DIY UV exposure box

[jp]

For the past couple of years, I've been using a metal halide light hanging from the ceiling in the basement for a UV light source. I've wanted something I could put in or near the darkroom for UV printing.

I was over at Tillman Crane's darkroom, lusting over his fancy UV boxes. I told him I came over to look at his UV lights so I could build something. He whipped out "The New Platinum Print" and suggested the plans in it. http://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Print-Richard-Weese-Sullivan/dp/0966609905 I took photos of the pages with the instructions and gave it back to Tillman. I'm sorry it's such an expensive book at amazon, but I'm respecting the author's copyright and not posting my high quality cell phone pix of the instructions. There are probably other plans free or cheap, but I'm just referencing my sources.

I found 18" t8 black light bulbs on the 75% off already-marked-down-clearance-rack-prices at Lowes; I scored all I needed at $1-something per bulb. The box has 11 light fixtures in it; this comprises most of the cost; these were sourced new in contractor quantity at ebay. Cooling is done with an antec case fan and removes heat from the upper and lower sections of the box; air intake is in front underneath. Hinge is a nylon strap. Metallic insulation is leftover scrap insulation4less, but reflectix works fine too. With fixtures, bulbs, wood, I have about $200 into this; something you'd pay $700-800 for (with nicer woodworking of course) at B&S.

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[jp]

and

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9480353249_abdc72bf02_c.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/9483142462_ca92265b67_c.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13759696@N02/sets/72157635019029286/ for bigger images.

[Tin Can]

Yep, making one of those is on my list. Nice job, pretty sure I don't need 'plans'.

Thanks for sharing!

[Dwarak Calayampundi]

Hi

Thanks for the post really helpful I have just gotten interested in platinum printing and was thinking about a uv exposure box contacted B&S for a quote to ship to Australia the shipping costs as much as the box itself. So decided to build my own box just one question on the wattage of the T8 tubes what kind of wattage should it have for platinum printing I am thinking of making a small box with 8 tubes to cover max 8x10.

[jp]

I have 18" 15 watt tubes. I could print bigger than 11x14. If you did 8 tubes that would be plenty. Cyanotype is much slower than platinum, so you could get away with less light just fine

[Dwarak Calayampundi]

Thanks for the quick reply much obliged.

[Cletus]

That's really a beautiful box I thought about building one myself sometime ago and I ended up getting a deal right here on the forum for one of the B&S Edwards Engineered UV boxes I can't imagine there's any advantage to this more expensive box over a nice home-built one like your'n as long you have the facilities to do it and I'd say go for it and it's lucky you live next to Tillman Crane and could look at his book but I think you can also go on the interwebs or figure out how to build one yourself if you don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for the other book if you really want to try platinum printing it's not that hard. :)

[UlbabraB]

Nice design, mine is very similar but I hadn't thought of putting reflective material inside the box, kudos!

[Tin Can]

Your bottom image reminds me of 2000 Burning Man Installation. Some group erected Black Light Village, where several acres had old parking lot lighting fixtures with hundreds of 4 foot black light tubes installed. It was subtle from a distance until you walked into the vast area and noticed everything white was glowing.

A huge project, that required a semi-trailer and a big generator. We imagined some Dot-Com millionaires funded it on a lark.




and

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9480353249_abdc72bf02_c.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2839/9483142462_ca92265b67_c.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13759696@N02/sets/72157635019029286/ for bigger images.

[jp]

That's really a beautiful box I thought about building one myself sometime ago and I ended up getting a deal right here on the forum for one of the B&S Edwards Engineered UV boxes I can't imagine there's any advantage to this more expensive box over a nice home-built one like your'n as long you have the facilities to do it and I'd say go for it and it's lucky you live next to Tillman Crane and could look at his book but I think you can also go on the interwebs or figure out how to build one yourself if you don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for the other book if you really want to try platinum printing it's not that hard. :)

I've seen the Edwards Engineered boxes and Tillman speaks highly of them. If you got a good deal on one, that's excellent. I looked around the Internet as well for ideas and wanted to inspect a known good box in person. It was a total bonus that he's got books on that stuff. It took me one afternoon and one evening in the shop to build. If someone doesn't mind a day of tinkering and particularly electrical work, it's worth building something. If time is money though, someone has to get paid and Edwards isn't unreasonable in that respect.

My girls want a blacklight now. We put different things in there just to see how they glow. My fingernails glowed quite a bit actually. But this box is too bright for adults or kids to be staring into for long periods. If I lived on the west coast, I'd probably have been inclined to visit Burning Man, not as a neuvo hippy, but for creativity/tinkering appreciation/diversion.

