UV Lightbox tubes

Jason Revell (jason.revell@unn.ac.uk)
Wed, 07 Aug 96 13:27:00 PDT

I have finally been able to get round to making my own UV lightbox for my
prints. I
have read through the archives and it say's that the best tubes are the 'BL'
tubes
which are cheaper and have more of the correct wavelengths of light ( The
longer
length of the UV spectrum). This is the sort that I am looking to buy, as I
have
been using the 4 x 5ft 'BLB' light's that I have at work, and am finding the
exposure
far to long (although the closest I can get my print is about 8-10 inches
away)...

I propose to make one of about 16 inch x 24 inch using 5 x 24 inch bulbs,
giving me
a spacing of about 2 inches between bulb. My problem is the fact that the
only
'BL' tubes I can get are L12 each for a 24 inch tube making it about L60
just for the tubes. What I find puzzling me further is I can get a 24 inch
'BLB' tube for L7:50
each which is much less than the 'BL' tubes which are supposed to be cheaper
ones.

Can anyone suggest a cheaper source to get 5 x 24 inch 'BL' tubes in the
U.K. or
are 'BLB' tubes not that much different ( these give a wavelength of about
315 -
400nm) and relay on the 'closer to print' distance to cut down my exposure
times. I
shall be making Cyanotypes, Gum Prints and (eventually) Platinum prints
with the
lightbox. Any help would be most appreciated.

Jason Revell