Building the Printing Box

The time has finally arrived to hook up with my old friend Harry to begin actually building a presentable UV printing box. I use the word box here being the best description as the standard 'fixture' just doesn't offer any advantages, but offers some disadvantages. A box is also easily made, and very cost effective. Also considered are the new realities of UV sources, aka blacklight bulbs, which are now thinner bulbs, from T12 (1 1/2") to T8 (1"), and that means either finding enough older bulbs, which have become something of a premium price, or half again as many thinner bulbs at a lower cost each. At this time I am leaning towards the T12 unit.

It might be useful to write an article or two on the printing light options and costs, as having a printing light available can mean every difference for a photographer wanting to print hand coated methods in an area where steady sunlight is missing or not easily used, for any number of reasons. I will also know much more about output levels, as in lumens or an equivalent measure. Online research suggests that a 20W blacklight bulb will output 20 lumens per watt, however, no one in lighting will agree to that, as measuring UV light using any form of white light metering isn't valid.

My box is designed to be 24"x24" using eight T12 florescent tubes, spaced 3/4" apart, between bulbs, or half the bulb width. This is to eliminate banding on the print if the light source is close. Banding being lines through the print where intensity of light drops off between the bulbs. Eight 20W bulbs equals 1600W of power, and at a distance from the print between 8" and 18", adjustable, an optimal printing distance can be found, being intensity of the light source (UV) alters the printing structure. Higher intensity of the light source will flatten a print more than a lower intensity, which takes longer to print in, which reciprocally increases the tonal range of the image. Sort of similar to compaction/expansion principles.

I will of course be updating the progress on this endeavor. Having that in hand will begin the real work towards printing in silver, toning in palladium, for now. Printing directly in platinum/palladium is the ultimate goal. That demands a good amount of money to accomplish, which relies upon print sales for funding. Something most of you reading this are directly aware of. Hence, being able to make up your own printing light might just be in the offing, and that may very well change the way you print...... Hopefully. That would be my quest.