Bill this is a great project and you're providing an invaluable service by bringing all of this information together for us. I greatly appreciate it. I've followed various links you've provided and also continuing to self-educate about the palladium-platinum processes and about b&w tonality in general from places like Christina Z. Anderson (bought the book), John Paul Caponigro, bwmastery and QTR (bought all the software). I'm so looking forward to getting in on the next "box buy" and have reached out to Mountain Intaglio and InkJet mall for details. Really waiting for the "Part 3" build video here as well. Thanks again...
Perfect timing because I've been wanting to upgrade my UV box. I actually ordered the box last week, so I'm looking forward to your videos to help me with this project. Thanks
That is fantastic, Michael! I think you will love it. I should have another video up along with the full list of supplies that you’ll need soon. Thanks to Becky Logan, I will have a complete shopping list link for Amazon soon.
I'm making cameraless cyanotypes at present, largest image size around 16"X20". Would the "old style" flourescent tube unit work better since the level of precision is not so critical? I'd like to go larger too and maybe the flourescents allow for a larger size box. Would like to create these things on cloudy days. Thanks again for the video and I'm looking forward to the build.
I am! It’s become one of those mental blocks. I have almost all of the video shot, but it’s going to be a bit of an editing nightmare. I’m sorry! I’ll get to it!
@@BillSchwab Thank you. I'm amazed and thankful for all of your videos. I am not much of an electronic person so I welcome a video I can follow along with as you build it.
@@MichaelWellman1955 I think that may be why I’m taking so long with it. I want to make sure it’s correct. I had a slight issue right near the end with the polarity of the strips that I am going to have to add into the video. It wasn’t a big deal, but it’s an important step. It’s been on my front burner now for a week or so, so I’ll get to it. And thanks for noticing the effort! I love doing it, but it’s definitely a lot of work at times.
@@BillSchwab Looking forward to being able to use this new light source. I'm still doing film and I lost my NuArc burner so I can't print any of my ULF negatives till I get this up and running. Too bad you couldn't had worked with Clay to produce the video. It would have been awesome seeing the two of you putting this together.
@@MichaelWellman1955 that really would’ve been some thing. We talked about it, but I wasn’t able to make it down that way. Stay tuned for the future, though, as I am going to do one of my “studio visits” with him.
Ralph! Thank you for watching! The fluorescent tube type would be fine for cyanotypes that you are doing. Being that it’s a printing out process, you can keep tabs on it as it goes. Your exposures will be a lot longer than they are out in the sun, but you still should be able to get some pretty good ones between 10 and 20 minutes exposure time. clay has been building these boxes with double the lights inside of them, and a larger transformer to make shorter printing times for salt prints. It would do the same for cyanotypes, but it would be pretty spendy. Stay tuned as I get this thing together and once I get testing on it, I’ll do a couple of cyanotypes and let you know what basic times would look like.
I built one using Clay's directions. The biggest problem is no matter how you measure it, at some point you will have to cut through a lump of solder in the tape (I guess that is where they join them in manufacture?). That gets problematic as that joint will not fit in the connectors. Clay used a soldering iron to remove it. I tried and it didn't work so well. I did manage to file them down and that worked on one joint, messed up another. I ended up with two strips that were short my 1 led and those strips became the 1st and last in the box. I also tested each strip before taping it down. Both Kerik and myself ended up screwing up one of the fans connecting them (very thin wires). The fans are cheap so rather than ordering 3, order 4 just in case. I have not have time to try it out for other reasons. I was wondering, however, are there light leaks through the vents? That is, in a small space, can you coat while the box is running? Thanks....lyle
Hi Lyle! Very cool that you have one. Yes, there are some light leaks that come through the vents just like on most boxes. If coating other paper near it, be careful. However, when we were using it at the Ansel Adams workshop, there were people coating within five or 6 feet of it and we weren’t having any fogging problems. It really is a great unit and I’m excited for you to try it out. Clay did tell me about the soldering issues and I’m going to be working that out as well. Thanks for the tips! I really appreciate it!
@@BillSchwab Another thing, as I was cutting wires that go from the transformer to the switch and timer, I put the little wire ends on. When I went to attach everything to the box, a couple of the wires were too short, a couple too long. Maybe only put the wire ends on after confirming the layout and lengths are correct ? Not a big deal, but something to think about.
@@lyleallan5124 that is a great suggestion, Lyle! Every little bit helps! Great information. I really appreciate it. I got more of the components today, so I’m almost there. I’m excited to get on with it!
Tried building one of my own last year. For some reason half the led strips didn’t work when I tried it. Not sure if it was bad connectors or what. It will be interesting to see how you go about it
Thank You, Bill!
Heck yeah!! This is going to be awesome
This is very similar to the box I've built for myself five years ago. The leds beat the old fluorescent tubes.
