DIY Exposure Unit: What light source?

[milesstegall]

tuffy, I have found several threads on t-shirtforums of home-built vacuum exposure units (maybe you have seen them) that are killer. I am gonna eventually ad one to mine once it is all done. You can use pond liner as the blanket which apparently is sold at home depot. in the end it doesn't look that difficult to do at all.

[boatdreams]

Originally Posted by milesstegall

boatdreams what emulsion do you use? and are your times for yellow or white mesh?

Ulano QTX, yellow mesh, with about a 36" distance from light to glass. I could move it closer and lower my exposure time, but I haven't gotten around to it.

[Andymac]

Get one of these. you want toxic, we got toxic.

[boatdreams]

Ah! My eyes!!

[mr. illiteracy]

ok, so undercutting is not as big of an issue as it seems, which is good. So now I'm basically between the UV fluorescent method and the 1000w or 2x500w methods. From what I've gathered:

UV fluorescent- faster exposures, more efficient (questionable since it would be an 8x40w set up or something like that), more expensive (8 bulbs @ $13 or so a bulb), involves a lot of wiring and time to set up, looks way cooler

High Wattage Halogen- longer exposure time, produces a lot of heat (needs a fan for cooling), significantly cheaper ($50 or so for the light), easier to set up and no real wiring required, marginally more ideal single-point light source

I think with my requirements (mainly ease and cheapness) it would be a better idea to go with a single point 1000w or 2x500w system, at least for the time being. Thoughts?

[milesstegall]

Originally Posted by boatdreams

Ulano QTX, yellow mesh, with about a 36" distance from light to glass. I could move it closer and lower my exposure time, but I haven't gotten around to it.

No i was impressed with how short the time is. I use dxp pink emulsion and my exposure times are significantly longer with the source 21" from the screen. I suppose I could try QTX at some point although I like how the dxp holds up. But anyway it is kinda moot since I am switching to the metal halide.. we'll see!

[steve w]

this is what came with my new exposure unit,
but I'm still using 5 fluorescent black lights about 6 inches from the glass.
It requires 220V and I run my shop as a co-op and don't want anyone hurting themselves.
QTX
10 seconds for film/tansparencies
40 seconds for oiled paper
6 minutes for unoiled paper

[steve w]

If anyone in Chicago wants it,
come get it.

[strawberryluna]

you can rent it out to movie openings and whatnot

[Nicholas Wilson]

Originally Posted by steve w

this is what came with my new exposure unit,
but I'm still using 5 fluorescent black lights about 6 inches from the glass.
It requires 220V and I run my shop as a co-op and don't want anyone hurting themselves.
QTX
10 seconds for film/tansparencies
40 seconds for oiled paper
6 minutes for unoiled paper

you know you can run 220 in your shop without it being a danger to anyone. It requires some electrical work and a different plug (no worries about people plugging a hairdryer into a 220 box)