UV light box

[Darryl Roberts]

Are there UV light boxes for sale anywhere? I don't want to build my own.

Also, if palladium printing with one, is there a way to measure the exposure time for a palladium print?

Thank you

 

[bdial]

Bostick & Sullivan sells them https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/17/
Looks like Freestyle does as well; https://www.freestylephoto.biz/category/97-Darkroom/Darkroom-Equipment/UV-Lightsources

 

[fgorga]

Darryl,

Bostick and Sullivan sell UV exposure boxes (see: https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/17/) as does
Photographer's Formulary (see: https://stores.photoformulary.com/uv-light-box/). I think that these units are from the same manufacturer. Additionally, Jon Cone also sells a really high end unit, see: https://shop.inkjetmall.com/VerifiedUV-Exposure-System.html#attr=64274,64279,64281,64282

That said, making your own unit using prewired black light LED bars is trivially simple compared to the things you see on the web. I use these units (see: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071NT6189) with great success in a simple plywood box.

Hope this helps,

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Darryl,

Bostick and Sullivan sell UV exposure boxes (see: https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/17/) as does
Photographer's Formulary (see: https://stores.photoformulary.com/uv-light-box/). I think that these units are from the same manufacturer. Additionally, Jon Cone also sells a really high end unit, see: https://shop.inkjetmall.com/VerifiedUV-Exposure-System.html#attr=64274,64279,64281,64282

That said, making your own unit using prewired black light LED bars is trivially simple compared to the things you see on the web. I use these units (see: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071NT6189) with great success in a simple plywood box.

Hope this helps,

Thank you very much

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Bostick & Sullivan sells them https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/17/
Looks like Freestyle does as well; https://www.freestylephoto.biz/category/97-Darkroom/Darkroom-Equipment/UV-Lightsources

Thank you

 

[jeffreyg]

Darryl
I have one from Bostick and Sullivan for many years. I replaced the bulbs once and it works perfectly. I also have one of their printing frames. Both items are built well and should last. I use an external timer and just slide a double ply black mat board for timing test prints. Use eye protection. You want to keep the bulbs on during the printing session because they have to warm up first. It has a builtin fan.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureandphotography.com/

 

[Darryl Roberts]

Darryl
I have one from Bostick and Sullivan for many years. I replaced the bulbs once and it works perfectly. I also have one of their printing frames. Both items are built well and should last. I use an external timer and just slide a double ply black mat board for timing test prints. Use eye protection. You want to keep the bulbs on during the printing session because they have to warm up first. It has a builtin fan.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureandphotography.com/

Thank you

 

[winger]

That said, making your own unit using prewired black light LED bars is trivially simple compared to the things you see on the web. I use these units (see: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071NT6189) with great success in a simple plywood box.

Really? That seems so simple - the purple / blacklight ones are all I need? Do they work for cyanotypes, VDB, and platinum (not that I do all those, but someday...)? They just got put on my Amazon wish list.

 

[fgorga]

Really? That seems so simple - the purple / blacklight ones are all I need? Do they work for cyanotypes, VDB, and platinum (not that I do all those, but someday...)? They just got put on my Amazon wish list.

Bethe,

Yup... it is that simple. Black light (from either tubes or LEDs) works for all of the alt processes with the exception of photopolymer gravure which requires a lower wavelength of light (and much more costly LEDs).. All of the iron-based processes (including VDB and Pt/Pd) should work with these LEDs as the photo-sensitive component (iron) in each has similar properties vis-à-vis their absorption of light..

Examples of cyanotypes (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/finished-cyanotypes.177566/) and salted-paper prints (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wildlife-on-salted-paper.183884/) made using this light source can be found here.

These LEDs also works for Ziatype (a printing out version of palladium printing). I made my first Ziatypes last week and but haven't scanned them so I can't show them.

Exposure times with the four strips runs 8-15 min depending on process and density of the negative. I keep thinking of adding a second set of four bars to my box, but it isn't a high priority.

