# how do you make a lightbox for screenprinting??



## punkboi86

does anyone have or know any step by step guide as to how i could make my very own light box to burn a design into my silkscreen?i'm not the richest person so i have to be as makeshift as i can be.thank you forum friends.


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## brent

Basically build a wooden box big enough for your screen (mine was about 24x28"), use a couple of 2-bulb fluorescent strips with white blacklight bulbs on the floor of the box and a sheet of non-UV coated glass on the top.
Cut some foam to fit inside your screen and use this to compress the screen to the film to the glass by placing weight on top of the foam.


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## imburne

I thought this was something for taking good photos of your shirts! lol.. Mine come out terrible!


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## punkboi86

thanks brent


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## james_cori

How far away do you recommend the bulbs be from the unfiltered glass at the top? What brand of bulbs or common brand name bulbs did you get for the light source? Do you recommend a specific ballast?


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## james_cori

That is pretty much what I have now. Does the job in about 12.5 minutes. Would like a better unit. I can't complain but just a little bit of a pain, too hot, and have to readjust the light each time with the 500watt method.


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## closetmonster

does anyone know if you can use a lightbox just using regular fluros? the uv ones are so expensive... i know a friend who develops his screens using flood lights, just thought it might work with regular fluros...
good idea about the foam, last lightbox i used we had a loose fold down cover (steel frame with black felt) where we had a piece of rope that we had sitting in the screen, through a hole in the corner of the cover, to a vaccuum cleaner. when switched on the vac sucked the material over the screen. 
when that ended up being too much hassle i just put the felt cover over and put phone books on top over the inside of the frame.


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## Solmu

closetmonster said:


> does anyone know if you can use a lightbox just using regular fluros? the uv ones are so expensive...


UV fluoro tubes make for a cheap, low end exposure unit. *If* the non-UV fluoros are emitting some UV then technically you could use them to expose, but at that point you're probably better off just learning to use the sun.


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## mtmob

Hey this is a tutorial on building a lightbox its the same concept the only thing you need to do is switch the light for unfiltered black lights and the glass needs to be clear with no type of film or anything on it....good luck let us know how it works out.  

An Ultra-Violet Exposure Frame


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## veedub3

mtmob said:


> Hey this is a tutorial on building a lightbox its the same concept the only thing you need to do is switch the light for unfiltered black lights and the glass needs to be clear with no type of film or anything on it....good luck let us know how it works out.
> 
> An Ultra-Violet Exposure Frame


This is the plan I followed when I built my exposure unit and I use regular fluorescent shop lights out of Lowes and I burn a screen in about 5 minutes.

Katrina


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## OTFINC

MarshallA said:


> Check this out. Not a light box but it's cheap and gets the job done.
> 
> texsourceonline.com
> 500 Watt Genesis Exposure Unit


thats what Im using now. but it has size problems. Its just not big enough to do the larger 23x31 screens. so we started using the sun and can burn a screen in just a few minutes. still perfecting that. 7 minutes was over exposed tho.


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## mtmob

veedub3 said:


> This is the plan I followed when I built my exposure unit and I use regular fluorescent shop lights out of Lowes and I burn a screen in about 5 minutes.
> 
> Katrina


Really? 5 minutes with shop lights thats awesome I always thought they had to be unfiltered blacklights. You can also buy a timer from ebay thatll buzz and automatically stop burning once time is up that way you dont have to sit there waiting yourself. I think I might try that with shoplights next time around.


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## veedub3

mtmob said:


> Really? 5 minutes with shop lights thats awesome I always thought they had to be unfiltered blacklights. You can also buy a timer from ebay thatll buzz and automatically stop burning once time is up that way you dont have to sit there waiting yourself. I think I might try that with shoplights next time around.


Yes really I used to think this as well. I was given this bit of information from an old timer that has been printing 41 years. Before I believed it would work, he invited me into his back room and burned a screen and it worked just like he said. I have been using this set up since 2006 without any issues.


Katrina


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## MBrhythm

mtmob said:


> Really? 5 minutes with shop lights thats awesome I always thought they had to be unfiltered blacklights. You can also buy a timer from ebay thatll buzz and automatically stop burning once time is up that way you dont have to sit there waiting yourself. I think I might try that with shoplights next time around.


