UV CURING!

I have posted this question once but I didn’t get many responses. Does any one have a functioning cure box for uv resins. What are you using for lights. How many bulbs do you have and how long is the box. I am desperate to make one but do not want the set up to fail. As many details as possible would be greatly appreciated.

I have posted this question once but I didn’t get many responses. Does any > one have a functioning cure box for uv resins. What are you using for > lights. How many bulbs do you have and how long is the box. I am desperate > to make one but do not want the set up to fail. As many details as > possible would be greatly appreciated…You may want to check the archives. I think this has been talked about lot’s before

I have looked through the archives and there is a lot of talk of what might work and what doesn’t. I am wondering if any one out there has a curing box that has been really successful. I am also curious if anyone has built a box with something other than tanning lights.

Stephan: Although I can’t provide you with the definitive answers you are looking for I can help you in your quest. I switched all my repairs and laminations in my small home shop over to the UV catalyzed resins. I use Silmar S249A with the SunCure UV additive. A good over view is available here: http://www.suncure.com/UVC2000usersguide.htm I’ve yet to finish my lightbox/curing oven, but I will this winter. I’ve had excellent results with the UV resin and simply carry the laminated boards, both long and short outside into the sunlight. My curing box design was result of speaking with the guys at Fiberglass Hawaii in Santa Cruz. As I need to be able to laminate up to 10 foot boards and my glassing bay is only 12’ long I had to improvise. I built two 6’x 3’ units out of 1x2 and plywood. I have no room to roll the cabinet over the board as in the SunCure unit at the above link. I needed to make a cabinet with a side entry that still allowed for rows of 4 rows of 71" lamps above and 2 rows of 71" lamps beneath for exposing the rail laps. I chose to build 2 boxes that butt together so I could move them out of the room or stand them on end if needed. The boxes are simply 1x2 lumber framed in a “C” shape with plywood sections reinforcing and joining the end caps. I used an air stapler to assemble it all then went back with sheetrock screws and secured it all. Inside I stapled/glued builder’s foam sheathing with foil surface. Next step (the point I stopped) is to mount the bi-pin lamp bases along the inside which will be backed by my strategically placed framing behind the foam. Wire up the lamp bases and mount the ballasts and make some pigtail connectors to join the two separate 6 foot boxes which are wired separately. On top someplace I’ll have a timer type switch to control exposure times. To finish up you will need some sort of mini glassing racks to hold the board at a predetermined “center” between the lights. The SunCure site will give you the details to help here. I believe 10" is the normal exposure distance with 100 watt tanning lights. Here is what I’ve gathered on tanning bulbs. SunCure Specs- 100 Watt lamps , 5% UVB rating. All of the tanning lamp links on their page are $12.95 per lamp (ouch!) Here is an alternate- Sun Bronze; 6.5 UVB rating. $7.95 each. (mo betta!) 800-898-9293 talk to Shirley. Now I’ve not used these but I’m convinced the UVB output is the critical factor as per the manufacturer of the UV catalyst insists. I will probably order these in the next 30-60 days and keep you posted as have time to finish this project.>>> I have looked through the archives and there is a lot of talk of what > might work and what doesn’t. I am wondering if any one out there has a > curing box that has been really successful. I am also curious if anyone > has built a box with something other than tanning lights.

Sounds good. I too have the same box design minus the reflective foam. I have found that white paint reflects more light/uv and heat than a metallic surface. I guess tanning bulbs it is then. I really would like to use a basic shop light flourescent but I am not sure if it will work. Thanks for your help. I too used the sun but up here in Canada it is a hard commodity to come by in the winter. Thanks again Tom > Stephan:>>> Although I can’t provide you with the definitive answers you are looking > for I can help you in your quest. I switched all my repairs and > laminations in my small home shop over to the UV catalyzed resins. I use > Silmar S249A with the SunCure UV additive. A good over view is available > here:>>> http://www.suncure.com/UVC2000usersguide.htm>>> I’ve yet to finish my lightbox/curing oven, but I will this winter. I’ve > had excellent results with the UV resin and simply carry the laminated > boards, both long and short outside into the sunlight. My curing box > design was result of speaking with the guys at Fiberglass Hawaii in Santa > Cruz. As I need to be able to laminate up to 10 foot boards and my > glassing bay is only 12’ long I had to improvise. I built two 6’x 3’ units > out of 1x2 and plywood. I have no room to roll the cabinet over the board > as in the SunCure unit at the above link. I needed to make a cabinet with > a side entry that still allowed for rows of 4 rows of 71" lamps above > and 2 rows of 71" lamps beneath for exposing the rail laps. I chose > to build 2 boxes that butt together so I could move them out of the room > or stand them on end if needed. The boxes are simply 1x2 lumber framed in > a “C” shape with plywood sections reinforcing and joining the > end caps. I used an air stapler to assemble it all then went back with > sheetrock screws and secured it all. Inside I stapled/glued builder’s foam > sheathing with foil surface. Next step (the point I stopped) is to mount > the bi-pin lamp bases along the inside which will be backed by my > strategically placed framing behind the foam. Wire up the lamp bases and > mount the ballasts and make some pigtail connectors to join the two > separate 6 foot boxes which are wired separately. On top someplace I’ll > have a timer type switch to control exposure times. To finish up you will > need some sort of mini glassing racks to hold the board at a predetermined > “center” between the lights. The SunCure site will give you the > details to help here. I believe 10" is the normal exposure distance > with 100 watt tanning lights. Here is what I’ve gathered on tanning bulbs.>>> SunCure Specs- 100 Watt lamps , 5% UVB rating. All of the tanning lamp > links on their page are $12.95 per lamp (ouch!)>>> Here is an alternate- Sun Bronze; 6.5 UVB rating. $7.95 each. (mo betta!) > 800-898-9293 talk to Shirley. Now I’ve not used these but I’m convinced > the UVB output is the critical factor as per the manufacturer of the UV > catalyst insists. I will probably order these in the next 30-60 days and > keep you posted as have time to finish this project.

Has anyone tried growlights? They are the really bright natural spectrum metal halide or high pressure sodium lights that people use to grow uh… ORCHIDS indoors with!

Has anyone tried growlights? They are the really bright natural spectrum > metal halide or high pressure sodium lights that people use to grow uh… > ORCHIDS indoors with! I do grow orchids (only the real ones) under flourescent grow lights in winter. Grow light spectral curves look like a saddle, with peaks in red and blue. For curing resin, you need more UV.

a 400watt metal halide is much much brighter than any flourescent combo. my shaping area now stands where my “orchid” garden used too. if anyone’s interested in purchasing a mh light let me know.

but will it kick UV resin???

No. Metal Halide emits a pretty flat spectral curve through the visible range, but doesn’t extend into ultraviolet. For point-source UV emitters Mercury Vapor is the only viable option that I know of… but Mercury Vapor would be a great option.