The New Glow Powder's Glow Just Doesn't Last!

Gene

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The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

I was expecting so much from the latest form of glow powder but I have to admit it doesn't last worth a darn! I don't know the technical name of this stuff but it's the latest and greatest glow powder available. The initial glow is so nice and bright and intense and seems so promising and I can use the light from the glow in the first several minutes of charging as a light itself! It dims so quickly though, that it just isn't worth the hassle. I only use the green which is the easiest for the human eye to see in the dark but still, it isn't worth the trouble.

I've heard that it should last for a full 8-10 hours at reduced glow but my eyes can't even discern it after about an hour. I'm using it in a clear nail polish base. Maybe it's my 55 year old eyes but after extensive usage, it's a bust! Anyone else have the same results?
 

vcal

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Did you actually get Strontium aluminate, or Zinc Sulphide?
 

this_is_nascar

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

It's not you Gene. I'll fell for all the hype also. I purchased a bunch of glow powder, glow paint, glow everything else too. I've mixed it, used it raw, etc but don't get much of a long glow at all. I think the stuff I have came from Glow Lady or something like that. I should have known that if it "sounds too good to be true (many hours of glow) than it's not".
 

kongfuchicken

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Try charging it with an UV lamp or torch.
I also heard you should avoid crushing the powder.
 

Kram

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Gene,

Maybe we're dealing with a difference in expectations. I'm one of the ones that has been impressed with the stuff. The intensity of the glow does drop off quickly, but remains discernable (to my eyes) throughout the night. There are other possible variables, as well. According to what I've read, the duration of the glow varies depending on how large a proportion of the powder is mixed in with whatever medium you're using. It also varies depending on how long and what kind of light you use to charge it with. For me, even ambient incandescent light before bedtime is enough to charge it so that it can be seen all night, but it isn't very intense. The glow effect will vary a lot, as well, depending on the color of the background onto which it is painted. A white background yields the brightest glow.

It's also possible that there are differences between individuals' ability to see in the dark.

I think my view of the glow powder (mine came from Ready-Set-Glo in Canada) is that it's much brighter than the glow in the dark things that I was familiar with when I was growing up, so I may have a different starting point in my expectations.

Mark
 

vcal

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Gene, Ray et al;
A few things should be understood about the purposes and efficacy of "glow surfaces":

1) They are designed to provide soft, but consistent visibility for several hours in dark areas-with dark adapted vision.
2) They are not supposed to be used for a "illumination"..but only as markers.

I have seen cases over and over again where if the paint or surface was either not prepared, mixed, or applied correctly, the result will look exactly as Gene has described it.
It is EASY to apply a glow painted surface that glows like hell for just a few minutes, and then fades sharply in 5-10 minutes. -I've done it many times..-until I finally got the hang of it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I've painted two different samples that glowed Equally at first, (with the same paint) and then showed dramatically different results after just 2-3 minutes! The difference was almost like night and day.

Getting a strong Glowing surface can be elusive and a real PIA if you haven't practiced and mixed quite a lot. My experience is that at shortest, it takes me at LEAST an hour to apply a consistent, bright, DURABLE glow. After 2 years of experimentation, I've been able to coat items that were still visible (w/dark adapted vision), in real darkness -up to 72 hours after a thorough charge-up!

One other point-there are a lot of "glow powders" that are floating around out there that are not a really high grade at all. -Look on eBay, for example...You get what you pay for.
If you get an ounce for $10-15., you are not getting a really good grade.
-To tell whether you actually got a quality grade of glow pigment:
A) Put about 2 grams of the pigment (UNMIXED) in a clear Ziploc.
B) Charge up that sample for about 2 minutes with a strong regular cool white fluorescent -at 2 inches, and then put the sample in a dark area -like a hallway that gets very little light, and then about 8 hours later -look at it in darkness. It should be easily visible-Period! If it isn't, then something is definitely wrong. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Having said all of the above, ---if 'ya want a brilliant, really highly luminous glow in the dark that lasts indefinitely, forget all about glow pigment, Radium 226, Tritium, or even EL.... and just use the Light Emitting Diode. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

cmendoza

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Doug,

Any recommendations on where to get a higher grade glow powder?