I've been looking for a timer like you said. Is it a digital time that can be set by the second and shuts off power?


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## veedub3

MBrhythm said:


> I've been looking for a timer like you said. Is it a digital time that can be set by the second and shuts off power?


This is the timer i use with mine. It is a 60 minute timer and when the time is up, it shuts the power off.


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## MBrhythm

veedub3 said:


> This is the timer i use with mine. It is a 60 minute timer and when the time is up, it shuts the power off.


I've seen these before. What I'm looking for is more like what you would see on a toaster-oven or Microwave-over (digital). You could set the time for like 2mins 47secs. 
Ever seen something like that thats not in an oven?


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## Naga

Try to google for a darkroom timer.


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## mtmob

Yeah I have the same timer Katrina has. Katrina I am so glad to hear that I am seriously going to try that out is will be so much easier to replace. can you give me the exact code that it says on the light bulb. thanks for the helpful info.


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## veedub3

mtmob said:


> Yeah I have the same timer Katrina has. Katrina I am so glad to hear that I am seriously going to try that out is will be so much easier to replace. can you give me the exact code that it says on the light bulb. thanks for the helpful info.


I use three dual shop lights in my set up (so i have 6 bulbs) They are 24' and i think they are T-12. I am not in the shop right now but when I get there i will check to make sure. (BTW...If you choose to go the black light route Wal-Mart has them for $9 each.)


Katrina


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## mtmob

veedub3 said:


> I use three dual shop lights in my set up (so i have 6 bulbs) They are 24' and i think they are T-12. I am not in the shop right now but when I get there i will check to make sure. (BTW...If you choose to go the black light route Wal-Mart has them for $9 each.)
> 
> 
> Katrina


Thanks Katrina


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## Adam Becker

OTFINC said:


> thats what Im using now. but it has size problems. Its just not big enough to do the larger 23x31 screens....


Maybe that has something to do with the distance of your light source from the screen? I've been using a 500-watt halogen for a while, and it has burned every screen i've done perfectly. Not trying to brag, I've just been really excited about it.


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## emburaman

Hey Katrina,
I'd appreciate if you could share with us the size of your lightbox, and specially the distance from the lamp to the glass.

Thanks in advance.


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## veedub3

emburaman said:


> Hey Katrina,
> I'd appreciate if you could share with us the size of your lightbox, and specially the distance from the lamp to the glass.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


It is 30 x 30 and the light bulbs are about six inches from the glass. Take a look. This is a photo of the unit when i was in the process of building it. I have since added the auto shut off timer, painted the inside and of course added the glass which is 1/8th inch glass.

Katrina


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## denck

My setup is made out of 4- 500 wat Halegon shop lights .Placed inside a 36 inch tall box. inside the box the lights are pointed tword mirrors on the inside.
Burn time for me is 4 minutes.


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## emburaman

Hey Katrina,
Thanks a bunch!!!!


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## veedub3

emburaman said:


> Hey Katrina,
> Thanks a bunch!!!!


You're Welcome

Katrina


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## saintlyhellion

Hi Katrina,

I am new to this, so I was just wondering what colour you painted the inside of your light box?

Thanks,

Jen


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## veedub3

saintlyhellion said:


> Hi Katrina,
> 
> I am new to this, so I was just wondering what colour you painted the inside of your light box?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jen



White.

Katrina


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## saintlyhellion

Thanks,

That is what I suspected but being new to this, I wanted to make sure.


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## veedub3

Not a problem. I was told to use flat white paint as semigloss and higher have a sheen too it and light bounces off of it. 
I don't know if that is true or not so I just followed the paint guy's advice and used flat white paint.


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## BOOSH!

You don't want to use the blue/black "party" style blacklights. You want the ones that look white, and when you turn them on, give off a blue-ish hue.

Atlanta Light
TopBulb

These are 24" lights. When I built my exposure unit I went with a 48" set-up since the ballasts and bulbs for the 48" were virtually the same price as the 24". It also allows me to burn two screens at one time.

With these bulbs, I burn a screen coated with photopolymer emulsion, in under a minute.


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## BOOSH!

