UV cure lighting....

General Discussion
1

Hi,

What kind of lights are used when laminating, so the curing process doesn’t start too soon ? What would give off the least amount of UV rays ? Plain old incandescent clear bulbs ?? I know it’s not the flourscent kind …

What kind of bulbs are needed to cure UV resin ? UVA or UVB ?? Are the Mercury Vapor lights superior ??

I read some of the threads pertaining to the use of UV cure resin in the archives, but didn’t come across anything about the questions I have.

Thanks in advance and have a happy new year !!!

2

Most indoor lighting is fine, even fluorescents, as they don’t put off enough UV to induce a strong kick. (they might after a few hours, but you don’t want your resin to sit that long anyway, it will all soak into your foam…

Be careful of window light however, even open blue sky has quite a bit of UV in it, I left a cup too close to the window, and it partially gelled on me. Also, make sure that your unused resin is well protected from any light, if you turn on your UV lights and there’s any unused in sight, it’ll kick. Also, kicking UV resin in a container is dangerous, because it heats up rapidly.

As for lights, I think any UV will do ok, some have used tanning lights with sucess, even building little foil-lined “ovens” that wrapped the light all around the board.

I wouldn’t mess with too much of a powerful industrial source, the health hazards become too much of an issue, with little gained as far as speed, etc. (the UV is bad for eyes, skin, etc, and some big lights put off quite a bit of ozone.) Sunlight will kick a board in under five minutes, why would you need anything faster than that?

Helpful tips include: Add a little catalyst to your batch anyway, maybe a third of what it usually takes, this will eventually harden all the little spills and drips that inevitably go where you don’t want them. Otherwise, it will remain sticky permanently, and you will discover it by getting it all over your self when you don’t want to. Also, most guys advise that when hotcoating, to flash the work very briefly, return to the shade to let the wax rise out of the hotcoat for a few minutes, then return to the light for a complete cure. Otherwise, the wax will be trapped in the matrix and it will remain tacky.

Wells

3

Howzit shaka brah, Buy 4 foot flourescent fixtures at wal-mart (about $9.00) then go to the Santa barbara Fiberglass Hawaii and get the UV bulbs they sell for about $17.00 each. I have 4 fixtures and 8 bulbs and the system works just fine. You’re looking at spending about $200.00 for the whole set up, but since Kauai gets a lot of rainy days it’s worth it for me. Aloha, Kokua

4

This is in response to both Wells and kokua. I was down at the local pet shop, and I ran across some reptile basking spot lights that provide UVA rays. I pretty much have everything else, from other projects laying around the house, and that is why I was considering using those lamps. These bulbs will cost me approx $60.00. I haven’t purchased them yet because I wanted to get more input from the folks at swaylocks. Good or bad ?? Possible or not possible ?? Thanx …

5

Not familiar with those lights, but I would guess that they also give quite a bit of heat–not necessarily a good thing. Also, as a spotlight, you will have to move it around a bit to get all areas evenly. See if you can’t find some fluorescent tubes somewhere first, try tanning bed suppliers…you could see if they fit in normal fixtures, and get some cheapies, as Kokua did…

What kind of bulbs are the lizard lights? Incandescent, fluorescent, or some sort of arc lamp–like metal halide or something?

If you think the lizard warmers are the thing, see if you can test them, and return them if they don’t work.

wells

6

I’ve posted this before but… if you go to www.thatpetplace .com (sorry no link) and look up ZooMed light bulbs called coral sun they are a TL03 knock off for 10.49 each they work just fine. The same as the Phillips.

7

Hi all

First off I’ve haven’t used UV cat yet, but I want to experiment with this for longer working time.

Last night on the way home from work I thought I have a look in Maplins (large electrical suppliers) for anything I could use, they now have energy effiecent UV bulbs, they are the same shape as the normal house hold energy effiecent light bulbs.

They are £7.99 ech so thats prob about $16.00, but the have a bayanet fitting, which means they are used with a standated house hold buld holder about £0.59 ech and use a mains supply so there would be no need for expensive housing for tubes or transformers. I’m thinking of conecting 3 of these in circuit, in a housing on wheels to run up and down the length of the board (is this even neccesary?) the whole set up would cost about £30.00 or $60.00 (prob less in U.S as things are cheaper anyway), I thinking the 2 at the sides wouls be on an angle (for the rails) and 1 flat in the middle (for the deck), If I had each bulb on a seperate switch and a master switch controlling all 3, could i kick the rails and deck at dif rates, so i could kick the deck for a couple of mins before flipping the board to work on cut laps??? then kick those once I’m happy, giving a longer working time. or would this be overkill on the old UV?? don’t want to give my board a tan!

