by aka anglinarcher » Wed Feb 04, 2015 8:08 pm
On all UV curing materials, the quality and wavelengths of the UV are important. I know that Larry is using fluorescent black light bulbs, 4' long, four total bulbs with two back to back. It takes him several minutes, but compared to the time it takes other top coats to cure, this is super fast. I have a manicure UV curing device for curing UV paints on fingernails. It cost me about 20 bucks or so on ebay and it uses 4 light bulbs. I can cure Alumi-UV in about 3 to 5 minutes with this.
Mike talked about wavelengths, and my UV manicure set is about 365 nm. Black Lights are about 400 nm. You will get faster cure from what I can tell with UV around 350 to 375 nm, but obviously black light fluorescent bulbs (which you can buy from Home Depot of Lowes) will work. They sell 4 foot long T12 bulbs for about $17 each at my local Lowes, with a cheap shop fixture to hold them for about $15, so two fixtures plus 4 bulbs is able handle much larger lures them my unit will, but for a lot more money as well.
Mike also talked about distance from the light. If you double the distance from the light source, you don't get half the strength, you get 1/4 the strength. This is a big deal, so curing as close to the light as possible is important.
Of course, just setting the lure outside in bright sun will cure Alumi UV, for the same reason that you get a sun burn. I prefer to do it inside so I am dust free, but ........
I am planning on a curing cabinet similar to Larry's design, but with 4 specialized T8 light bulbs designed as intense grow lights and for wood aging (distressing). If the answers come back right, I should be able to equal or exceed my manicure cure device, but able to handle much larger lures. Who knows.
I have my doubts about a "blue light" heat source. Heat is infrared, not ultraviolet; about as opposite as you can get. Yes, overheating some filaments will give off UV, but the amount of UV is quite small. I would suggest for now that you look into a manicure UV fingernail cure device. When, if, I get the other set-up going, I will post some instructions.
Personally, I would consider my Alumi UV as my go to clear coat. The nail cure device is just sooooo easy to use. I set it on end and dangle the lure into the opening. You could take the bottom off and place two back to back and ............
I think my bucket list has a hole in the bottom!