As far as a timer goes, there are tons of options out there. Do you have an old microwave sitting out in the garage? Or can you find one at the local Salvation Army for a few bucks? You can re-engineer the control pad on one to work with your table.

http://www.instructables.com

Or you can just buy a digital wall timer.

http://www.smarthome.com


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## BOOSH!

One more thing, when you talk to glass dealers about what you need, _don't confuse them with a lot of nonsense about UV coatings and whatnot_. Honestly, if they don't look at you weird while you're explaining what this is for and what you need, they're thinking about how they can take you for some extra scratch. They'll start talking about junk that you really don't need, because it doesn't sound like you know what you need.

Simply ask them for *clear plate glass*.

I have a piece that's almost 3ft by 4ft. It's 1/4" thick, with rounded edges and bumped corners. And I got it for under $40 bucks. Burns screens like a champ.


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## vinum_coupe

Hi guys.
It has been years since I made a screen.

So I have no idea about correct light sources etc.

Can I use my photograghy gear such as these lights?










Obviously I need to put them under a box of some kind.
I'm just wondering if this 100w light source will work


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## glenjayz

veedub3 said:


> Yes really I used to think this as well. I was given this bit of information from an old timer that has been printing 41 years. Before I believed it would work, he invited me into his back room and burned a screen and it worked just like he said. I have been using this set up since 2006 without any issues.
> 
> 
> Katrina


how about burning designs in halftones?
do they register good in screen?

im currently using the 500W halogen and exposing my screen for a minute.. it does its job but it looks noob for me so

im planning to do something like the ones you're using...


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## BillyV

Does anyone know of a low priced digital timer?


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## glenjayz

AdVanceNetworks said:


> Does anyone know of a low priced digital timer?


what im using is the washing machines analog timer...


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## BillyV

The dial type timers are just so vague,
 I just don’t feel comfortable using them.


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## veedub3

glenjayz said:


> how about burning designs in halftones? do they register good in screen?


Sorry can't answer that I don't do halftones.

Katrina


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## glenjayz

veedub3 said:


> Sorry can't answer that I don't do halftones.
> 
> Katrina


would you mind trying running halftones in your lightbox
just for the sake of the people like me who wants to imitate your build and do halftones at the same time...


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## JohnZ

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9NrndxeCJ4[/media] watch this video


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## JonnRamaer

Hey folks, 

Katrina, I have done as you and many others have... built a light box (exposure unit).
Mine is 25 x 26, plywood, 1/8th thick glass, regular fluorescent 2ft bulbs, 9 inches deep and has a normal wall type switch. Burns screens in five minutes, which i time with my cell phone stopwatch or a digital stopwatch that alarms. 

This device burns halftones in the same 5 minutes. No problems. How deep you guys make it is up to you, but it works great! To those who wish to go affordable and convenient, try it. I guess you may want to go pro later on, get the type with vacuum suction etc... but believe me you will get used to effectiveness of your home made light box. Next year I plan to build a light table! (26w x 50L x 10 D).


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## veedub3

Glad it worked out for you. Pretty simple to build right? 

Katrina


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## glenjayz

JonnRamaer said:


> Hey folks,
> 
> Katrina, I have done as you and many others have... built a light box (exposure unit).
> Mine is 25 x 26, plywood, 1/8th thick glass, regular fluorescent 2ft bulbs, 9 inches deep and has a normal wall type switch. Burns screens in five minutes, which i time with my cell phone stopwatch or a digital stopwatch that alarms.
> 
> This device burns halftones in the same 5 minutes. No problems. How deep you guys make it is up to you, but it works great! To those who wish to go affordable and convenient, try it. I guess you may want to go pro later on, get the type with vacuum suction etc... but believe me you will get used to effectiveness of your home made light box. Next year I plan to build a light table! (26w x 50L x 10 D).



Nice! now, i can start buying bulbs for my box...
hehehe


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## Yeeha70

Hey John,

Was wondering what watt fluorescents you are using. I'm getting ready to build my own light box but was stuck on the wattage. Thanks!

