LED UV Light Box: Build Your Own for Under $150

[Tin Can]

I made mine exactly 30" wide and used this exact hinge which required no cutting with 3/4 plywood


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I drilled a big hole in the back low for my vacuum hose and power wires

I made the whole box from 3/4 ply I had, when not in use the top is useful work space

Hi Mike,

Please post the build pictures w/dimensions. I have 8 lights and am thinking 24x30 x 1/2". My build is on pause as my original length of 27" turned out to be too small with the way the connectors/wiring stick out from the end of the bulbs, so I'll go back with the larger dimensions. Maybe simple construction for many but some of us are klutzes (and I'd like to make a decent box). I did see Tim Layton's video but some details are hard to see. Also curious what you recommend for hinges.

Thanks, and great thread all.

[Carl J]

Thanks, I appreciate the hinge recommendation.

Carl

[Tin Can]

You are very welcome!

I am trying to avoid unhelpful members...nearly impossible...

Thanks, I appreciate the hinge recommendation.

Carl

[Mike in NY]

I am trying to avoid unhelpful members...nearly impossible...

I can empathize with that. It's one of the reasons I have long absences from this site. Randy, I've enjoyed your posts and experimentation over the years, and am glad you weighed back in. Thank you.

[Russ Fill]

Can anyone say how tall or how far from the print surface the lights should be. I looked at the photos in the article and it seems about 6 to 7 inches but wondering if anyone has an idea on this. Im also thinking about lining the inside of the areas around the lights and sides with a reflective material like foil or something else like this to max out the reflectivity of the lights.
My biggest concern is that Ill get strips or bands or even individual dots from each light if I don't have the right heights of the light to the print.

[Tin Can]

I made my box 8" tall inside, with UV LED Barrina 2' tubes attached to the lid, facing down, so I can adjust and test optimal height

Testing is not complete, my max print goal is 16X20"

I placed my tubes 1" apart, using 10 of 12 bought, so I have spares, none failed yet

My dozen Barina 5K white 4' tubes are in Midwest unheated and uncooled big shed. running only when needed for 3 years

1 failed early, replaced from my extra stock

I now have one shed 5K Barrina running 24/7 since the Plague began, so far so good

I have compared noon summer Sun Midwest and my UV Box with a UVA meter

Not that different

but winter is a big diff

Runs on a common DR timer, bare wood in and out

I needed the 8" to allow my Vacuum frame room, but also use 2 smaller contact frames

[Mike in NY]

Russ, see previous post to answer your questions:

Tim's prints are convincing, and he has told me that he has created over 100 prints with no banding or problems of any kind, using different papers and solutions. That information was important to me because he placed his bars farther apart (2.5 inches) than is typically recommended, but that's because the output is much stronger than conventional bulbs. He has also stated that he used 1x6 pine side boards to build his UV printer, so he estimates the distance between the LED lights and his contact printing frame to be about 5 inches.

[Tin Can]

Tim Layton has just posted today an update on his LED UVA ALT PRINT design

No major changes, but he has changed his cover glass

https://www.timlaytonfineart.com/blo...latinum-prints

5 years ago I was going to make a 20 X 40" SG normal light contact printer from cheap heavy glass for usage with X-Ray 14X36" film

Then i moved to a secure location

[Mike in NY]

That's a great update that Tim made, and makes perfect since for Pt/Pd prints and other developing-out processes. I should consider the heavy glass sandwich as an alternative to my 11x14 print frame for Pt/Pd prints. A pressured printing frame would still be needed for printing-out processes so that the hinged half of it could be opened to check the print, but that's not needed for developing-out processes. Sometimes we get so accustomed to using a particular tool that we forget there are simpler alternatives, depending on the process.

[Russ Fill]

Thank you I missed that part about he 5 inches. which now makes sense that if you have a contact holder in the space I saw on the link that would lift or put the print about 5 inches or so from the lights.