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Building an exposure unit.

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hank1113
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 7:38 am Reply with quote
Joined: 30 Apr 2009 Posts: 3639 Location: Richmond Va
I took the lowes route... the dims are 26"x48"... $23 for plywood... $115 for lights and bulbs (40w), the lights are "industrial" and do not come with a chord (much cheaper and less crap attached to them). I wired all the blacks together, all the whites together, and used a 3 prong extension chord I cut with the hedge trimmers this spring... I hooked the ground of the extension chord to the "ground screw" on the first light rack and then wired all the ground screws together on the remaining lights... not sure that was necessary but figured 2 minutes of wiring cannot hurt!...

I am ordering a count down timer switch today with a manual bypass today from mcmaster car ($22, part number 7014K4 http://www.mcmaster.com/#lighting-timers/=8kk1he) and will have to modify the wiring some when the switch arrives...

still debating on the overall height... and looking at 1/2 lexan for the "glass"... not sure if it will bend over time... if anyone has any input on this that would be great!




total "charged" so far is roughly $160... I figure this will run under $250 for everything... not to shabby since a 24x36" 8 bulb exposure unit is $500+ on line

1/2 plexiglass was $100... 4x4 were left over from my fence... 1x4's were $10 for all of them... will be closing it up next week...




total spent so far was roughly $290... not too bad! for a 26x48 inch light table!


.

done...

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ivescreenedforless
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 4:33 pm Reply with quote
Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 150
Looks awesome Hank!

How is it workin out for you?

Sorry to everyone I never followed up on my tutorial. It's pretty simple though.

Get materials. Build box. Mount sockets and ballast. Wire sockets and ballast.

Hardest part is wiring.

You take the main red wires and put them in the first hole on each socket. They sorta snap in there.

Then you make the jumpers. The little U shaped wires. They go from the 2nd to 3rd hole.

On the other side you just link them all together with the yellow wire. I used some spare red wire as well.

Attached grounded power cord.

Check pics for visuals.
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hank1113
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 7:03 am Reply with quote
Joined: 30 Apr 2009 Posts: 3639 Location: Richmond Va
the biggest problem I have had is my screens are not level. I need to make sure there is a lot of weight on the screen or the image doesnt expose equally. I have been using my guitar amp on top of a board that I covered in pleather... once I figured that out, burning has been pretty clean!

other then that I can burn screens in about 2.5 minutes. not to bad for under $300.

it's only rock and roll and I like it!

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PAWN
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 7:48 am Reply with quote
Joined: 06 Jul 2005 Posts: 4175
damnit I need to get back into this and build myself a unit. I was using my bathroom for a while and just putting a 200watt work light above...but I would burn the emulsion sometimes which ruined the screens. I miss having a proper set up and running prints.
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hank1113
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 7:56 am Reply with quote
Joined: 30 Apr 2009 Posts: 3639 Location: Richmond Va
the Sierra Nevada really helped me get my box nice and straight...

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