Dawn


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## JonnRamaer

Hey Dawn ( I always say Hey instead of Hi, old habit)

My bulbs are 20 watt. I was told at the electrical supply store that 2ft fluorescents only come in 20 watt strength. When I check online, I see 40 watt available. But so far these 20's work for me just fine. If you can get stronger ones, go ahead, but of course do tests to determine optimum burning time-range. Also, with stronger ones you may have to make your box deeper, since these puppies can push heat after a while!


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## daveylady

mtmob said:


> Really? 5 minutes with shop lights thats awesome I always thought they had to be unfiltered blacklights. You can also buy a timer from ebay thatll buzz and automatically stop burning once time is up that way you dont have to sit there waiting yourself. I think I might try that with shoplights next time around.


What watt bulb do you use??


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## FLAN

How do you wire the fluorescents 
light together. ?


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## JonnRamaer

Here is a very basic schematic on how to do it, given to me by an electrician friend when I build my first crude box, which had exposed wires and screw caps and starters and ballasts. YIKES!

I recommed you get the housing-fixitures for your bulbs and set up right, from the get go! If cash ain't available, well then get something to cover them safely. Exposed wires in a light box aren't immediately a danger, the thing will work....but exposed wires period are not good!

Also check out the ever popular video...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZmwbOgh-pU[/media]


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## FLAN

The sketch worked.

Thanks


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## hookshot76

What's the measurement of the gap between bulbs? Thanks!


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## ka26det

james_cori said:


> How far away do you recommend the bulbs be from the unfiltered glass at the top? What brand of bulbs or common brand name bulbs did you get for the light source? Do you recommend a specific ballast?


Mine were spaced out through out the box evenly...and i used phillips f20t12bl bulbs....they burnt in about 10 min or myabe even less....but 10 is what i stick to.


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## Rusty44

I bought my unfiltered black lights from Top Bulb ... it's the first one listed (white tube). Now these are the smaller diameter, but I can burn an image in about 5 minutes.

http://www.topbulb.com/search/results.asp?REF=110


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## ka26det

home built uv exposure equipment screen printing silk screen and screen print

-Make a box
-Put some balasts in there
-put some uv lights, black lights i.e
-slap a glass on the top
-wire it up to a power cord
-use a timer for an on switch


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## Rusty44

My neighbor built my exposure unit for me after I bought all the materials. I have two switches - 1 for using 2 fixtures and 1 for just using a single fixture. I generally burn with all 3 fixtures at the same time though.

I took my box to a glass place and had them cut the unfiltered glass to fit. I also notched small holes on the rim of the wood, so I can get my fingers in there to lift it or set it down.

Works like a champ.


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## FLAN

Rusty44 said:


> My neighbor built my exposure unit for me after I bought all the materials. I have two switches - 1 for using 2 fixtures and 1 for just using a single fixture. I generally burn with all 3 fixtures at the same time though.
> 
> I took my box to a glass place and had them cut the unfiltered glass to fit. I also notched small holes on the rim of the wood, so I can get my fingers in there to lift it or set it down.
> 
> Works like a champ.


Whats your burning time.??


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## amy_schutt

OMG, just had this conversation today....been there, tried that.....can't recall exact price I gave for my Lawson exposure unit, but worth its weight in gold.....met a guy who said he'd mastered the use of the sun....my hat's off to him.....

I might just not be smart enough to jerry-rig in this scenario, but emulsion made me cry in the beginning. Bet I went through 2 gallons before I got numbers right....good luck to you....


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## Rusty44

My burn in time is 5-7 minutes ..


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## FLAN

Thanks

Rusty


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## divian

thanks to all, i am off shopping


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## yippie

Y'all, I've read through this thread with interest. I received most of the parts for the following lightbox kit:

Home Built UV Exposure Head

the design calls for mylar coated parabolic reflectors, together with a flat-black spray painted "collimation grid" to remove incident light coming in at angles. It seems this design allows for super precise (.005") detail. I was about 1/4 of my way through assembly, and started to wonder if this wasn't totally overkill. The plans mention circuit boards, but not t-shirts. Besides, none of the designs discussed in this thread have any mention of light angles, collimation, etc. I think I'm gonna ditch the grid and the parabolic reflectors, in favor of simpler designs mentioned here.

I have 48" tubes, I think I'm going to string 6 of them side by side in a mylar (reflective plastic)-coated plywood box. Any insight on spacing between bulbs and the distance from glass to bulbs?