Thanks,
Chris
 

Gene

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Thank you Mark and vcal for your views. I've been using the Strontium Aluminate. I've been mixing it with a pretty heavy concentration of the powder. It's really nice when it's first charged up and so bright!

I even took my NanoMate regular head apart and coated the the reflector with it. I'm getting pretty proficient at painting with it and can get a nice, smooth surface. It works super as a nice flood reflector when applied smoothly on the NanoMate. When I turn the light off, the glow is really bright green! It's just that it fades so quickly. As Ray also attested, it's just so disappointing that it fades so fast! I will admit though, that I like the flood pattern of the NM reflector coated with the glow powder better than the stock shiny silver!

Maybe as Mark noted, some folks eyes are just different than others and it doesn't appear as bright as it does to others. To me it seems like I have mixed it properly with the powder on the heavy side. I also tape the bottle to a Skill saw blade and turn the saw on for about five minutes so I assure you it is well mixed!

Then again as vcal noted, it just MAY take MUCH experimentation to get it right. The SA I'm using is expensive enough as it is and if there's even more expensive powder out there that works better, I think I'll pass. On second thought though, it WOULD be nice after going through all the hassle to have something that LASTS!

I aquired a few green "Glow Discs" awhile back and I've been epoxying them to my lights using crystal clear five minute epoxy. They at least glow all night! Again, thanks for all your thoughts.
 

cheesehead

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Nuclear plants have old lead that's radioactive. We got a batch of it once, accidentally made into lead aprons. I should have kept a swatch of it, since I think it's hard to get otherwise. I think if you get a radioactive source and glow paint it, that would work pretty well.

Other than that, I've been disappointed in all glow powders, markers, etc, except the tritium gas tubes.
 

vcal

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Thanks for your honest evaluation, Gene.

Were the glow discs that you mention at bottom of your post....the Strontium or the Tritium ones? I have some of the newer Sr-Al discs.
-For reference, the factory made SR glow stuff just doesn't compare in quality to my 5 coat results, and that DOES include Alien Skin.

p.s.-I will be getting some of the new pre-mixed premium epoxy paint soon and testing that. (Finest grade)
 

Gene

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

vcal,
Thank YOU for your honest answers! The Glow Discs are tiny encapsulated tritium vials. vcal, would you be willing to let me try some of your 5 coat paint and some of your pre-mixed premium epoxy paint and give a honest report on my findings? I would be more than happy to refund your shipping and handling costs. Thank you.
 

vcal

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

[ QUOTE ]
Gene said:
vcal,
Thank YOU for your honest answers! The Glow Discs are tiny encapsulated tritium vials. vcal, would you be willing to let me try some of your 5 coat paint and some of your pre-mixed premium epoxy paint and give a honest report on my findings? I would be more than happy to refund your shipping and handling costs. Thank you.

[/ QUOTE ]
OK
The Tritium has the big longivity advantage, alright. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

If you'll PM me your address, Gene, I'll be glad to send you a sample (or two) of a "best case" result-for comparison purposes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 

Gene

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

You've got it vcal and thank you! I will report here what I think. Thanks much for your generosity!
 

WildRice

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

I too waas disapoitned with the glow powder (Luminova), it is quite bright to start off with but it does fall off quickly. now I just recieved some green and aqua from ReadySetGlo(canada) and I immediately noticed a difference. The one from Canada was advertised as for gel candles. This powder was not really a powder but more like fine silica. It didn't clump like corn starch in the baggies, but rather just 'sloshed' around like fine sand. I did read a page where it said the the larger particles will glow longer, and theses are definately larger. I can feel the grittyness when I rub the bag in my fingers. As far as glow goes, the finer powder 'charges' faster, but the grainer stuff glows Much longer.

I don't think this stuff would work well in suspention, but should work well for dusting. I will post a follow up when I have some comparisons.
Jeff
 

whiskypapa3

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Gene;

I hope you meant JIG or SCROLL saw. SKILSAW has been Skil Corp's trademark for hand held circular saws since the mid 1920's..
 

