B&S U. V. Box

[michael9793]

can anyone give me their experiences with the B&S U. V. boxes to contact print for p/p.
I'm thinking of getting a 18x20 box for my 8x20 prints.

thanks

michael andersen

 

[Vaughn]

I think their ready-made boxes are fine. Well ventilated, fast printing and all. I bought one of the kits for the university directly from the company that makes them for B&S -- thought I would be able to just whip it together at much less cost.

Unfortunately, the pieces were mis-sized, holes not cut where they said they would be, etc. I did manage to get it put together and it does work, but not exactly pleased. I emailed the company and they did offer to relpace the mis-cut wood, but I was under a deadline to get a working UV light source ready for a class and did not have the time to send off the mis-cut wood pieces and wait for them to ship it back. For the price, it was not the way to go.

But like I said, the assembled units from B&S are much much better. My exposure times are around 10 minutes (non-pyro developed negs).

Vaughn

 

[bruce terry]

Michael - You could make your own big uv box to Edwards Engineering standards for about $350. Did mine (for 8x10 and 11x14) eight years ago for $300 and it never missed a beat no matter how long it ran. Got out of LF a year ago and sold it. I would think this size would work fine for 8x20 as well.

The plans for a 26"x27" outside dimension 3/4 ply-walled, 12x24" tubed, ballasted and fan-cooled box are in Sullivan's and Weese's The New Platinum Print which I think is out of print. Might find one somewhere on the internet, my book went bye-bye with the box.

Good luck which ever way you go ... 8x20, that is cool!

 

[michael9793]

thanks for the info,
I had a NuArc flip top way back when I did this once before. it had a 1000 watt mercury vapor lamp got very hot on long exposures. which ran 15-20 mins at a time.
I like building things but at this time I just don't have the time to do it. so I sucked it up and bought a finished unit. I'm hoping that it works well enough that times will be shorter. I shoot 2 1/4 too 8x20 so I have a lot of sizes I can make.
regards mike