8

It’s just a hair off-topic, but I think everyone who builds their own boards should go out & buy themselves a junkyard refrigerator for New Years’.

Keep your UV resins & flammables in it (thinking of Jim P’s fire as well as this thread) - good & dark as well as safe & insulated…

And use the compressor for that vacuum bag project you’ve been obsessing about ever since Bert’s thread.

9

Remember the old Black Lights. Light up my Hendrix posters back in early seventies. Will those set off UV cure resin. Was thinking of laminating a board tonight. Too cold for catalyst. My daughter and her friends are doing a sleepover New Years party. Its gonna be a lonnnnnng night.Mike

10

Mike,

You’ve probably already done it, but I’m gonna suggest the obvious… small test batch

My question, howsa bout metal halides? I have access to a 1000 watt unit.

7/10

11

hey ww - email me cerisurf@aol.com when you want to give the uv a go. Personally I think that for the UK - it’s gotta be the best way to glass…this way way there’s no heating to worry about in our frigid climate

12

I like building stuff to make boards.Racks,jigs,sanding blocks etc.I considered the UV lighting thing but in reality I figured out that since I am not in to mass production it was just as easy to carry the boards outside and let the sun do its thing.It even works in cool weather on a cloudy day.I just walk it out the door and set the board on an extra set of racks outside.Tom Sterne,Kokua, and Shawn Ambrose posted a lot of cool stuff on this subject if you can search the archives.(Where are you Sterne?I know you are lurking out there somewhere. LOL) RB

13

Happy New Years all.

I prefer daylight as first choice for UV catalyst use, and if you have room a specially built tanning bulb oven is ideal. For me the Metal Halides (the type used as outdoor security lights) work very well and are cheap. A single overhead unit could cover an entire short board. UV lizard or pet lights or black lights don’t work near as well. I also found an old desk top tanning light that uses a long, thin metal halide type lamp that works great for a hand held ding repair system. Characteristics of these metal halide type bulbs are that the have a warm up period when you hit the power switch, it takes a few seconds for the filament and gasses in the lamp to kick on to full output. They do last a LONG time, hence they are used outdoors frequently on Dusk/Dawn sensors for security lighting. As with ANY UV light source, you must shield your eyes, they can be harmful to you.

Tom

14

Welcome back Tom.We missed you. RB

15

A few years ago, I built a large plywood U.V curing station for a local glass business. It fits longboards and can be used for 2 shortboards as well. The inside has a lot of heavy weight reflective material. It also is at a height so you don’t have to bend over to load (no brainer). In my inspection of the use of this UV unit, I still see the preferred method of hand carrying the boards to the outside racks. If outside, make sure your racks are leveled out.

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16
Quote:

Happy New Years all.

I prefer daylight as first choice for UV catalyst use, and if you have room a specially built tanning bulb oven is ideal. For me the Metal Halides (the type used as outdoor security lights) work very well and are cheap. A single overhead unit could cover an entire short board. UV lizard or pet lights or black lights don’t work near as well. I also found an old desk top tanning light that uses a long, thin metal halide type lamp that works great for a hand held ding repair system. Characteristics of these metal halide type bulbs are that the have a warm up period when you hit the power switch, it takes a few seconds for the filament and gasses in the lamp to kick on to full output. They do last a LONG time, hence they are used outdoors frequently on Dusk/Dawn sensors for security lighting. As with ANY UV light source, you must shield your eyes, they can be harmful to you.

Tom

Hi Tom,

So in your opinion the Metal Halides are superior to the UV lizard/fish tank lamps. Are they better because they last a long time or produce more power ?? How far do you place the lamps away from the work piece ?? Thanks…

17

Thanks Ceri,

             I'll take you up on that offer in the near future (for advise or do you sell UV resin??),  I'm in the middle of fitting out my new shapping/glassing room, there is still a lot of work left to do, hence all the trips to the hardware store, so may as well sort out some UV lighting at the same time, but i'm still unsure what road to go down, and whats available (at a reasonable price) in the UK. I definatley need lights, as most nights it's already dark by the time I get in, and I would be worried about contaminating the board with airboarn dust particals, and orange peel gloss by moving the board out side.

Woody

18

SB:

The metal halides just worked better when I tested them against the black light or reptile lamps. The UV catalyst requires a specific range of UVA/UVB light source. Just do a quick test with your materials and light options. I use my handheld lamps at 10" or so from the work surface. Depending on the size of your fixture and output you may be able to use them mounted overhead in your glassing room.

Tom

19

Woody - I distribute suncure products in the uk…yes uv lights are useful!