ElektroLumens

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

[ QUOTE ]
Gene said:
I was expecting so much from the latest form of glow powder but I have to admit it doesn't last worth a darn! I don't know the technical name of this stuff but it's the latest and greatest glow powder available. The initial glow is so nice and bright and intense and seems so promising and I can use the light from the glow in the first several minutes of charging as a light itself! It dims so quickly though, that it just isn't worth the hassle. I only use the green which is the easiest for the human eye to see in the dark but still, it isn't worth the trouble.

I've heard that it should last for a full 8-10 hours at reduced glow but my eyes can't even discern it after about an hour. I'm using it in a clear nail polish base. Maybe it's my 55 year old eyes but after extensive usage, it's a bust! Anyone else have the same results?


[/ QUOTE ]

The disapointment may come from higher expectations. The Strontium Aluminate glow powder has an initial brightness, which lasts perhaps 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how high it is charged. After that, it has a discernable glow, but not nearly as bright. This will glow all night at this level.

The long lasting glow is superior to the old zinc sulfate stuff of old.

Some have begun to use it in paint, to mark emergency exits, etc.

Glow Lady sells the best grade Strontium Aluminate available.

Funniest application I saw was a glowing toilet seat, called "Glo in the Dark", or something like that.

Wayne j
 

Gene

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

Jeff,
That stuff sounds very interesting!

whiskypapa,
You got me! I don't know why I wrote "Skill" saw instead of "jig". Thanks for the correction.

Wayne,
It may be expectations but I still expected more. I am using the Strontium Aluminate and it is very, very bright initially. I just have been unable to perceive ANY glow, even in comlete darkness after about an hour. As noted above, vcal is sending me some of his "best case senario" Strontium Aluminate paint and I will definitely report the comparison of what I have and his, in another thread.
 

WildRice

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

VCAL, what do you use as the base for your paint??? I tried the hail clear coat thing, with a fer BB's in the jar. after a day or too, all the powder has setteled to a clump at the bottom. extremely hard to get mixed. any suggestions...
jeff
 

kongfuchicken

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

I took an unfolded paper clip and bended one end to mix it after it settles down. I didn't think it was particularly hard... Sure it took me a couple of minutes but have you ever tried to beat the white of an egg til it foams with only a fork?
Now that's really hard!!
 

vcal

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Re: The New Glow Powder\'s Glow Just Doesn\'t Last!

[ QUOTE ]
WildRIce said:
VCAL, what do you use as the base for your paint??? I tried the hail clear coat thing, with a fer BB's in the jar. after a day or too, all the powder has setteled to a clump at the bottom. extremely hard to get mixed. any suggestions...
jeff


[/ QUOTE ]
@cmendoza-
Best sources of pigment are readysetglo, www.glowinc.com, and glowlady (Electrolumens).

Of the 4 grades available, only TWO do I consider acceptable (types 7 and 8) -those are the 40/60 grit and glow the longest. They also cost noticeably more than the 2 inferior grades 5 and 6 (20/40 grit).
The grade 8 is by far the most expensive, but IMHO, the 5% difference in performance just doesn't justify it's 40% increase in cost. The sources noted above sell the grade 7..-which is very GOOD quality..and at a reasonable price.

@wildrice-
The lacquer base that I have used is widely available at supermarkets and drugstores and is called Wet'N Wild #401
-it has the least sunshield in it, and it's cheap.
I recommend only mixing up at a time, just enough to do the job at hand becos:
A) It is as you said, hard to remix, and
B) It will deteriorate in it's potency after 2-3 days.

I use a wooden 5" (hobby) stick to mix in the powder to the base medium. I do not use shot or BBs in the bottle. Unfortunately, constant stirring is neccessary when using lacquer medium.
ALSO, if the paint starts to thicken up (making it very hard to apply evenly) juat add a few drops of mineral spirits to thin the mixture.

Having said the above, in the future, I going to just use the premixed epoxy formula from glowinc.com. It costs more money, but is so much easier to apply than the lacquer base, and the results are the very best I've seen yet. -Too bad you can't buy already made products that glow as good or as long as this stuff.
The only thing I don't like is the increased drying time in between each of the 4-5 coats necessary to do a great job.
It really IS impossible to get (what I consider) really quality results in less than an hour. -There just ain't no quick way..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Hope that helps.
 
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