There is a bit more description of my UV box in post #5 of this thread... https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/diy-uv-box.180065/#post-2354103. One of these days I should make and post a photograph of my unit but making prints is much more fun! ;-)

 

[Rick A]

Several years ago I built an UV exposure box using half a dozen 24 inch black lights. It has served me well until recently and realized I needed to replace the tubes. I replaced the entire set up for an LED flood light fixture and am about to start testing to get exposure times.
I purchased: the 365nm unit: https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light?variant=15914245521510

 

[winger]

Bethe,

Yup... it is that simple. Black light (from either tubes or LEDs) works for all of the alt processes with the exception of photopolymer gravure which requires a lower wavelength of light (and much more costly LEDs).. All of the iron-based processes (including VDB and Pt/Pd) should work with these LEDs as the photo-sensitive component (iron) in each has similar properties vis-à-vis their absorption of light..

Examples of cyanotypes (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/finished-cyanotypes.177566/) and salted-paper prints (https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wildlife-on-salted-paper.183884/) made using this light source can be found here.

These LEDs also works for Ziatype (a printing out version of palladium printing). I made my first Ziatypes last week and but haven't scanned them so I can't show them.

Exposure times with the four strips runs 8-15 min depending on process and density of the negative. I keep thinking of adding a second set of four bars to my box, but it isn't a high priority.

There is a bit more description of my UV box in post #5 of this thread... https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/diy-uv-box.180065/#post-2354103. One of these days I should make and post a photograph of my unit but making prints is much more fun! ;-)

Seriously, I cannot thank you enough. We don't get a ton of sunny days around here. Previous ideas have required more carpentry than I could do (and hubby is better with vehicles).

So, does anyone want the large and cumbersome NuArc Rapid Printer I got from Municibid?

 

[Rick A]

Seriously, I cannot thank you enough. We don't get a ton of sunny days around here. Previous ideas have required more carpentry than I could do (and hubby is better with vehicles).

So, does anyone want the large and cumbersome NuArc Rapid Printer I got from Municibid?

I have a half dozen fluorescent black lights for cheap.

 

[fgorga]

Seriously, I cannot thank you enough. We don't get a ton of sunny days around here. Previous ideas have required more carpentry than I could do (and hubby is better with vehicles).

So, does anyone want the large and cumbersome NuArc Rapid Printer I got from Municibid?

Regarding the lack of sunny days in your neck of the woods... I know all too well, I lived in the Pittsburgh suburbs (McCandless Township) back in the 1990s.

As for the woodworking skills needed, they are really quite minimal. You could probably get by with taping the LED bars into a cardboard box if needed as the heat generated is minimal. I'd probably line the box with white paper to help even out the illumination.

Lastly, as for the NuArc find someone who does photopolymer gravure and sell/give it to them. They need the short wavelength output the NuArc supplies. Whatever you do don't throw it out... these devices are becoming quite rare. When print shops were getting rid of them they were a "dime a dozen" but those days are long gone.

 

[fgorga]

I have a half dozen fluorescent black lights for cheap.

Outdated technology... dispose of them properly as they contain mercury.

 

[Rick A]

Outdated technology... dispose of them properly as they contain mercury.

Still viable and and new tubes are available for a reasonable price. I have the unit stored for back up. I get good exposures at around 15-20 minutes depending on negative and process.

 

[glbeas]

Seriously, I cannot thank you enough. We don't get a ton of sunny days around here. Previous ideas have required more carpentry than I could do (and hubby is better with vehicles).

So, does anyone want the large and cumbersome NuArc Rapid Printer I got from Municibid?

Did you get the vacuum frame with it? Those are quite handy as the provide very tight contact between the paper and negative. I got a NuArc platemaking set from work decades ago but the light never work. The vacuum bed was in great shape and I use it now with the leds for exposure. Under ten minutes, and if I cared to rearrange the strips closer together I could get shorter times.

 

[winger]

Did you get the vacuum frame with it?

The whole thing seems to be the vacuum. There's a pump in the main part of the cabinet, but I haven't checked to see if it works. I completely understand how useful it could end up being, but it takes up more space than I expected and this house is not great for having electrical outlets where I want them.

