UV light source

[herbet]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the community and very interested in trying Platinum Palladium printing. I have experience with traditional darkroom printing but never tried alternative methods. I'm ordering the supplies but in regards to the UV light source, would one of those UV light sources used for screen printing work? they have a lot less wattage than something from Edwards Engineering but I wonder if it would allow me to get started at a lower initial cost. I'm thinking of something like this:
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 97.c0.m619
any input would be appreciated.
cheers, Herbet

 

[Vaughn]

Your link is not working for me.

A quick set of lights can be made using black lights from a big box hardware store. Several ways to go about it. Fixtures with bulbs ready to plug it, make up your own set of fixtures, straight BL tubes or even the black light compact florescents (twisty bulbs) that screw in to regular light sockets.

If you buy the black light tubes separately, you will find the white BL tubes to be much cheaper than the dark BLB tubes, but no or little difference in usable UV output.

Vaughn

 

[herbet]

I've attached a picture. due to forum rules I'm still not allowed to post links. here's the parameters:
Exposing area: 10.2"x8.3"(260x210mm)
Voltage: 110v
Time Range: 0-550 seconds
Light power: 48W?six 8W UV fluorescent bulbs )
Machine size: 12.6"x12.5"x4.3"(320x317x108mm)

 

[gmikol]

If you're satisfied with 8x10 prints, that looks like it would work very nicely to get started. One thing to make sure of is if you can find replacement bulbs (and to replace them all at once when you do.).

9 minutes might not be quite enough exposure time, so you might need to set the timer and run twice. Or strip out the built-in timer and use a Gralab 300 or other timer to control it.

EDIT--Based on the specs and dimensions, I'm guessing the bulbs are F8T5/BL, which are pretty common, and reasonably-priced.

EDIT2--Found a couple of people selling units that look like this on the 'Bay from $120 to $150. Seems a little expensive. But you'd be hard-pressed to source 6 bulbs and an appropriate ballast for less that $50, so maybe... Just bringing this to the attention of the crowd, since the OP can't post a link to the listing.

--Greg

 

[Whiteymorange]

I've used a "facial tanning"unit, bought from ebay for about $25, for exposing plastic KM73 plates. Works great. I mounted it in wooden frame that makes it sit about 4" above a plate of glass, under which I place the plate and transparency. Cheap, a little fiddly but not too bad and easy to store when not in use. A bank of UV bulbs in a more permanent structure that can be left set up in a proper darkroom would be better, but this is a quick and easy solution.