Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

Friendly regards,

Alison

ps. There's this one at Rapid for £110 in a little kit;

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=34-0690

Aly wrote:
Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about �100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say �10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
�20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

Friendly regards,

Alison

ps. There's this one at Rapid for �110 in a little kit;

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=34-0690


Greetings,

Just an alternative, but you said inputs are welcome :-)

You could print the pcb-layout on a laser printer using this "glossy
photo paper" eg "EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper type: SO41126".

Next you take a normal _CLEAN_ pcb - not the photo sensitive type - put
the paper on it and then simply ironing it on will transfer the layout
to the pcb.

Etchy - Etchy - Etchy and you have your pcb. As long as you keep the
tracks / spacings 25 mils you should be ok.

It is cheaper than buying the above mentioned kit but produces it bit
more coarse pcbs.

One more alternative is www.olimex.com. They produce a Euro-card for you
for $ 56 including P&P.

Chees
RaceMouse

"Aly" schreef in bericht
...
Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and
is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease
it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be
used
as a light box.

Friendly regards,

Alison

ps. There's this one at Rapid for £110 in a little kit;

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=34-0690




The DIY spirit found a real cheap method some years ago. Use an obsolete
face tanner and an old scanner. An example can be found on
http://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/...ages/730455///
Although the text is Dutch, the pictures tell the story. I build one this
way. Bought scanner and tanner for less then $15,-- on a flee market. The
only extras were some pieces of scrapwood, some wire, two screws and piece
of hot melt glue. Works like a charm. Two minutes exposure is enough to get
perfect PCBs.

You only must make sure that your positives are pitchblack. My printer,
although perfect in normal printing, does not make the artwork black enough.
I have to stack two sheets to block the UV.

petrus bitbyter

On Apr 6, 6:05 am, "Aly" wrote:

somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,

You need _quartz_ glass to pass all UV. Apart from this issue, all the
mechanical needs are satisfied by taking an old scanner and removing
the innards; put the UV tubes and reflector inside where the scan
mechanism used to go, and put your PCB on the glass, then close the
lid.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

Not advisable. If you're building a UV box, you should interlock it so
that the tubes cannot come on while the lid is open. There are fun
ways of going blind, and dumb ways... stick to the fun ways.

"larwe" schreef in bericht
oups.com...
On Apr 6, 6:05 am, "Aly" wrote:

somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits
bobs,

You need _quartz_ glass to pass all UV. Apart from this issue, all the
mechanical needs are satisfied by taking an old scanner and removing
the innards; put the UV tubes and reflector inside where the scan
mechanism used to go, and put your PCB on the glass, then close the
lid.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be
used
as a light box.

Not advisable. If you're building a UV box, you should interlock it so
that the tubes cannot come on while the lid is open. There are fun
ways of going blind, and dumb ways... stick to the fun ways.


_Quartz_ glass? I was told so very often. But the glas of scanner is
apparently good enough.

Face tanners have no lid. So the need for an interlock will not be that
strong. Nevertheless you should not look into the light. If you want to tan
your face with it, you need to keep your eyes closed. The light can do
serious damage to your eyes.

petrus bitbyter

"larwe" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Apr 6, 6:05 am, "Aly" wrote:

somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits
bobs,

You need _quartz_ glass to pass all UV. Apart from this issue, all the
mechanical needs are satisfied by taking an old scanner and removing
the innards; put the UV tubes and reflector inside where the scan
mechanism used to go, and put your PCB on the glass, then close the
lid.
Are scanner glasses usually quartz glass? I have an old scanner here now....

"Aly" wrote in message
...
Hello,

SNIP


Thank you to those who are replying. I'm following with interest.

At the moment I'm swaying towards the £100 for sake of ease. Oh, printer,
photo inkjet, transparances, Brother DCP-340CW apparently 1200x6000dpi...
we'll see about that.

:-) Aly

Aly :-)

On 6 Apr, 11:05, "Aly" wrote:
Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

Friendly regards,

Alison

ps. There's this one at Rapid for £110 in a little kit;

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=34-0690

I built one using two UV tubes in standard 12" fluorescent fittings,
with a box made from MDF and a sheet of glass. It cost me about 20
GBP.

