Building a UV PCB exposure box?

[John Larkin]

Hi John,

Noted. Tell you what I do have.. A full size sunbed in the bathroom, hold
on.. Eight 100W 6' tubes.

Yikes! Skin damage! Look good now, look like Brigitte Bardot later in
life.

I've just been playing with the idea of fitting one of those small 25W 9"
U-shaped tubes in a 12"x10"x5" flight case, or an 22W 8" circular tube.

But with what you've said here it's made me wonder..

Thanks again (and to everyone)

Aly

If you have proper emulsion-down film and good clamping to the board
(say, felt below and flat glass above) a light box can be OK. Just
keep in mind that the exposure will not be very uniform, and light
will be coming in at all sorts of goofy angles.

John

 

[rickman]

Hello,

Ideas please?

I guess this idea is also not in the spirit of DIY, but getting PCBs
made has gotten pretty inexpensive lately. I saw an ad the other day
for a double sided board with plated through holes for $26 even at qty
1 for a first time customer. Olimex in Europe has some very low rates
for small quantities, but I have not looked into them in detail.

Is this a cost thing or just a fun thing to make your own PCB lab?

 

[Aly]

I guess this idea is also not in the spirit of DIY, but getting PCBs
made has gotten pretty inexpensive lately. I saw an ad the other day
for a double sided board with plated through holes for $26 even at qty
1 for a first time customer. Olimex in Europe has some very low rates
for small quantities, but I have not looked into them in detail.

Is this a cost thing or just a fun thing to make your own PCB lab?

UK prices are hideously expensive, like £200+ ($400) for 5 eurocards with a
2-week turnaround. Trouble with Olimex is that I'm not giving my credit
card number to anyone in Bulgaria nor using Western Union.

The problem with the UK is that it's just such total rip off. I was charged
£13 ($26) the other day for buying something in the States costing £22.
This country is just a dump.

Looking at UV tubes right now.. £10 for single 12" UV tube. £10!! That's
the cheapest round here where I can just walk in and buy. If I go to
B&Q/Homebase they're about £20 and in fancy packaging with party goers all
over them.

I dumped a load of laptop LCD screens at the rubbish tip the other day and
had some jobsworth telling me I'd put them in the wrong bin, "they're LCD
screens," I said pointing at the big plasma displays in there. He wanted me
to put them in the metal bin as they were computers. Erm, no, they're all
plastic you argumentative turd. "Do you want me to dump them in a lay by
perhaps?" That's what all the sane people are doing. Go for a walk in the
countryside, trip over a saucepan!

I HATE this bloody country. :-( Where I can't send my kids out to play
football without some council official bringing them home saying they don't
have insurance. Wot!! Insurance.

*rants*

That was meant to be slightly humourous of course. But really, the UK
has just gone mad. You can't do anything if it isn't approved, stamped and
monitored.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

That was meant to be slightly humourous of course. But really, the UK
has just gone mad. You can't do anything if it isn't approved, stamped and
monitored.

"Really mad cow disease in England:

Cow: I say old chap, MOOOO!!! ;-)

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Aly]

keep in mind that the exposure will not be very uniform, and light

will be coming in at all sorts of goofy angles.

John

I'm very interested in this angles scenario I must say. I can imagine that
in alot of boxes the tubes are just too close. They're like 1-2cms from the
board. That can't be good.

At a guess I'd say 5cm is better yet I don't know what I'm talking about
admittedly. At 1-cm though, that's just too intense.

 

[John Larkin]

UK prices are hideously expensive, like £200+ ($400) for 5 eurocards with a
2-week turnaround. Trouble with Olimex is that I'm not giving my credit
card number to anyone in Bulgaria nor using Western Union.

The problem with the UK is that it's just such total rip off. I was charged
£13 ($26) the other day for buying something in the States costing £22.
This country is just a dump.

Looking at UV tubes right now.. £10 for single 12" UV tube. £10!! That's
the cheapest round here where I can just walk in and buy. If I go to
B&Q/Homebase they're about £20 and in fancy packaging with party goers all
over them.

I dumped a load of laptop LCD screens at the rubbish tip the other day and
had some jobsworth telling me I'd put them in the wrong bin, "they're LCD
screens," I said pointing at the big plasma displays in there. He wanted me
to put them in the metal bin as they were computers. Erm, no, they're all
plastic you argumentative turd. "Do you want me to dump them in a lay by
perhaps?" That's what all the sane people are doing. Go for a walk in the
countryside, trip over a saucepan!

I HATE this bloody country. :-( Where I can't send my kids out to play
football without some council official bringing them home saying they don't
have insurance. Wot!! Insurance.

*rants*

That was meant to be slightly humourous of course. But really, the UK
has just gone mad. You can't do anything if it isn't approved, stamped and
monitored.

Yet the UK and Ireland are doing very well economically, much better
than mainland Europe.

I took my kid to a baseball practice and asked the coach if she could
try out for the team. He told her "go to left field" and that was it.

John

 

[Aly]

Yet the UK and Ireland are doing very well economically, much better
than mainland Europe.

I took my kid to a baseball practice and asked the coach if she could
try out for the team. He told her "go to left field" and that was it.

John

Most of the money coming here doesn't really exist, it's all offset by the
amazing amounts of debt people are in.

House prices may be £250k for a modern terrace, yet most of the possessions
owned, cars sofas kitchens this that, are all bought on credit. Thus making
it look like there's more disposable income, when in reality there isn't.
Also we have alot of foreign money coming into the country, again further
stimulating the current debt culture in an effort to afford everyday living.

We're a bit like that bus at the end of The Italian Job with all of the gold
balancing in it.

Pleased to hear your DD did ok. Quite inspiring that.

Alison

 

[Aly]

I use an HP 5940 printer with JetStar premium film, results are
excellent.

Leon

Hi Leon,

Noted I'm going through this right now planning for what happens next.
JetStar film from Rapid is the likely candidate.

Thanks again, spotted your post here in a Google search.

Alison

 

[[email protected]]

Hello,

Ideas please?

A small professional UV box with two 8W tubes will cost about £100, andis,
professionally made and neat and tidy.  I'm wondering if for sake of ease it
would be easier to just go out and buy one?

I've seen the UV "fly killer," tubes on eBay for say £10, which are
mentioned in a few of the tutorials online.  Ballasts I have at home
somewhere.  Would need a neat little case, cut glass, switches, bits bobs,
and time.

A photo frame and a sunny day works for me. Just dont get caught
taking her picture out of it.