Bill this is a great project and you're providing an invaluable service by bringing all of this information together for us. I greatly appreciate it. I've followed various links you've provided and also continuing to self-educate about the palladium-platinum processes and about b&w tonality in general from places like Christina Z. Anderson (bought the book), John Paul Caponigro, bwmastery and QTR (bought all the software). I'm so looking forward to getting in on the next "box buy" and have reached out to Mountain Intaglio and InkJet mall for details. Really waiting for the "Part 3" build video here as well. Thanks again...
Was looking for cyanotype printing on youtube and found this channel, pure Gold content.
Thank you so much! Please stay tuned!
Perfect timing because I've been wanting to upgrade my UV box. I actually ordered the box last week, so I'm looking forward to your videos to help me with this project. Thanks
That is fantastic, Michael! I think you will love it. I should have another video up along with the full list of supplies that you’ll need soon. Thanks to Becky Logan, I will have a complete shopping list link for Amazon soon.
I’m really looking forward to this series. I was just starting to think about getting into platinum palladium printing
I'm making cameraless cyanotypes at present, largest image size around 16"X20". Would the "old style" flourescent tube unit work better since the level of precision is not so critical? I'd like to go larger too and maybe the flourescents allow for a larger size box. Would like to create these things on cloudy days. Thanks again for the video and I'm looking forward to the build.
Any chance you are going to put out the part 3 video on the construction of this light box?
I am! It’s become one of those mental blocks. I have almost all of the video shot, but it’s going to be a bit of an editing nightmare. I’m sorry! I’ll get to it!
@@BillSchwab Thank you. I'm amazed and thankful for all of your videos. I am not much of an electronic person so I welcome a video I can follow along with as you build it.
@@MichaelWellman1955 I think that may be why I’m taking so long with it. I want to make sure it’s correct. I had a slight issue right near the end with the polarity of the strips that I am going to have to add into the video. It wasn’t a big deal, but it’s an important step. It’s been on my front burner now for a week or so, so I’ll get to it. And thanks for noticing the effort! I love doing it, but it’s definitely a lot of work at times.
@@BillSchwab Looking forward to being able to use this new light source. I'm still doing film and I lost my NuArc burner so I can't print any of my ULF negatives till I get this up and running.
Too bad you couldn't had worked with Clay to produce the video. It would have been awesome seeing the two of you putting this together.
@@MichaelWellman1955 that really would’ve been some thing. We talked about it, but I wasn’t able to make it down that way. Stay tuned for the future, though, as I am going to do one of my “studio visits” with him.
Ralph! Thank you for watching! The fluorescent tube type would be fine for cyanotypes that you are doing. Being that it’s a printing out process, you can keep tabs on it as it goes. Your exposures will be a lot longer than they are out in the sun, but you still should be able to get some pretty good ones between 10 and 20 minutes exposure time. clay has been building these boxes with double the lights inside of them, and a larger transformer to make shorter printing times for salt prints. It would do the same for cyanotypes, but it would be pretty spendy. Stay tuned as I get this thing together and once I get testing on it, I’ll do a couple of cyanotypes and let you know what basic times would look like.
I built one using Clay's directions. The biggest problem is no matter how you measure it, at some point you will have to cut through a lump of solder in the tape (I guess that is where they join them in manufacture?). That gets problematic as that joint will not fit in the connectors. Clay used a soldering iron to remove it. I tried and it didn't work so well. I did manage to file them down and that worked on one joint, messed up another. I ended up with two strips that were short my 1 led and those strips became the 1st and last in the box. I also tested each strip before taping it down. Both Kerik and myself ended up screwing up one of the fans connecting them (very thin wires). The fans are cheap so rather than ordering 3, order 4 just in case. I have not have time to try it out for other reasons. I was wondering, however, are there light leaks through the vents? That is, in a small space, can you coat while the box is running? Thanks....lyle
Hi Lyle! Very cool that you have one. Yes, there are some light leaks that come through the vents just like on most boxes. If coating other paper near it, be careful. However, when we were using it at the Ansel Adams workshop, there were people coating within five or 6 feet of it and we weren’t having any fogging problems. It really is a great unit and I’m excited for you to try it out. Clay did tell me about the soldering issues and I’m going to be working that out as well. Thanks for the tips! I really appreciate it!
@@BillSchwab Another thing, as I was cutting wires that go from the transformer to the switch and timer, I put the little wire ends on. When I went to attach everything to the box, a couple of the wires were too short, a couple too long. Maybe only put the wire ends on after confirming the layout and lengths are correct ? Not a big deal, but something to think about.
@@lyleallan5124 that is a great suggestion, Lyle! Every little bit helps! Great information. I really appreciate it. I got more of the components today, so I’m almost there. I’m excited to get on with it!
Tried building one of my own last year. For some reason half the led strips didn’t work when I tried it. Not sure if it was bad connectors or what. It will be interesting to see how you go about it
You’re not the first person I’ve heard that from. I appreciate the heads up.