Re: Bank o' BLs: Spacing?

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From: Dave Rose (cactuscowboy@attbi.com)
Date: 02/06/03-08:03:39 PM Z


Assuming you're handy with tools, I'd recommend building 'from scratch'
using components assembled inside a wooden frame. It's very important to
have a large piece of sheet metal immediately behind the bulbs - they won't
work without it. Drill some ventilation holes into your wooden frame to let
heat escape. I installed the ballasts on the outside of my frame, that
helps reduce heat buildup considerably. The interior dimension of my frame
is 16.5" x 24", with .5" spacing between each of the eight bulbs.

Stay away from shop lights and other cheap components. Buy quality ballasts
and fixtures and you'll have no problems.

I also built a homemade vacuum easel that's hinged onto my exposure unit.
It's a great setup that makes beautiful 16"x20" prints, and it was
relatively cheap to build.

Dave Rose
Big Wonderful Wyoming

----- Original Message -----
From: "Vince Dobson" <manitec@bellsouth.net>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 6:15 PM
Subject: RE: Bank o' BLs: Spacing?

>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joe Tait [mailto:jtait@texas.net]
> Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 7:40 PM
> To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
> Subject: Bank o' BLs: Spacing?
>
>
> >I am opting for a unit to do up to 20x30, and had planned on getting T8
24"
> 20w
> BL tubes. The simplest thing seems to be to buy the pre-fab dual magnetic
> fixtures available at Home Depot and plug those into a power strip plugged
> into
> my timer. This is possible, no?<
>
> Correct, the ballast is incorporated within those units.
>
> <If I do this, then I won't need ballasts, correct?>
>
> <If I don't do that and build from scratch, are the three components a
tube,
> ballast & fixture?<
>
> correct
>
> <How do you space the tubes closely if you go with pre-fab fixtures from
> Home
> Depot?> -- You really cannot - that is why people build them from
> components, to get the close spacing.
>
> Good Luck
>
> Vinnie
> www.visionsinnature.com
>
>


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