Leon

On 6 Apr, 12:03, "larwe" wrote:
On Apr 6, 6:05 am, "Aly" wrote:

somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,

You need _quartz_ glass to pass all UV. Apart from this issue, all the
mechanical needs are satisfied by taking an old scanner and removing
the innards; put the UV tubes and reflector inside where the scan
mechanism used to go, and put your PCB on the glass, then close the
lid.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

Not advisable. If you're building a UV box, you should interlock it so
that the tubes cannot come on while the lid is open. There are fun
ways of going blind, and dumb ways... stick to the fun ways.


You don't need quartz, ordinary window glass is transparent to the
long-wave UV used for PCB exposure. The light isn't particularly
hazardous.

Leon

On 6 Apr, 14:54, "Aly" wrote:
"Aly" wrote in message

...

Hello,

SNIP

Thank you to those who are replying. I'm following with interest.

At the moment I'm swaying towards the £100 for sake of ease. Oh, printer,
photo inkjet, transparances, Brother DCP-340CW apparently 1200x6000dpi...
we'll see about that.

:-) Aly

Aly :-)

I use an HP 5940 printer with JetStar premium film, results are
excellent.

Leon

On Fri, 6 Apr 2007 11:05:04 +0100, "Aly"
wrote:

Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.


I don't use the photo method much anymore, but
for many years I did it wifh a UV tanning floodlamp
in one of those clamp-on utility lights with a spun aluminum
reflector. I'd lay the PCB on a piece of plywood on the
floor, with the artwork taped over it and a sheet of
ordinary window glass on top to make sure everything
was flat. The tanning light was clamped to the back
of a chair so it was 2-3 feet from the work, and
pointing straight down at the center of the board.

True, that plain glass probably blocked some UV,
but so what? The tanning flood puts out a ton of it,
and you don't really want a super-short exposure here.
Several minutes is fine, since it gives you some
room to adjust exposure times.

Best regards,


Bob Masta

D A Q A R T A
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
www.daqarta.com
Scope, Spectrum, Spectrogram, Signal Generator
Science with your sound card!

On Apr 6, 9:09 am, "petrus bitbyter"
wrote:

_Quartz_ glass? I was told so very often. But the glas of scanner is
apparently good enough.

It depends on the UV wavelength required for this application, I
assumed it was rather short-wave. Below 170nm or so quartz glass is
really necessary. Germicidal lamps have a quartz envelope.

"Aly" wrote in message
...
Hello,


What nM are we talking about for photoresist exposure?

I'm looking at UV LEDs on eBay at the moment. 150mcd, about 400nM.

Search for inside the brackets. ( UV "LEDs" ) to weed out the other stuff.

"Aly" wrote in message
...
"Aly" wrote in message
...
Hello,


What nM are we talking about for photoresist exposure?

I'm looking at UV LEDs on eBay at the moment. 150mcd, about 400nM.

Search for inside the brackets. ( UV "LEDs" ) to weed out the other
stuff.


Not sure they have the intensity needed for etching, youd probably need
hundreds of them lol. That said they're fairly cheap.

On 6 Apr, 16:49, "Aly" wrote:
"Aly" wrote in message

...

Hello,

What nM are we talking about for photoresist exposure?

I'm looking at UV LEDs on eBay at the moment. 150mcd, about 400nM.

Search for inside the brackets. ( UV "LEDs" ) to weed out the other stuff.

UV LEDs can work, Elektor mag. had a design a few months ago.

Leon

On Fri, 6 Apr 2007 11:05:04 +0100, "Aly"
wrote:

Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

For the occasional home made PCB, I find that the sun works much
better than any UV tube. Depending on the time of day, I normally
expose pre-coated PCB material for 20 to 80 seconds. This works
quite well and it is fairly easy to produce boards with 12thou tracks
with 12thou clearance. With a bit more care, one can do 10 thou.
I have used a UV box bought from RS Components in the past, but
I found the sun to give better results.

Regards
Anton Erasmus

On Fri, 6 Apr 2007 11:05:04 +0100, "Aly"
wrote:

Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

Friendly regards,

Alison

ps. There's this one at Rapid for £110 in a little kit;

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=34-0690


A light box is about the worst possible way to expose pcb's. To get
good resolution, you need sharp shadows hence collimated light. The
typical light box is a maze of position-dependent blurs. The light
source should be far away from the film and the board, not close.