 

[hiroh]

Even though you don’t want to build your own UV exposure unit, I’ll post here in case someone else is interested in DIY stuff. I build mine for palladium printing and it works great. Took me 1 hour for the whole project.

Blog post: https://www.timlaytonfineart.com/bl...printer-for-platinum-printing-with-led-lights
Video instructions:

 

[nmp]

I was wondering if you were Tim Layton since you linked his blog without specifying. From the video, it's apparent you are not. In any case, thanks for the instructional video.

 

[hiroh]

Hah, no. I built my unit based Tim's blog post and Mat Marrash video — to be more specific

 

[Ian Leake]

Jon Cone's units are excellent, although not cheap. https://shop.inkjetmall.com/VerifiedUV-Exposure-System.html?category=515

Full disclosure: Jon installs my UV light integrators as an option, so I have a commercial interest.

 

[fgorga]

Jon Cone's units are excellent, although not cheap. https://shop.inkjetmall.com/VerifiedUV-Exposure-System.html?category=515

Full disclosure: Jon installs my UV light integrators as an option, so I have a commercial interest.

Jon Cone's units are indeed very expensive and are overkill unless you want to do photopolymer gravure. Photopolymer gravure requires the short wavelength UV output provided by the Cone units.

Any of the iron-based alt processes (cyantotype, Pt/Pd printing, VDB, kallitype, etc) and salted-paper printing gain no benefit from the expensive short wavelength LEDs over the inexpensive blacklight LEDs as shown in the above posts.

I just upgraded by home built exposure unit from four of the strips used in video shown in post #18 to eight strips. The exposures for the Pt/Pd prints I made yesterday were in the 2-4 minute range... almost too short for my working rhythm.

 

[Ian Leake]

Jon Cone's units are indeed very expensive and are overkill unless you want to do photopolymer gravure. Photopolymer gravure requires the short wavelength UV output provided by the Cone units.

Any of the iron-based alt processes (cyantotype, Pt/Pd printing, VDB, kallitype, etc) and salted-paper printing gain no benefit from the expensive short wavelength LEDs over the inexpensive blacklight LEDs as shown in the above posts.

I just upgraded by home built exposure unit from four of the strips used in video shown in post #18 to eight strips. The exposures for the Pt/Pd prints I made yesterday were in the 2-4 minute range... almost too short for my working rhythm.

Sure, many people prefer to build a light unit rather than buy one, but the OP asked about light units he could buy.

Pro level equipment is always expensive, and the benefits are not always immediately obvious unless you're already working at that level. You can make wonderful platinum prints using a home-made UV light unit. Things get tricky when you want to make big prints (which require even coverage edge-to-edge) or editions (which require consistency between prints), when you're making lots of prints (in which case short exposure times are valuable), or when you want to reduce wastage (e.g. through consistent exposures). Short exposure times are also beneficial when you're dodging and burning prints, or when you're concerned about your negatives sticking to the print during the exposure.

I built my first UV light unit more than 15 years ago, and am now on my fourth. It's a bit clunky but fits my working patterns. It has fluorescent tubes and is large enough for a full sheet of Rives BFK. I use a light integrator for precise control of exposures, which are generally between 3 and 12 minutes depending on the negative. I would really appreciate shorter exposure times because dodging/burning a print for several minutes gets tiresome, but other than that I'm happy with it.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I just built the same system as in Tim Layton's blog. Took me 4 hours, from cutting the wood and assembling it to painting, then installing the tracks. It's in my workspace. Will test it when I complete editing my updated carbon transfer videos.

 

[koraks]

Photopolymer gravure requires the short wavelength UV output provided by the Cone units.

Nope. I've done a fair bit of photopolymer and I still do a lot of PCB etching (the resist is pretty much the same stuff) and it responds perfectly well to the regular 385-400nm UV you get from tubes and cheap leds.
What you DO want with photopolymer is collimator light or a point source. That's why a bank of tubes or leds doesn't work well for this process (although it does kind of work and I've made some nice prints this way). At this point if photopolymer is a requirement I'd just go with a 50W COB led or so. Still pretty cheap, even if you factor in the auxiliary electronics and cooling.