How to make a simple yet professional looking UV lightbox for PCB production.
With a few items salvaged and picked up in car boot sales you can make an effective PCB exposure box for less than half the price of the cheapest commercial boxes. I have made four of these units (some double sided) yet still use the first one I made nearly ten years ago!
I have decided to update my old battered box with a snazzy new one and thought it would be a good idea to share my experiences.
With a few items salvaged and picked up in car boot sales you can make an effective PCB exposure box for less than half the price of the cheapest commercial boxes. I have made four of these units (some double sided) yet still use the first one I made nearly ten years ago!
I have decided to update my old battered box with a snazzy new one and thought it would be a good idea to share my experiences.
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Signing UpStep 1: Basic materials
The basic materials and tools you will need are:
A metal clad tool case (Maplin, B&Q, tool shops - see photos).
Perspex sheet 3mm thick and the size of the inner rim of the lip of your box (see photo later).
M3 Nuts, bolts and washers (20 or so will cover it).
Black card sheet (A3 size, Staples).
2x UV-A tubes - not blacklight tubes, you need to get the right ones (Rapid, CPC, Specialist).
Tube "U" clips to fit the tubes - metal sprung type.
Mains rated switch (Maplin, Rapid, CPC etc...).
Mains flex 3M or so, 3 core 5A (to use whole and stripped into conductors).
Heatshrink tubing slightly larger than the wiring you will use (inner conductors of mains flex).
Ring terminals.
3A Terminal block or "chocstrip"
Mains strain relief cable gland (Maplin, electrical supplier) to fit your mains cable.
Various short screws, pan head and countersunk self tapping.
Sticky tape
2 small blocks of wood 1"x1"
Mirrored card/plastic or tin-foil.
Tools:
Drill.
Drill bits.
Soldering Iron.
Solder.
Crimp tool for ring terminal.
Small flatblade screwdriver
Cross blade screwdriver
Wire cutters.
Long nose pliers.
Pliers.
Knife or scalpel.
Vacuum cleaner.
A metal clad tool case (Maplin, B&Q, tool shops - see photos).
Perspex sheet 3mm thick and the size of the inner rim of the lip of your box (see photo later).
M3 Nuts, bolts and washers (20 or so will cover it).
Black card sheet (A3 size, Staples).
2x UV-A tubes - not blacklight tubes, you need to get the right ones (Rapid, CPC, Specialist).
Tube "U" clips to fit the tubes - metal sprung type.
Mains rated switch (Maplin, Rapid, CPC etc...).
Mains flex 3M or so, 3 core 5A (to use whole and stripped into conductors).
Heatshrink tubing slightly larger than the wiring you will use (inner conductors of mains flex).
Ring terminals.
3A Terminal block or "chocstrip"
Mains strain relief cable gland (Maplin, electrical supplier) to fit your mains cable.
Various short screws, pan head and countersunk self tapping.
Sticky tape
2 small blocks of wood 1"x1"
Mirrored card/plastic or tin-foil.
Tools:
Drill.
Drill bits.
Soldering Iron.
Solder.
Crimp tool for ring terminal.
Small flatblade screwdriver
Cross blade screwdriver
Wire cutters.
Long nose pliers.
Pliers.
Knife or scalpel.
Vacuum cleaner.
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My box didn't get warm at all. I suspect that with prolonged use the ballasts may get warm but never hot.
Thanks for the comment!
My box didn't get warm at all. I suspect that with prolonged use the ballasts may get warm but never hot.
Thanks for the comment!
Wiki it.
Sure is nice to erase the proms in 3 mins or less. Even had a few 'dead' ones come back to life.
MK 2 light box used 2 COMPACT FLOURO TUBES these run nice & cool & dont require ballasts. I use the Kinsten Photo board & it works very well.
I found IRON & PEEL does not always work, also some of the tracks come away. THE PHOTO METHOD IS THE BEST &QUICKEST WHEN USED with the Hydrogen Peroxide &Hydrochloric acid, AKA SOLDER FLUX.
Cheers John M
If you forget to flip off the switch, the light would shot off upon opening. This might not be the most practical feature, but better safe than sorry.