UV exposure boxes

[Bill L.]

Hi All,

I'm looking to purchase a UV exposure box for cyanotypes and kallitypes - I've finally gotten tired of waiting for the sun! I've looked at the ones made by Edwards Engineering (which are sold by Bostick and Sullivan and Freestyle Photo) and the one made by Photographer's Formulary. I need to print to at least 11x14; room to grow would be nice but not absolutely necessary. I'd appreciate any input if you have used one of these light boxes or another brand. I really don't have the tools to make from scratch, so would like to figure out which is the best for purchase.

Thanks!
Bill

[Christopher Barrett]

These are also in high demand for screen printing and you can find tons of affordable units on eBay, most with vacuum frames.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=UV+EXPOSURE&_sacat=0

Trying to figure out how big a unit I want for the new darkroom.

[Bill L.]

Hi Christopher,

I appreciate the input! These are appealing, but I couldn't figure out how to make them work with contact prints. I've got 11x14 printing frames (which I've been using for daylight exposures), but wasn't sure how well these would work. Comments appreciated.

Thanks!
Bill


These are also in high demand for screen printing and you can find tons of affordable units on eBay, most with vacuum frames.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=UV+EXPOSURE&_sacat=0

Trying to figure out how big a unit I want for the new darkroom.

[Christopher Barrett]

There's two ways you could go about it...

You could just lay your neg on the glass with the paper on top and use the vacuum frame to secure everything or you could use your existing contact frame like normal (face down). These are made to accommodate silkscreen frames, which are generally thicker than our contact printing frames, so no problem putting the contact frame under the vacuum gasket. I suppose you could also just forego the vacuum frame.

Personally, I'd probably skip the contact frame and lay everything right on the glass of the exposure unit.

-CB

[Doug Herta]

Bill - Where are you located? I have a unit I built from a light table - took out the original bulbs and rewired it with a dense bank of florescent UV bulbs. Turned it upside down on 2X4s on 3 of the 4 sides. I slide the contact frame in and worked out the timing. It works great but I now have a UV plate burner. I can take photos to show you what it looks like. Or sell it if you are close by. If you buy an old light table and convert it you don't really have to do much handy work or spend much money. Just wire a bunch of florescent fixtures right next to each other and order a case of UV bulbs (Atlanta Light Bulbs). A light box that takes 24" bulbs would be big enough for a 16"X20" contact frame.

[Bill L.]

Hi Doug,

Alas - I'm in Maryland (at one time my profile had that, not sure how it got dropped). Thanks for the idea!

Cheers!
Bill

[Henry Yorke]

Bill - you might want to check out this thread:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?110178-Hydroponic-lamp-for-UV-printing-light-source

I've put together the unit that Anthony DeLorenzo talks about in his posts -and it works just fine. Inexpensive and easy to put together, too.

[lab black]

In response to you question, the units from Edwards Engineering are of a very high quality.

[bobbotron]

You could always go the low tech route with a black light bulb. Exposure takes about 40 minutes.

I plan to buy a few more of these bulbs and make an exposure box once I move.

[jim10219]

I bought a used facial tanner off the 'bay that allows me to do 11x14 cyanotypes in 4-6 minutes. I just place that on some wooden boards that keep it about 4" above my contact frame. It's even got a built in timer, though I usually go with the stopwatch instead. I built it all for around $120 (UV light, frame, and UV light stand).

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have both a BLB exposure table from a screen printing supplier, and a 1000W halogen vacuum table I picked up from a retired screen printer. I use the BLB for making my Kallitypes, and the halogen table for my carbon transfer prints. You could easily use a contact printing frame, laying it face down. I don't bother with one. Instead, the negative is placed directly on the glass with sensitised material on top. A sheet of 1/4" plate glass over top, keeps everything flat and in tight contact. Been doing it this way for about 10 years.

[Vaughn]

The BLs are cheaper than the BLBs -- and might be a tad faster if more blue light can had from the unfiltered BLs.

[Fr. Mark]

Anyone used arc lamp sources from the offset printing world? I might get access to one.