Pyrodol™ WXYZ

I like the convenience of PMK, but after 20 years I was tired of developing sheet film in a Jobo with nitrogen.  I've switched to (ABS, sewer pipe) tubes and looked for a developer that was better suited to this technique.  I wanted a liquid concentrate that kept forever, that was easy to mix, high accutance, good speed, that could push process as much as possible, and give more contrast in the shadows. Is that too much to ask?  I diddled with chemistry, read books, and talked to friends that still got their hands wet.

For those of you that enjoy 'rolling your own', here's a new pyro - amidol film developer formula that I call Pyrodol™.  I have tried it with HP5+ only (now FP4, too, see below).  Not to say you couldn't use it with other films, it's just that I haven't. Pyrodol™ has a strong stain that builds aggressively in the shadows: more than other developers.  It gives good speed.  I would not recommend this for alt process types, as the fbf is too high.  I'm not sure how it would work as a dual-use neg either, as the stain is brown.

This developer is three parts, as not everything can be dissolved in TEA (triethanolamine).  Amidol will not dissolve in TEA, no matter how hot.  It sinks to the bottom in a big wad.  However, amidol does dissolve in propylene glycol, PG.  This in-active organic solvent is widely available for cheap; my gallon is from the large-animal feedstore.

I used both fresh, grey Amidol (English) and 30 year old black Amidol (Lauders). They worked equally well.

From the name, you see that there are 4 parts, W, X, Y, and Z.  W is water.  For use with HP5+, use 970:10:10:10 for one liter, mixed in alphabetical order.  X is optional.  W + X fizzes when Y is added as the sodium bicarb neutralizes the acidic vitamin C.  I guess that the vitamin C acts not as a developer, but only as a preservative for the Amidol.  There are some color changes that take place as you mix WXYZ. After development, it is dark brown.

Pyrodol™ will push HP5+ very well.  The extremes of push and pull I do not know.  Normal is 7 minutes, 70F, in a tube.with slow, constant rotation floating in water.  As pull times can get very short, one could increase dilution. (N-2 to N+4: 5, 6, 7, 8:45, 10:45, 14, 18, respectively, all 70F.)

I had always wanted to design my own developer. I spent several months of reading and mixing and this is what I got.  I make no claims.  Use at your own risk.  This shouldn't be your first developer. You should have previous experience mixing developers with TEA.  I have tried variants of this mix with and without other agents, including Dimezone, but I couldn't make pyrogallol - amidol work better than this.  

Part W =
water, distilled or RO

Part X = 

100 cc water
0.7 gr sodium bicarbonate

Part Y =

100 cc PG (propylene glycol)

4 gr Amidol
1.5gr C

Part Z =

100 cc TEA (triethanolamine)

10 gr Pyro