Get a bright light with decent UV concentration. A 175 watt
warehouse-type mercury vapor lamp is ideal, and perfectly safe. Mount
it about 3 feet above a table and add a bit of foil on top if it
deosn't already have a reflector. Place the pcb, film, and a top piece
of glass or plexiglass, on the table. Try 10 minutes to start. This
will cast much sharper shadows than any light box can.

A tanning lamp isn't bad, and they're cheap.

The sun is pretty far away, too.

John

"John Larkin" wrote in message
...

SNIP

A light box is about the worst possible way to expose pcb's. To get
good resolution, you need sharp shadows hence collimated light. The
typical light box is a maze of position-dependent blurs. The light
source should be far away from the film and the board, not close.

Get a bright light with decent UV concentration. A 175 watt
warehouse-type mercury vapor lamp is ideal, and perfectly safe. Mount
it about 3 feet above a table and add a bit of foil on top if it
deosn't already have a reflector. Place the pcb, film, and a top piece
of glass or plexiglass, on the table. Try 10 minutes to start. This
will cast much sharper shadows than any light box can.

A tanning lamp isn't bad, and they're cheap.

The sun is pretty far away, too.

John



Hi John,

Noted. Tell you what I do have.. A full size sunbed in the bathroom, hold
on.. Eight 100W 6' tubes.

I've just been playing with the idea of fitting one of those small 25W 9"
U-shaped tubes in a 12"x10"x5" flight case, or an 22W 8" circular tube.

But with what you've said here it's made me wonder..

Thanks again (and to everyone)

Aly :-)

On Fri, 6 Apr 2007 21:35:34 +0100, "Aly"
wrote:

"John Larkin" wrote in message
.. .

SNIP

A light box is about the worst possible way to expose pcb's. To get
good resolution, you need sharp shadows hence collimated light. The
typical light box is a maze of position-dependent blurs. The light
source should be far away from the film and the board, not close.

Get a bright light with decent UV concentration. A 175 watt
warehouse-type mercury vapor lamp is ideal, and perfectly safe. Mount
it about 3 feet above a table and add a bit of foil on top if it
deosn't already have a reflector. Place the pcb, film, and a top piece
of glass or plexiglass, on the table. Try 10 minutes to start. This
will cast much sharper shadows than any light box can.

A tanning lamp isn't bad, and they're cheap.

The sun is pretty far away, too.

John



Hi John,

Noted. Tell you what I do have.. A full size sunbed in the bathroom, hold
on.. Eight 100W 6' tubes.

Yikes! Skin damage! Look good now, look like Brigitte Bardot later in
life.


I've just been playing with the idea of fitting one of those small 25W 9"
U-shaped tubes in a 12"x10"x5" flight case, or an 22W 8" circular tube.

But with what you've said here it's made me wonder..

Thanks again (and to everyone)

Aly :-)


If you have proper emulsion-down film and good clamping to the board
(say, felt below and flat glass above) a light box can be OK. Just
keep in mind that the exposure will not be very uniform, and light
will be coming in at all sorts of goofy angles.

John

On Apr 6, 6:05 am, "Aly" wrote:
Hello,

Ideas please?

I guess this idea is also not in the spirit of DIY, but getting PCBs
made has gotten pretty inexpensive lately. I saw an ad the other day
for a double sided board with plated through holes for $26 even at qty
1 for a first time customer. Olimex in Europe has some very low rates
for small quantities, but I have not looked into them in detail.

Is this a cost thing or just a fun thing to make your own PCB lab?

"rickman" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Apr 6, 6:05 am, "Aly" wrote:
Hello,

Ideas please?

I guess this idea is also not in the spirit of DIY, but getting PCBs
made has gotten pretty inexpensive lately. I saw an ad the other day
for a double sided board with plated through holes for $26 even at qty
1 for a first time customer. Olimex in Europe has some very low rates
for small quantities, but I have not looked into them in detail.

Is this a cost thing or just a fun thing to make your own PCB lab?


UK prices are hideously expensive, like £200+ ($400) for 5 eurocards with a
2-week turnaround. Trouble with Olimex is that I'm not giving my credit
card number to anyone in Bulgaria nor using Western Union.

