Interesting item that might make a nice UV contact printer

reggie · Jan 7, 2007

Here is a link to an item I found in an electronics specialty supplier. I bought something from them recently and got great service. They have an eBay store.

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/3380

This could work as an 8x10 contact printer for alt processes needing UV light. This unit even has a built-in vacuum pump in it. It looks like a briefcase with lights above and below the glass surface. I'm not sure how many lights there in each bank. The built in vacuum pump in interesting and the build quality looks good.

I an just tossing this out as FYI. I don't know any more about it that what is in the catalog.

-R

Gatsby1923 · Jan 7, 2007

I built some thing similar a few years ago. No vacuum (but might be in a MkII if I ever build another) I pretty much put an array of UV lamps in a box and held my contact printing frame about a foot under it. Works great, and is pretty portable.

bobherbst · Jan 8, 2007

The lamps are spaced too far apart for even illumination for alt process printing. There are far better units out there for approximately the same price.

Peter Schrager · Jan 8, 2007

UV unit

Maybe someone could contact the supplier/and or the mfg. to get the lights to be spaced closer. No one makes a unit at this price with a vacum pump. Could be very interesting!!
Best, Peter

chrisofwlp · Mar 2, 2007

Where can one find UV lamps, and for how much? I have been getting into Alt printing and want to try some pl/pd, which i want to have as much control as possible over.

Christopher Breitenstein

Davec101 · Mar 2, 2007

Someone linked this site to me the other day, (http://www.megauk.com/uv_exposure_units.php) The AY360 looks like the one i am trying to save up for, with it being £1000 ($2000) it might take a long time!
Am having trouble printing large negs and maintaining a good registration and this model would seem to solve my problem.
Of all the places in the world I have been looking, this place is a 10 minute drive from my house, which is nice.

wilsonneal · Mar 2, 2007

I picked up an Amergraph V28-1200 and am loving it: Dramatically increased printing speed, more consistent results (thanks to the built-in integrator) and the convenience of a big vacuum table. I've seen these selling in the range of $150 - $300 in the last couple months.
Neal

sanking · Mar 2, 2007

wilsonneal said:
I picked up an Amergraph V28-1200 and am loving it: Dramatically increased printing speed, more consistent results (thanks to the built-in integrator) and the convenience of a big vacuum table. I've seen these selling in the range of $150 - $300 in the last couple months.
Neal

The V28-1200 is a great unit.

But if buying new, considre the AmerGraph ULF-28. This is the cat's meow of exposing units for alternative processes. My exposures with this unit are on the order of 1-2 full stops faster than with my bank of BL tubes. And the BL tubes were faster than a NuArcd 26-1k.

Sandy

Rick Olson · Mar 15, 2007

sanking said:
The V28-1200 is a great unit.

But if buying new, considre the AmerGraph ULF-28. This is the cat's meow of exposing units for alternative processes. My exposures with this unit are on the order of 1-2 full stops faster than with my bank of BL tubes. And the BL tubes were faster than a NuArcd 26-1k.

Sandy

Sandy ... I see the V28-VMS on the Amergraph site. Is this the same model as the ULF-28? Would this device also work for contacting/vacuum printing using the metal-halide lighting with conventional (silver) type paper (AZO, Galerie, etc.).

Ooops ... I see it now in the Alternative Photography section!!

Thanks,
Rick

sanking · Mar 15, 2007

Rick Olson said:
Sandy ... I see the V28-VMS on the Amergraph site. Is this the same model as the ULF-28? Would this device also work for contacting/vacuum printing using the metal-halide lighting with conventional (silver) type paper (AZO, Galerie, etc.).

Ooops ... I see it now in the Alternative Photography section!!

Thanks,
Rick

Rick,

The V28 is similar to the ULF-28 in many ways but it uses a metal halide light source. The CWX of the ULF-28 has several advantages, which you can read about in the article at unblinkingeye. The ULF-28 is also a multi-purpose exposing unit in that with the use of appropriate options it can also be used for exposing VC silver papers (with light integration and vacuum) as well as alternative processes. The conversion is made by switching to a low-power tungsten light source.

Sandy

Rick Olson · Mar 15, 2007

sanking said:
Rick,

The V28 is similar to the ULF-28 in many ways but it uses a metal halide light source. The CWX of the ULF-28 has several advantages, which you can read about in the article at unblinkingeye. The ULF-28 is also a multi-purpose exposing unit in that with the use of appropriate options it can also be used for exposing VC silver papers (with light integration and vacuum) as well as alternative processes. The conversion is made by switching to a low-power tungsten light source.

Sandy

Sandy ... that ULF-28 looks great! I was trying to put together a vacuum frame set-up using a second-hand NuArc device and trying to hook up a vacuum pump, etc. Looks like a hassle, especially since the rubber mat is cracked (another post on APUG about that) and I am not an electrician nor a specialist in getting this stuff going. I just want something that works and is efficient. Better yet, Amergraph even has a discounted rate for members of APUG!

I did notice the conversion option for using low-power tungsten. Is the light diffused in some way to avoid hot-spots? I plan to use this for 7 x 17. *** Just read the article on Unblinking Eye. I think I'm sold!! ***

Thanks again!
Rick

sanking · Mar 15, 2007

Rick Olson said:
Sandy ... that ULF-28 looks great! I was trying to put together a vacuum frame set-up using a second-hand NuArc device and trying to hook up a vacuum pump, etc. Looks like a hassle, especially since the rubber mat is cracked (another post on APUG about that) and I am not an electrician nor a specialist in getting this stuff going. I just want something that works and is efficient. Better yet, Amergraph even has a discounted rate for members of APUG!

I did notice the conversion option for using low-power tungsten. Is the light diffused in some way to avoid hot-spots? I plan to use this for 7 x 17. *** Just read the article on Unblinking Eye. I think I'm sold!! ***

Thanks again!
Rick

Rick,

I tested the ULF-28 extensively over several months and offered my suggestions to AmerGraph as to how to optimize it as a multi-purpose printer that could work with most photographic processes, including alternative processes, contact speed silver chloride papers, and VC papers. However, since I print very rarely withi VC silver processes I decided not to have my own unit retro-fitted with the low power tungsten light source, so your question about hot-spots with this option is not something I can address. I have all of the other options offered except this one.

However, the desingers addressed the issue of even lighting so well in the initial desing I feel confident they did a good job with the low-power tungsten light as well.

Sandy

Rick Olson · Mar 16, 2007

sanking said:
Rick,

I tested the ULF-28 extensively over several months and offered my suggestions to AmerGraph as to how to optimize it as a multi-purpose printer that could work with most photographic processes, including alternative processes, contact speed silver chloride papers, and VC papers. However, since I print very rarely withi VC silver processes I decided not to have my own unit retro-fitted with the low power tungsten light source, so your question about hot-spots with this option is not something I can address. I have all of the other options offered except this one.

However, the desingers addressed the issue of even lighting so well in the initial desing I feel confident they did a good job with the low-power tungsten light as well.

Sandy

Thanks, Sandy ... I plan to use the device mostly with the pending Lodima paper and any Azo that I might be able to find. VC and graded paper less frequently, but will probably go for the low-voltage lighting option to make sure I am covered for all possible papers.

Rick

Interesting item that might make a nice UV contact printer

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