Violin Forum/Message Board

Dave Chandler · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject: Drying box

I think its the light, warm air flow, and likely the bulb dries the air as well. I think 85 degrees should be pretty safe. I'm using oil varnish.
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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

JWH · Member Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 72

I use oil varnish as well, Dave, and use the limited heat off the BLB bulbs with an open vent in the bottom and top of the box. No added heat source, no fans. Temperature stays around 75 degrees and I can dry a varnish coat in 8 hours to touch. There's a point over 100 degrees which cause small blisters in my varnish, so I am one who favors low temperatures. John

Dave Chandler · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject: Drying cabinet

Update -- I finally installed 4 24" black-lights in my drying cabinet, cost me $11 apiece at Wal-Mart. They come with fixtures and bulbs. 10 minutes and 4 screws to install. I don't know what kind of UV light they put out, but it really works well. Temperature in the box now runs about 92F. The bulb itself is not hot to the touch at all. Pretty safe. Now I can apply a thin coat of varnish every 5-6 hours, and if left overnight its a good hard finish.

Question -- is this a good way to "tan" a white violin too?
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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

Andres Sender · Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 6:06 pm Post subject:

It's an adequate way, could take a week or more though, that's the tradeoff.

mikemolnar · Member Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 57

I use T10 germicidal lamps from 1000Bulbs.com.

Four are adequate, but I use six staggered at different heights to get the entire body and scroll.

Mike

Andres Sender · Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject:

Mike am I right to assume you use those just for tanning? Do you take any particularly stringent precautions with them?

mikemolnar · Member Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 57

There is no special protection other than not opening the door when the lights are on. Air is circulated through a filter and the temperature reaches 82 F. The inside of the cabinet is lined with aluminum foil.

I use the cabinet for tanning and curing oil varnish. Any ebony parts on the violin are covered with masking tape; otherwise, they get too warm which could soften their glue.

mikemolnar · Member Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 57

For those who are careful about UV, there is a nifty detector that I use to watch for UV leaks.

There is a plastic sealer to bottles and packages that glows blue in the presence of ANY UV radiation. I know it is on tubs of raisins and soft drink bottles. Check your kitchen cabinet or refrigerator.

Just hold this in any light that has UV and you will see it glow. Test it in sunlight. It will not glow under incandescent lamps.

Neat stuff.

Mike

johnsonfredral · Junior Member Joined: 24 Aug 2010 Posts: 1

thanks for sharing Smile

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Cabinet makers

Dave Chandler · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:46 pm Post subject: Black lights

Just a precaution, something I learned the hard way. I was using a light bulb below the UV light box to create heat to move air up through the box. I began to have trouble with plates detaching from the lower block, and finally figured the source of my problem, just too much heat. I had the violins mounted on a peg attached to the base of the box, up through the tailpiece peg hole, so the lower block was getting all the heat.

Lately, I've been storing my back and top in this light box while working on graduation, purfling, and final edgework etc, and while completing the neck and scroll. I've read that tanning (or subjection to UV) for the equivalent of several days of full sunlight, conditions or ages the wood equivalent to several years of additional natural aging of the wood.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo

arordame · Posted: Thu May 31, 2012 11:18 pm Post subject: UV LEDs

Has anyone tried using UV LEDs for a light box? My experience with LEDs for lighting has shown a tremendous energy saving.

mikemolnar · Member Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 57

What I want to point out about UV cabinets is to use only FLUORESCENT bulbs not incandescent like those used in terrariums. The latter emit too much heat (infrared) that can fry your varnish in spots.

I know sadly from experience.

Stay Tuned.
Mike