1. D-76 is a great developer. Very versatile, and works very well for almost every type of b/w film out there. I use it regularly.
*NOTE: When I mix up a gallon of D-76 solution, I use WARM(approx 80ºF) water to mix it. Warm water aids in fully dissolving the powdered chemistry fully. I then mix it(I use a very large Pyrex laboratory glass beaker so I can see it, but that's not necessary) and let it cool down. The chemistry, if left tightly sealed, will keep for a pretty long amount of time. Personally, I prefer to use D-76 at a 1:1 dilution (1 part D-76 pre-mixed stock solution -to- 1 equal part tap water) for Tmax films, but this is something you'd need to experiment with to determine if what you prefer. Straight(so no extra mix with water) D-76 works well too, but I like to double my D-76 solution even further, so I settled on using the 1:1 dilution.*
2. Use the SAME temperature for all steps, pre-wash/wet(if you do one) all the way to the photo flo. It's not completely "necessary", but it makes things easier.
3. I use 2-30 second (so 1 minute total) water baths as a stop. I fill the tank, agitate for 30s, then dump the water out. Refill, and repeat. I start the timer once the tank is full
4. I use fixer straight, as I mix up a solution for each roll/tank quantity I'm planning to process.
The Paterson washer hose can work fine for use during the wash/stop step. However, some(including myself) who live in more "dry" climates with less rainfall, use alternative methods of washing our film. Instead of running water continuously, I use successive water baths, and rely on the extra fixer to dissipate into the water, and with each successive bath(read up on the "Ilford washing method" here:
http://www.ilfordphoto.com/photocommunity/forums/theforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6877 ) the amount of residual fixer is reduced(and eventually eliminated completely, resulting in an "archival" wash, albeit with MUCH less fresh water consumed
!)
Sorry for the "wordy" answer, but as you might have found out, B/W processing CAN be HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE/PERSONAL in terms of preferences from one person to another. If you decide to continue processing your own film, then you'll need to develop your own times and working style. Using the manufacturers(Kodak, Ilford, Fuji, etc.'s) recommended times/instructions as a starting point is very good for a beginner.
Lastly, you might want to hop over onto the
www.apug.org forum. That forum and many of its users are highly dedicated film/darkroom users, and there are MANY threads chock-full of useful information you can read through. This forum, while it's great for digital and tech-savvy folks, is a bit stale for film-related talk. There might be an appreciation for it's use, but finding folks here who are willing to give out VAST amounts of help relating to film and it's inherent benefits/options will be really tough compared to APUG. Get on over there and do some reading
!
best of luck
Dan
