Best UV Fly Tying Light?

[gibsygoldtop]

Switched to a Loon UV Bench Light this weekend after picking it up at the Lancaster show and it doesn't cure the resin... it's tacky and if you press hard enough, still wet on the bottom. Either with like 30 seconds on light.

Changed the battery, it's just dim. Tried my friend's Loon Mega Light and it worked awesome. But jeez, 65 bucks for it..

What's the best UV light that is super bright, works great but won't break the bank? Thanks!

 

[laszlo]

The sun?

 

[TYoung]

If you don't want to spend a lot of money, Amazon has a bunch of uv lights.

 

[nfrechet]

i have used this one for a couple of years. no problems

google "21 led uv flashlight" and search the results for the cheapest one

depending on how much you want to spend, they start at $3.67 and go up from there

if the uv resin is still tacky, just overcoat with sally hansens hard as nails or set the flies out in the sun.

its the ultimate uv light

 

[JerryCoviello]

i use Solarez UV Cure Flashlight – High Output

comes with rechargeable battery and charger.

If your UV Resin is still tacky switch to Solarez. I never have had a Tacky issue with it.

 

[gibsygoldtop]

Jerry,
It has to me my light - I am using Solarez. I will take a look at their light. Thanks!

 

[JerryCoviello]

gibsygoldtop wrote:
Jerry,
It has to me my light - I am using Solarez. I will take a look at their light. Thanks!

Gibsygoldtop

When I switched to using the Solarez UV light with the Solarez UV Resin it was the best move for me.

1. Battery life for the battery lasted longer for me. WEEKS vs days. This helped me with all the weekends of constant tying at shows and the battery lasted through the shows. I tied all flies using UV Resin at the shows.

2. Using the high powered UV Solarez Lamp, only took 2 one second blasts to harden and NO Tacky feeling. One question I received at all the shows I did was, what do you do when it is tacky? My answer was Solarez never cured tacky.

Hope that helps
Jerry

 

[sandfly]

wrong wave length for solarez

 

[JerryCoviello]

here is an interesting article on Factors Affecting UV Cure
Not just Wave Length could be a factor.

INTENSITY OF UV-LIGHT:

TYPE & AGE OF BULB

DISTANCE BETWEEN LAMP AND SUBSTRATE

https://www.permabond.com/2014/03/20/factors-affecting-uvcure/

I found it an interesting read and that there are more answers than just wavelength.

Also would like to pass along the information Solarez has on their UV Flashlights

https://www.solarez.com/support/information-on-solarez-uv-flashlights/

 

[nfrechet]

i cure solarez bone dry with the light i show above and have no tackiness problems

solarez light is nothing different than ones you can buy on ebay or amazon for greatly reduced prices

they just buy the same light from asia and mark up the price $$$

 

[whheff]

Thanks for the links Jerry. They were very informative articles.

 

[PennKev]

I've had extremely good success with these when using Solarez and Deer Creek products.

https://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-GKG-Scorpion-Ultraviolet-Function/dp/B06XQGDL4M/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_7?keywords=gkg+uv+flashlight&qid=1552455435&s=gateway&sr=8-7-fkmrnull

 

[JerryCoviello]

PennKev wrote:
I've had extremely good success with these when using Solarez and Deer Creek products.

https://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-GKG-Scorpion-Ultraviolet-Function/dp/B06XQGDL4M/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_7?keywords=gkg+uv+flashlight&qid=1552455435&s=gateway&sr=8-7-fkmrnull

As with any of these lights, make sure you have a full charged battery. They use a lot of energy up.

 

[PennKev]

JerryCoviello wrote:

As with any of these lights, make sure you have a full charged battery. They use a lot of energy up.

+100

The difference between a fully charged battery and a half way dead one is very noticeable.

 

[gibsygoldtop]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to see what the local shop has and go from there.

 

[tctrout]

Great comments here, and I agree with the dying/dead batteries being a killer! Solarez is the only UV glue I currently use...and FYI, they have colors coming out soon. I've been playing around with them and WOW.

For flashlights, the two I prefer:

Solarez - https://www.solarez.com/product/uv-cure-flashlight-high-output/

*Pricier option, but I have it paired with rechargeable batteries and have had ZERO problems. It takes two lithium batteries. Cure is always under ten seconds w/ no tackiness.

Amazon - Tao Electronics - https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Blacklight-Flashlights-Detector-Batteries/dp/B07MW65BT3

*Under $10 shipped to my door and uses AAA, which I've replaced twice since May 2017
*Torch does its job

TC

 

[PennKev]

For what it's worth, there are a variety of translucent and opaque colored UV resins available on Amazon from Chinese sellers. I ordered a few and will see how they go. The price was so low that if they are junk I'm not too worried about it. I'll give an update once they arrive.

 

[gibsygoldtop]

Just to follow up with this - I got the Loon Infiniti light and it works great. It is extremely bright and powerful. Cures the resin in a couple seconds. Pretty cool with the rechargeable battery too.