepared for fabulous and wonderful colours! I found my films to be a lot juicier than from the lab.
Also: when the films come out of the last tank they look kind of brown - don´t panic. This is normal and they dry out to be proper transparencies! When I did this the first time I nearly had a heart attack beacase the films looked totally ruined. 

Love
Snoopy

At 06:14 30.01.2007, you wrote:
I've asked this elsewhere but thought I would ask here as well cos I know there are some colour experts among you all.
Two questions: firstly, how critical is E6 processing temp as I'm going to try for the first time using a makeshift water bath setup. As far as I have gathered so far, providing the temp doesn't vary by more than 1 degree during the first dev bath, I should be OK.
and secondly, is the full 6 bath E6 process worth doing as opposed to the shorter/quicker 3 bath E6 process and why? 

Thanks,

Rob

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