The problem with the UK is that it's just such total rip off. I was charged
£13 ($26) the other day for buying something in the States costing £22.
This country is just a dump.

Looking at UV tubes right now.. £10 for single 12" UV tube. £10!! That's
the cheapest round here where I can just walk in and buy. If I go to
B&Q/Homebase they're about £20 and in fancy packaging with party goers all
over them.

I dumped a load of laptop LCD screens at the rubbish tip the other day and
had some jobsworth telling me I'd put them in the wrong bin, "they're LCD
screens," I said pointing at the big plasma displays in there. He wanted me
to put them in the metal bin as they were computers. Erm, no, they're all
plastic you argumentative turd. "Do you want me to dump them in a lay by
perhaps?" That's what all the sane people are doing. Go for a walk in the
countryside, trip over a saucepan!

I HATE this bloody country. :-( Where I can't send my kids out to play
football without some council official bringing them home saying they don't
have insurance. Wot!! Insurance.

*rants*

:-) That was meant to be slightly humourous of course. But really, the UK
has just gone mad. You can't do anything if it isn't approved, stamped and
monitored.

Aly wrote:

:-) That was meant to be slightly humourous of course. But really, the UK
has just gone mad. You can't do anything if it isn't approved, stamped and
monitored.


"Really mad cow disease in England:

Cow: I say old chap, MOOOO!!! ;-)

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

"John Larkin" wrote in message
...
keep in mind that the exposure will not be very uniform, and light
will be coming in at all sorts of goofy angles.

John


I'm very interested in this angles scenario I must say. I can imagine that
in alot of boxes the tubes are just too close. They're like 1-2cms from the
board. That can't be good.

At a guess I'd say 5cm is better yet I don't know what I'm talking about
admittedly. At 1-cm though, that's just too intense.

On Sat, 7 Apr 2007 22:30:59 +0100, "Aly"
wrote:

"rickman" wrote in message
roups.com...
On Apr 6, 6:05 am, "Aly" wrote:
Hello,

Ideas please?

I guess this idea is also not in the spirit of DIY, but getting PCBs
made has gotten pretty inexpensive lately. I saw an ad the other day
for a double sided board with plated through holes for $26 even at qty
1 for a first time customer. Olimex in Europe has some very low rates
for small quantities, but I have not looked into them in detail.

Is this a cost thing or just a fun thing to make your own PCB lab?


UK prices are hideously expensive, like £200+ ($400) for 5 eurocards with a
2-week turnaround. Trouble with Olimex is that I'm not giving my credit
card number to anyone in Bulgaria nor using Western Union.

The problem with the UK is that it's just such total rip off. I was charged
£13 ($26) the other day for buying something in the States costing £22.
This country is just a dump.

Looking at UV tubes right now.. £10 for single 12" UV tube. £10!! That's
the cheapest round here where I can just walk in and buy. If I go to
B&Q/Homebase they're about £20 and in fancy packaging with party goers all
over them.

I dumped a load of laptop LCD screens at the rubbish tip the other day and
had some jobsworth telling me I'd put them in the wrong bin, "they're LCD
screens," I said pointing at the big plasma displays in there. He wanted me
to put them in the metal bin as they were computers. Erm, no, they're all
plastic you argumentative turd. "Do you want me to dump them in a lay by
perhaps?" That's what all the sane people are doing. Go for a walk in the
countryside, trip over a saucepan!

I HATE this bloody country. :-( Where I can't send my kids out to play
football without some council official bringing them home saying they don't
have insurance. Wot!! Insurance.

*rants*

:-) That was meant to be slightly humourous of course. But really, the UK
has just gone mad. You can't do anything if it isn't approved, stamped and
monitored.


Yet the UK and Ireland are doing very well economically, much better
than mainland Europe.

I took my kid to a baseball practice and asked the coach if she could
try out for the team. He told her "go to left field" and that was it.

John

"John Larkin" wrote in message
...

SNIP

Yet the UK and Ireland are doing very well economically, much better
than mainland Europe.

I took my kid to a baseball practice and asked the coach if she could
try out for the team. He told her "go to left field" and that was it.

