"john jardine" wrote in message
.. .
SNIP
There's nothing special about these light box things. Don't allow
distraction by talk of weird and wonderful exotic materials.
The nail hardener thing (also insect killers, currency detectors et al)
wouldn't be worth the effort to break down and the UV tubes will be be
quite
weak. It's quite painful to look at the bare blue light of a real UV box.
Built a box 7 tears ago for small 'one off PCBs'. Works well. Vital key is
those UV tubes which Maplin offers at £16 for 2.
Mine uses 4 Maplin UV tubes just clipped into 2 of those cheap 12V dc,
camping florry lights thingies. Stuck in a MDF box lined with cooking
foil,
with a normal glass window and a 12V power supply.
High density black lines, printed on matt film and 7 minutes exposure
gives
lines as fine as I can deal with. (ie those thin buggers that end up going
in between the 0.1" IC pads).
Hey John :-)
Perked up again this end. Must be something to do with Clint and his taxes.
:-)
Back on track.. Reading.. Those Maplin tubes I believe to be 8W 12" T5 UV
tubes. Two for £15 odd, Maplin YA39N. About the same at Rapid, 34-0707.
These are what I'm looking at on eBay which I believe to be the same at
£4.50ea.;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=320101581708
Out local shop for local people is charging... £5.84ea. although I'm not
sure if they'll allow local pickup. I much prefer picking up locally.
http://www.bltdirect.com/products.php?cat=1037
I'm swaying towards thick perspex maybe, although have found that picture
framers are the ones to talk to about non-UV glass and offcuts. 4mm is a
minimum.
One of my electronic friends has mentioned banding caused by the intense UV
light in the area closest to the tubes, and is suggesting the £200 UV box
from Rapid, 34-0705 ;
http://www.rapidonline.com/searchres...e=0&kw=34-0705
I just want to build one really. Spending £200 goes against why I even do
any of this. I do it for fun :-)
The bits I can source at no cost; IDC, switch, ballast, starters. The
outlay will be the flight case, say £20. The tubes, say £20. Glass, say £5
odd. So give or take £50 for a decent little box.
:-)
Aly