[Brian Ellis]

I built a light box that wasn't nearly as nice as this one but easier to build and did the job. It was basically just a rectangular plywood box with no bottom and was open on the two long sides, plywood on the two ends, about 8-10 inches high. I attached the light fixtures underneath the top, the lack of sides allowed enough ventilation without the need for fans, and I had a lot fewer lights than this one - three fixtures, six lights I think (it's a little surprising how well the fixtures spread the light evenly despite being pretty close to the printing frame). I didn't find a need for reflective lining though that's a nice touch.

The lights were bought at a local light specialty store, the fixtures and plywood at Home Depot. Since the two long sides were open I could just slide the printing frame in and out without needing hinges. Total cost was probably about $100 or less, took an afternoon to build (with help from someone who knew more about electrical fixtures than I did) and worked well for the Van Dyke brown gum printing that I used it for.

If I was a more talented woodworker/electrician I would like to have had something as nice as the OP's but the one I had did the job and sure made printing times more predictable than using natural light.

[Drew Bedo]

I have always thought that a UV disinfectant box from a barber shop/salon might fill the bill if it could be had at a savlage price.

[Dan Dozer]

That looks just like mine aslo, except that I left the bottom off and just sit it on my darkroom counter. I have two boxes, one for 8 x 10 and one for 8 x 20. Your cost checks out at about the same as what I paid for also.

One other thing - I didn't put the reflective insullation inside of my boxes. Do you think that you get shorter exposure times with it? My normal exposure times are between about 3 - 5 minutes.

[jp]

I basically wanted stray light reflected (some might end up on the photo) instead of absorbed (none will end up on the photo). For example, given equal light sources, a darkly painted room will be darker than a brightly white painted room.

Two easy ways to do that. Traditionally one would paint it white to reflect light. Fluorescent fixtures use white painted metal reflectors to do this. Rather than stir paint and change my clothes and wash a brush after and all that, I went the easy route and used reflective metal insulation. It goes on fast and reflects heat as well as light. I can't quantify how this would be different than white paint; it reflects well and goes on quick and neat.

Also, the 15x11 watts of energy of the light bulbs has to go somewhere, probably very little will go to chemical change of the paper and most will be heat. I wanted to be sure excess heat didn't rise into the wiring compartment, and reflective insulation does prevent that very well. Sort of a belt-and-suspenders approach in case the cooling fan failed, it wouldn't turn the wiring compartment into an easy-bake oven.

I have a base on it unlike some boxes as it will be used on a shelf under the sink rather than tabletop. My darkroom lacks counter space. I have a 6' sink the length of one side, and on the other side I have two enlarger's baseboards for horizontal space.

[jp]

Not bragging or anything, but this is working out REAL handy that it's deep enough to hold 2 8x10 frames. I can be twice as productive on small prints.

111576

If anyone is building one, definitely size it to fit two small frames if you do much small printing.

[NancyP]

Remember that UV is bad for your lenses - the proteinaceous ones inside your eyeballs. Yes, we all get some UV exposure in daily life - that's why we develop cataracts late in life. Don't stare at the bulb without using UV-blocking glasses. This advice is given by an M.D. and researcher who has looked at a lot of ethidium-bromide-stained nucleic acid gels on 302 nm UV light boxes - for very short glances - that's what the old polaroid 66 snapshots were for, permanent documentation and for measurement of bands on the photo, not on the gel itself.

[denverjims]

I agree about the danger of UV to the eyes. Having built a unit similar to jp498's myself (see my post elsewhere in the DIY subforum) and having worked in a lab where UV was used, I decided to get a pair of UV protective goggles. Found a pair on Amazon for only $22 (UVP 98-0002-02 Model UVC-503 Plastic UV Blocking Goggles Eyewear for Shortwave UV Light Protection) and felt it was a good investment. They are very comfortable and I don't have to worry about UV damage. Note: similar ones may be available elsewhere for less.

[jp]

My box's hinge stops light from emanating from it. I have it on a timer, so it's off when loading and unloading it. It's a lot of light in a small space and would be hard on the eyes regardless of how visible it is.

[Fr. Mark]

Anyone built one of these a lot smaller? Like maybe 4 tubes and designed to cover 8x10 only. I don't have a lot of space or money but want to take the cyanotypes to the next level with digital negs or X-ray film (likely both).

