Re: carbon arc lamp

Bret W Buckman (buckman@uclink2.berkeley.edu)
Thu, 14 Sep 1995 15:30:02 -0700 (PDT)

I spent many years using a carbon arc lamp, making offset printing
plates. The difficulty you would encounter in trying to make one yourself
is that the two carbon rods must be moved ever closer together, as during
an exposure they burn and the critical gap widens. You could find an old
one for sale without too much trouble, and many old print shops are still
using them. Like just about everything else in a print shop, strong
ventilation is required.

"I strain, you strain, we all strain for eyestrain"
Bret Buckman
U. C. Berkeley Art Dept. Printmaking Technician
buckman@uclink2.berkeley.edu

On Fri, 15 Sep 1995, J. Wayde Allen 303-497-5871 wrote:

> On Thu, 14 Sep 1995, Christopher Walton Reid wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 14 Sep 1995, David Black wrote:
> >
> > > I am looking for a good source for a carbon arc lamp or any other good and
> > > inexpensive light source for kallitypes. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated
> > > Thanks in advance.
> > >
> > > David Black <ZU03632@UABDPO.DPO.UAB.EDU>
> > >
> > David,
> >
> > I could be wrong about this, but I remember talking to a guy who had a
> > carbon arc lamp for a copy camera (the type used to make half-tone, PMTs,
> > etc) and he told me that carbon arc lamps had been made illegal some
> > years ago. It had something to do with gases given off by the rods I
> > think.
>
> I can't say that I have actually seen or used a carbon arc lamp, but I
> have experimented briefly with carbon arcs used in welding (You can use
> the arc to heat/melt metal.). If they don't make carbon arc lamps
> anymore and you really want one you should be able to build one fairly
> easily. You could probably check at the local welding supply store for power
> supplies and carbon rods, build a box to put the thing in and protect you
> and everything else from the arc, turn it on and strike the arc. It would
> probably be easier to try something like a mercury vapor lamp first though.
>
> I'm not too sure about the gasses given off by the arc, but you probably get
> carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone. I would guess that any other
> gasses would come from impurities in the rod or any coatings (like
> copper) that help with striking the arc.
>
> Don't know if this helps you much.
>
> - Wayde
> (allen@boulder.nist.gov)
>