Re: B&W film developing questions

"G.T." <getnews1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:13nu7g7ikfj9be3@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Ok, I just developed my first 3 rolls of film at home, and except for a 
> little bit of dust on the last roll the results are excellent.  I'll 
> s****adically be developing more over the next couple of months.
>
> I'm using Rodinal, Arista's indicator stop bath, Arista's Universal 
> non-hardening fixer, and Kentflo.
>
> Questions:
>
> 1.  The Rodinal says undiluted it will last 6 months.  Can I be safe to 
> assume it will last that long?
>
> Also, with the Rodinal I've been developing only one roll per mix
because 
> I'm new at this.  With Accufine, the previous developer I used, I would
do 
> a couple of rolls in one canister before dumping back into my storage 
> container and repleni****ng.  And after 3 months at the same developing 
> time my negs were a little light.
>
> Can I develop more than one roll of film in my Rodinal?
>
> 2.  The stop is the least of my worries, right?  It should be ok for a 
> couple dozen rolls over the next couple of months?
>
> 3.  What's the expected longevity of the fixer?
>
> Thanks,
> Greg

My two bits -

Rodinal is one time use.  But you are using 1:25 or 1:50 or even 1:100
such 
that you use so little that the one time use is plenty.  No replenishment,

no multiple use.

My own prediliction is to decant the 500ml container into 1 oz (30 ml)
glass 
amber bottles.  I keep these tightly capped and use them in succession. 
No 
problem at all.  Way back when, I recall a story about a partially used 
bottle of Rodinal found in the late 1940s/early 1950s amongst the bombed 
ruins during the German reconstruction.  Turned out the contents were as 
good as new, despite the summer heat and the winter cold.

I don't use any commercial stop.  I use two successive water rinses
instead.

The rule of thumb with fixers is in room light to toss a piece of 
undeveloped film scrap into the fixer - for 35mm, the leader/trailer of
the 
roll is ideal.  Time how long it takes for the film to clear.  Fix for 
double that time.  When the fixing period extends more than 10-12 minutes
or 
so, time for mix new fixer.  Keep the fixer in a dark, cool place.