Websites: Building a UV Light Source

Neil Poulsen · Oct 12, 2013

What are some web sources for building a UV box? I'm aware of a high school that may want to build their own box for Cyanotypes, and we'd like to be able to point them to some worthwhile sites.

StoneNYC · Oct 12, 2013

Neil Poulsen said:
What are some web sources for building a UV box? I'm aware of a high school that may want to build their own box for Cyanotypes, and we'd like to be able to point them to some worthwhile sites.

Question? Do UV lights like party "blacklights" actually produce strong REAL UV that would work? Could you buy some standard school/office style fluorescent ceiling light fixtures and replace the tubes with UV tubes?

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Michael W · Oct 12, 2013

Neil Poulsen said:
What are some web sources for building a UV box? I'm aware of a high school that may want to build their own box for Cyanotypes, and we'd like to be able to point them to some worthwhile sites.

There have been a couple of good threads about this recently on the large format forum. I'd give a link but that forum is down for the near future, but definitely worth a look when it's back up.

Philippe Berger · Oct 12, 2013

For Carbon Printing, i use a Lamp Philips HPR 125 with Ballast. It is perfect

jp498 · Oct 12, 2013

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13759696@N02/sets/72157635019029286/ is the photos for one I described a build of on LFF. Someone else refined that and made an even nicer box. Do check out LFF DIY forum when it's back up.

A metal halide light will also work, but not as fast or compact.

Uncle Goose · Oct 13, 2013

I use Philips UV TL tubes, these are pretty cheap, don't need any ballast and can be bought a various lengths, you only have to buy an armature to install them.

Ian Leake · Oct 13, 2013

StoneNYC said:
Question? Do UV lights like party "blacklights" actually produce strong REAL UV that would work? Could you buy some standard school/office style fluorescent ceiling light fixtures and replace the tubes with UV tubes?

Yes, and yes. The wiring is exactly the same as for a normal fluorescent tube, although you may want a fast starter to minimise uneven exposure at start-up. Any electrician who understands lighting could do the electrics. Keep the tubes close together so the exposure is even, and ideally have tubes that are bigger than the print for the same reason. The rest is just building a box.

StoneNYC · Oct 13, 2013

Ian Leake said:
Yes, and yes. The wiring is exactly the same as for a normal fluorescent tube, although you may want a fast starter to minimise uneven exposure at start-up. Any electrician who understands lighting could do the electrics. Keep the tubes close together so the exposure is even, and ideally have tubes that are bigger than the print for the same reason. The rest is just building a box.

I'm talking about using them as hot lights... Apparently I'm not familiar enough with any wet plate processing, I thought you needed them for the exposure but your response sounds like you need them for development?

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jorj · Oct 13, 2013

I built a box from 10x "GE 22 in. Black Plug-In Fluorescent Light" from the local DIY store. Built a box out of a plywood backing and 1x8 sides, wired the lights up to a couple of switches that turn on every other lamp (in case I want less light, which has never happened so far). Eventually I bought a piece of 27" square 1/4" thick glass to put over the top of the box (my vacuum frame fits over the box, and I just flip it upside-down while exposing, so this was just a nice addition after the fact).

Works fine. Fancy designs optional.

jcc · Oct 13, 2013

StoneNYC said:
I'm talking about using them as hot lights... Apparently I'm not familiar enough with any wet plate processing, I thought you needed them for the exposure but your response sounds like you need them for development?

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UV is more typical for printing using alternative processes.

CLF's are less work to put together, and are great for lighting your subjects using wetplate.

davido · Oct 15, 2013

StoneNYC said:
I'm talking about using them as hot lights... Apparently I'm not familiar enough with any wet plate processing, I thought you needed them for the exposure but your response sounds like you need them for development?

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Why is it that people feel they need to jump in and help when they know absolutely nothing about the topic?

StoneNYC · Oct 15, 2013

davido said:
Why is it that people feel they need to jump in and help when they know absolutely nothing about the topic?

Why do some people need to be rude to those trying to help. He said UV light box... What I described is a UV light box... I'm also aware of the fact that you use UV light to expose the coated paper... Why is what I described so bad that you have to make such a remark?

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SMBooth · Oct 16, 2013

Nice, but I hope you earthed that foil.

jp498 said:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13759696@N02/sets/72157635019029286/ is the photos for one I described a build of on LFF. Someone else refined that and made an even nicer box. Do check out LFF DIY forum when it's back up.