[grzybu]

I've bought small, used face tanning unit from Phillips for about $20. It covers more than 8x10 and exposure times are from 2min for Kallitype to 8min for carbon printing using my glop. I just had to glue piece of wood at the front of the cover to keep constant distance from contact frame.
In winter times sometimes I sit in front of it while exposing with my eyes closed and I gather some vitamin D ;)

[Fr. Mark]

GRZYBU I thought about the facial tanner approach too, prompted by a p.m. from Dr. Mike Ware, but they aren't widely available in the US that I've seen so far, other than from the 'bay and not from reputable sellers iirc. replacement tubes might be an issue, and for the price I may as well build something from ballasts and tubes and scrap lumber.

[Fr. Mark]

Lower wattage HID units? My local home improvement store sells a 100W (2 zeros to be very clear) HID lamp for 82$ incl. tax. Properly mounted, it could also double as a "night-time work outside on a boat with my son" light. Anyone using one for alt printing? Ideas as to optimum height for even coverage on an 8x10?

I looked into a 1000W (3 zeros) unit, but they were costing out in my area in the neighborhood of a dollar a watt!! Big price increase (due to sharp rise in copper prices?) since Sandy King wrote his article on unblinking eye.

Since I bought this light, using the above boat justification in part, I guess I will wire it up and jury rig a stand and see what I get. I have a bunch of paper prep'd new cyanotype solution and some negatives waiting (and some still in film holders awaiting a first try with pyrocat hd...) Any suggestions welcome.

[Fr. Mark]

Don't know if anyone is following this thread still, but for the record, the 100 W HID light at 18" from the mounting bracket to the 8x10ish digital negative printed pretty well and about as fast as the sun in winter-time in Penna. About 10-15 minutes plus warm up time (which I used to coat the paper with Prof. Ware's new cyanotype solution).

[yourlocal711]

I'm planning on a 12 bulb unit and would like to do 16x20. How long do my bulbs have to be?

[denverjims]

yourlocal711,
I used 18" bulbs in my 12 bulb unit designed for 16x20. See my post on the forum for details:

Another-UV-Light-Box (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?107360-Another-UV-Light-Box-%2816x20%29&p=1068700#post1068700)

But before you go down the flourescent bulb path see this LED version built by my friend Eric Biggerstaff. A bit cheaper, less chance of "banding" via the tubes and powerful enough, for sure. Also, using LED's means simpler design as you don't have to use a fan or other method to get rid of the heat of the tubes. Almost all of the energy of the LED's is in visible and UV - almost none in infrared.

LED-UV-Light-Box-Build-Your-Own-for-Under-150 (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?122508-LED-UV-Light-Box-Build-Your-Own-for-Under-150)

Best of luck, Jim

[yourlocal711]

This is awesome Jim. Thank you. I went on a crazy shopping spree yesterday so I've literally got everything I need (pretty much copying yours exactly) except the bulbs and no building done. In your honest opinion should I proceed with my setup or deal with returning some things, and figure out the led route. I'd really like to this right the first time around. Also what wattage were your bulbs. I was told by a mentor that 20 watt was ideal but I'm having trouble 20 watts in the proper length, 15 seems more available in 18". Any thoughts on where to find some BLB bulbs? Thanks in advance.

[denverjims]

Yourlocal711,
Frankly, if I were starting again, I'd go the LED route for the reasons I mentioned although I am happy with my tube box results so far. If you have specific questions on design PM Eric. He is a good guy and I'm sure he'd help you out.

If you're up for completing a fluorescent solution, BL & BLB (both work although you will get opinions as to which is better) bulbs are available on internet sites. I am in U.S. & got mine in a local building supply store.

Finally, 15W does seem to be the standard in 18". Ask your mentor where he/she got their 20W. The issue is: the more wattage, the more UV intensity so the less time of exposure. Make your decision on your budget & bulb availability in your area. The way I look at it, 15W bulbs just give me time for a couple of extra sips of coffee. Not all bad...

Regards, Jim

[diversey]

I followed this thread and built a UV exposure box using 12 F15T8 fluorescent lamps and 3 4-lamp ballasts for 14x17 alternative printing. Thanks!
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[jp]

Glad the thread was helpful. Have fun!

In your 3rd pic, you want to perhaps zip tie the white cord to an electrical staple or some sort of anchor for strain relief.

Also, I don't know what's under the electrical tape for your electrical connections. If you soldered, that's fine. If it's just twisted wire, you should use wire nuts for a solid physical and electrical connection.

[diversey]

Will buy some wire nuts and staples to fix them. Thanks!


Glad the thread was helpful. Have fun!

In your 3rd pic, you want to perhaps zip tie the white cord to an electrical staple or some sort of anchor for strain relief.

Also, I don't know what's under the electrical tape for your electrical connections. If you soldered, that's fine. If it's just twisted wire, you should use wire nuts for a solid physical and electrical connection.