Thanks in advance, apologies for the lengthy post.

Yippie!

Phil


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## FLAN

Rusty44 said:


> My burn in time is 5-7 minutes ..


That's My burning time too.


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## islandcd

Hey i use 6 350 20 watt black fluorescent black light bulps will that work


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## edward1210

BOOSH! said:


> You don't want to use the blue/black "party" style blacklights. You want the ones that look white, and when you turn them on, give off a blue-ish hue.
> 
> Atlanta Light
> TopBulb
> 
> These are 24" lights. When I built my exposure unit I went with a 48" set-up since the ballasts and bulbs for the 48" were virtually the same price as the 24". It also allows me to burn two screens at one time.
> 
> With these bulbs, I burn a screen coated with photopolymer emulsion, in under a minute.


 can i buy this a lowest or home depot?


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## edward1210

Rusty44 said:


> My neighbor built my exposure unit for me after I bought all the materials. I have two switches - 1 for using 2 fixtures and 1 for just using a single fixture. I generally burn with all 3 fixtures at the same time though.
> 
> I took my box to a glass place and had them cut the unfiltered glass to fit. I also notched small holes on the rim of the wood, so I can get my fingers in there to lift it or set it down.
> 
> Works like a champ.


 from where u got the bulb fixture(the base)


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## richard1318

katrina, i have built a light box with 3 regular flourescent. do you think it will work? i covered a reflective silver foil to the surface area of the box. if you think it will work out, what would be the exposure time?


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## acheeptee

when you say blacklight do you mean like a trippy 1970's blacklight


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## acheeptee

and is there a way to check if it is burned enough like a strip or something


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## ewoud

Tnx everybody! Lots of good info here, will use to go and build my own lightbox!


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## IncT

If anyone is interested I'm selling some bran new tubes for a light box. Details below:

Look at this on eBay:

NEC T10 600mm Black Light Tubes X4

http://bit.ly/SWDiCM


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## ewoud

Does anyone know(or think) whether these a good UV TL's for lightning the emulsion?

http://www.ecat.lighting.philips.nl/l/lampen-professioneel
/uv-lampen/actinic-bl-tl-k-tl-d-k/31659/cat/#q=uv

They emit between 350 - 400 nm?

I ask because these can be ordered on this side of the ocean


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## IncT

Buy mine! They work a treat!


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## shatteredsoul

Hey, great thread and going to be making one of these so thank you.

Was just wondering if you would be able to tell me if this is the right bulb type

Standard Fluorescent Tubes

thanks


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## ewoud

I wouldn't know sorry!


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## msp363

I just recently finished my exposure unit. Built 36 x 24 box with mdf top and bottom also mdf compression lid. I wired 6 T12 UV blacklight fluorescent bulbs (2 per ballast) with a galvanized metal reflector underneath. Got the bulbs, ballasts and bulb sockets at 1000bulbs.com. Saved a bunch. Bulbs $4.50 each, sockets 85cents each, ballasts $12 each. Got less than $250 in unit and storage cabinet attached to bottom. So far unit works great, I use Ulano Orange emulsion and it will burn a 20x24 130 mesh screen in 40-50 seconds, depending on coating requirements. I just use a separate digital countdown timer for more precise timing


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## djque

I built my box light the one above. I used black light blue from Walmart and people said they won't work. That's a lie as i burn different emulsion at different times. Fast emulsions is between 40 second to 2.5 minutes. Halftones 5 to 7 min dual cure 11 at the most. I recommend getting as pressure washer also as i was trying the water hose with very few luck. Get s good printed to and if you have to double up on prints. I haven't been silkscreening lately as i been doing vinyl with my vinyl cutters. I have two 24 inch cutters. I do all my one and 2 colors on vinyl and get excellent work. I think i might go get my silkscreen press today from my moms house. Back to the box also get a exposure calculator strip from ryonet or mc logan mines was $11.95 and it was the best thing i did. I went thru 1qt.emulsion trying to go of people time. Some times where almost spot on.


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## Domenic

With this thread I can build a light box...BUT...I can't find the glass I need cheap. The best I have found for a 20"X30" box is about $150... any help?


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