[alt-photo] Re: Alternative Exposure Unit (no pun intended)

[pfriedrichsen at sympatico.ca]

I would like to mention one other caution on the fotodiox unit.

CFLs don't like to be operated in an inverted positon. (especially 
the larger lamps like these). The heat rises off of the lamp and 
overheats the electronic ballast which has some heat sensitive 
components. Worse, is the large number of surrounding lamps all 
heating each other up (480 watts for the whole lot). The inner lamps 
may have a very short life.

I think you would need to add some forced air cooling if you wanted a 
reliable exposure unit.

Peter Friedrichsern





At 04:58 PM 03/11/2010, you wrote:
>Christine, Group:
>
>I had been using a custom made BLB set up with 8-24" bulbs for over 15
>years. The bulbs are very expensive to replace and my exposures were 90
>seconds to 7 minutes. Last month Barry Schmetter brought in a Fotodiox unit
>for me to use for a gumprint demo at the Large Format and Alternative
>Photography Gathering (Metro Wash DC). Using my gum/pigment mix 1:1 with 15%
>ammonium dichromate sensitizer I was able to reduce my first emulsion from 7
>minutes to 70 seconds. It was perfect. The second emulsion was correct in 30
>seconds. This unit has completely changed the way I print.
>
>  http://www.fotodiox.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=78 fitted it
>with 16 Bright Effects (swirly type; 26 watts daylight or 6000K from Lowes).
>The unit is intended to sit on a lighting tripod but I added a clamp and
>attach it to a heavily loaded bookcase. The unit is currently going for $135
>+ shipping. Add $30 for a clamp if you can't rig up something, a builder
>pack of the bulbs, and you have a very fast, compact, and portable exposure
>device.
>
>Best,
>Carole
>
>
>
>On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 4:18 PM, Christina Anderson <zphoto at montana.net>wrote:
>
> > Has anyone bought one of these and used for alt or gum?
> > And what is the best URL for a plan to build one's own?  Apparently the
> > plan I hand out to students out of Nadeau's is incomplete, but since I am a
> > building failure, I can't explain why it is incomplete.  I wouldn't know a
> > magnetic ballast from a martini frankly.
> > Chris
> >
> >
> > http://www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/site/799934/product/RXP2024
> >
> > Christina Z. Anderson
> > christinaZanderson.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Alt-photo-process-list | http://altphotolist.org/listinfo
> >
>_______________________________________________
>Alt-photo-process-list | http://altphotolist.org/listinfo