John



Most of the money coming here doesn't really exist, it's all offset by the
amazing amounts of debt people are in.

House prices may be £250k for a modern terrace, yet most of the possessions
owned, cars sofas kitchens this that, are all bought on credit. Thus making
it look like there's more disposable income, when in reality there isn't.
Also we have alot of foreign money coming into the country, again further
stimulating the current debt culture in an effort to afford everyday living.

We're a bit like that bus at the end of The Italian Job with all of the gold
balancing in it.

Pleased to hear your DD did ok. Quite inspiring that. :-)

Alison

"Leon" wrote in message
oups.com...

SNIP

I use an HP 5940 printer with JetStar premium film, results are
excellent.

Leon

Hi Leon,

Noted :-) I'm going through this right now planning for what happens next.
JetStar film from Rapid is the likely candidate.

Thanks again, spotted your post here in a Google search.

Alison

On Apr 6, 11:05�am, "Aly" wrote:
Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. *I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. *Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. *Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.



A photo frame and a sunny day works for me. Just dont get caught
taking her picture out of it.

Aly wrote:

Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be used
as a light box.

Friendly regards,

Alison

ps. There's this one at Rapid for £110 in a little kit;

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=34-0690




Only seen the thread today and don't have the patience to read all the
contributions so apologies if this has been said elsewhe

I built a UV box using a desk drawer as the case - approx 1' x 1'. I
painted the inside gloss white, screwed the ballasts and spring clips to
the interior and fixed 3 UV B tubes into the spring clips. When
exposing a coated PCB I simply put the PCB on my desk, sandwiched the
artwork onto it with a sheet of perspex and then placed the lightbox on
top and left it cooking for the required time.

Total cost was whatever the price of the tubes was. It was very cheap
and only slightly nasty. I still have it (somewhere) but it never
failed to produce adequate results.

HTH

Richard

Richard

Leon wrote:


Elektor mag. had a design a few months ago.

Leon




Wow!

I have crates of back issues of Elektor from when I subscribed in the
80's - I didn't know it was still in print. Thanks!

Richard

Richard wrote:
Aly wrote:

Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100,
and is,
professionally made and neat and tidy. I'm wondering if for sake of
ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online. Ballasts I have at home
somewhere. Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits
bobs,
and time.

This is all purely for making the odd PCB so nothing commercial. There's
also those little UV nail boxes for curing the plastic, they're only
about
£20 although I wonder about even coverage with those, and if indeed it is
the right type of UV?

Circular tubes? U-shaped tubes? Straight tubes? Little 9W dual
parallel
tubes?

I'm just wondering in the end if it would be easier to just buy one,
although that's not really in keeping with the spirit of diy.

Many thanks for any input, I'm just looking for ideas and opinons really.
I'd also be half tempted to put in regular tubes too so that it can be
used
as a light box.

Friendly regards,

Alison

ps. There's this one at Rapid for £110 in a little kit;

http://www.rapidonline.com/searchresults.aspx?style=0&kw=34-0690




Only seen the thread today and don't have the patience to read all the
contributions so apologies if this has been said elsewhe

I built a UV box using a desk drawer as the case - approx 1' x 1'. I
painted the inside gloss white, screwed the ballasts and spring clips to
the interior and fixed 3 UV B tubes into the spring clips. When
exposing a coated PCB I simply put the PCB on my desk, sandwiched the
artwork onto it with a sheet of perspex and then placed the lightbox on
top and left it cooking for the required time.

Total cost was whatever the price of the tubes was. It was very cheap
and only slightly nasty. I still have it (somewhere) but it never
failed to produce adequate results.

HTH

Richard

Richard

Thought I'd drag this up again having found the likes of this on ebay:
http://tinyurl.com/2qxgyk

I'm getting tired of etching with acids etc - I have a spare scanner
body (inc glass) sitting around and lots of acetate I can print onto.
Are this sort of bulb the correct wavelength for etching?

Coyoteboy said:

I'm getting tired of etching with acids etc - I have a spare scanner
body (inc glass) sitting around and lots of acetate I can print onto.
Are this sort of bulb the correct wavelength for etching?

I have a couple of these, USB scanners a well and would also like to
know about this. It could be a very cheap way to create a lightbox.

Thanks:
--
Best Regards:
Baron.