UV Sources

[holmburgers]

Ian, thanks for the sensitivity on DCG!

Here are the aquarium bulbs I referred to... http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products...cent_bulbs.php

I wish the spectrums were bigger, maybe larger pictures are lurking somehwere.

Can anyone comment on how these compare to BLB? Any idea of approximate exposures? Worth it?

[R Shaffer]

Ian, thanks for the sensitivity on DCG!

Here are the aquarium bulbs I referred to... http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products...cent_bulbs.php

I wish the spectrums were bigger, maybe larger pictures are lurking somehwere.

Can anyone comment on how these compare to BLB? Any idea of approximate exposures? Worth it?

The best article I know of for alt process UV lamps is by Sandy King

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Light/light.html

My BL bulbs peak at 350nm. Looks like the bulbs you reference would work, but I have no clue as to how they may compare in exposure times.

[holmburgers]

Thanks Mssr. Shaffer, I'll give it a look.

I'm curious if CFL black-lights would have an application..

edit: You know, LED's are not covered by Sandy King; I wonder if someone has investigated their use in alt. printing fully. They could be an excellent choice as well.

[Hexavalent]

CFL black lights work just dandy - I took a few with me to the cottage as part of a travelling carbon-printing kit. (yes, it is a severe addiction)

[holmburgers]

Ian,

You're referring to something like this..... http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...7&marketID=129

Right?

If so, what kind of configuration do you use them in, and how many? Do they require ballast, or are they just "plug and play"?

Also, found this for LED's -> http://www.instructables.com/id/UV-LED-Exposure-Box/

[Hexavalent]

Ian,

You're referring to something like this..... http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...7&marketID=129

Right?

If so, what kind of configuration do you use them in, and how many? Do they require ballast, or are they just "plug and play"?

Also, found this for LED's -> http://www.instructables.com/id/UV-LED-Exposure-Box/

Those home depot items will do.No ballast required, plug-n-play in a regular lamp fixture - I used two angle-poise lamps aimed about a foot distant for exposure. 10-15 minutes for carbon on glass (high pigment tissue).

Beware the cheap UV leds on ebay etc., they are often low-output, mismatched, or lots of duds in a batch.

[holmburgers]

Awesome... for someone just starting out, a couple of those seems like an easy way to give it a go.

LED's would be cool, but I'm not much of an electrician myself

[gmikol]

I asked about UV LED's over on the B&S Carbon board quite some time ago, and it received a lukewarm response. The general consensus is that the output is fairly low, you'd need a lot of them for a large print, and the peak output is typically around 400-420nm for the cheapest LED's. There are some ~360nm LED's out there but they're waaaaay expensive.

I may try it, still, but it's pretty low on my priority list.

--Greg

[jon.oman]

Sometimes you can get lucky on EBay:



I picked it up today. I had to drive 246 miles one way, but I paid $203.50 for it!

[Vaughn]

Plus another 75 bucks in gas -- (20MPG @ $3/gal) -- still a sweet deal!