making the printer
Trying to stay awake & refresh memory by skimming issue #5, I'm reminded that Don Bryant has an article about building his own UV printer from plans by Jon Edwards, eepjon@aol.com -- tho that was 8 years ago & isn't aol more or less over now (?) There were also, Don said, plans in "The New Platinum Print" by Sullivan and Weese. That plus the palladio plans makes ... several. But frankly I fear that Don's project (he covered his with formica & added other "simple" touches), tho handsome and extremely functional could be beyond some of us. He says "if you can rewire a common lamp (um, doesn't everybody?) and use an electric drill, you can probably complete this construction successfully." Don dear, I get light-headed just looking at your elegant diagrams ! But all is not lost for the unhandy: For several years I had black light fluorescents (inherited from my son who had used them for grow lights) simply sitting on the table, about 6 in a row, bulbs up, with wood supports on each side for the glass sandwich (used as negative holder). They did the job, tho subject to unplanned rearranging (which some might even consider a virtue). But for what it's worth I also mention: be careful ordering your glass: I got a number of agonized letters from a former student who'd been hired to teach a class, which was a big thrill, except exposures were impossibly long, which was terrifying. After the class was over she discovered that the glazier had given her UV-proof glass, which he gave most of his customers, not understanding that UV light isn't always bad. For my present carpenter-built printer I use 2 sheets of glass, one extra heavy to go on top as weight, the other (if memory serves) ordinary demi plate. J.
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