A metal halide light will also work, but not as fast or compact.

micwag2 · Oct 16, 2013

SMBooth said:
Nice, but I hope you earthed that foil.

Earthed the foil? Why would anyone poop in the foil first? Oh wait....my misunderstanding, i think you referring to grounding it.

micwag2 · Oct 16, 2013

IMAG0251 by jmsnoopy650, on Flickr

IMAG0250 by jmsnoopy650, on Flickr

IMAG0249 by jmsnoopy650, on Flickr

IMAG0248 by jmsnoopy650, on Flickr

I have one of these i found fully working used for $12USD. It was meant for dental film but i imagine it can also be used for what the OP is trying to do. I'm just not sure how to use it yet. I was thinking it could be used to make contact prints. Anyone care to explain how to make this work for doing that? Not trying to hijack the thread, i'll start another thread if need be. Thought it appropriate here because i'm sure more of these are out there just as cheap and making the suggestion that this may be an inexpensive alternative to building your own.

Mike Wilde · Oct 16, 2013

Mine is low tech. A box about 18" square by about 9" high, with an open bottom. One side has lower half hinged to lift and slide contact frames in.

Wood is white coated melamime particle board

Screwed to the underside of the lid is a set of 9 screw shell sockets in a regualr pattern, and then fitted out with 13w BLB compact flourescents.

With the Dr. Ware new cyanotype mix expsure times are about 30-45 minutes.

Len Middleton · Oct 16, 2013

OTOH, plate burners complete with vacuum easels are going relatively cheap if you can find them. It cost me as much to get it home as it did to purchase it (C$75)...

However, they do occupy much more floor space or storage space than a UV box though.

Len Middleton · Oct 16, 2013

OTOH, plate burners complete with vacuum easels are going relatively cheap if you can find them. It cost me as much to get it home as it did to purchase it (C$75)...

However, they do occupy much more floor space or storage space than a UV box though.

fnovau · Oct 24, 2013

I have designed and I am building just now a new UV box for my cyanotype negatives. My design is based with a previous one I built myself, more than 15 years ago, using 2 banks of 5 UV Bl tubes for printing double face electronic circuits. My old system is bulky, heavy and noisy ... but it is still working. It makes my cyano negatives in 4-6 min. New design try to include some improvements If anyone is interested in my new design it can be seen here:
Dead Link Removed
Drawing can be opened with DraftSight or any CAD program and I can give details on any part not specifically shown at drawing
-Francesc

RalphLambrecht · Oct 24, 2013

I use a simple face tanner with success for several years now. I place it upright at the neg from a 3-feet distance.

mexipike · Dec 1, 2013

I believe in the back of either a bostick and Sullivan book or in Dan Burkholder's book there's an excellent diagram for building one. I replicated it in Mexico City very inexpensively since my buddy and I new a good carpenter who did it for cheap. We found the bulbs which were GE something or other easy to find and cheaper than the book stated.

I'll see if I can find what book I'm thinking of.

Loris Medici · Dec 2, 2013

mexipike said:
I believe in the back of either a bostick and Sullivan book or in Dan Burkholder's book there's an excellent diagram for building one. I replicated it in Mexico City very inexpensively since my buddy and I new a good carpenter who did it for cheap. We found the bulbs which were GE something or other easy to find and cheaper than the book stated.

I'll see if I can find what book I'm thinking of.

It's in the book "The New Platinum Print" by Sullivan & Weese. I think it's out of print.

Regards,
Loris.

mexipike · Dec 2, 2013

Yep that's the one. I looked all over there website for it. Somewhere a teacher gave me a few copied pages out of it but I have no idea where I put them!

AgX · Jan 8, 2014

Uncle Goose said:
I use Philips UV TL tubes, these are pretty cheap, don't need any ballast and can be bought a various lengths, you only have to buy an armature to install them.

TL tubes without ballast? Such does not exist.

(The only fluorescant lamps that do not need a ballast (as it is built into the lamps) are the compact types. But these are not offered as UV version to my knowledge.)

Uncle Goose · Jan 9, 2014

AgX said:
TL tubes without ballast? Such does not exist.

(The only fluorescant lamps that do not need a ballast (as it is built into the lamps) are the compact types. But these are not offered as UV version to my knowledge.)

I don't know, the tubes themselves are from Philips marked TL 20W/5. I don't know, perhaps the armature has the ballast inside it but it has been so long ago I build it that I don't remember it if it had. I know that it was the cheapest way to get UV light were I live as the whole setup was about 40 euro to build (with 2 tubes).

Websites: Building a UV Light Source

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