Glowpowder - glowpaint question

LEDcandle

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
1,943
Location
Mushroom S'pore
I've noticed some lights have tritium vials for easy finding in the dark. Can we install a tritium vial on lights not specifically made to house one?

I am also interested in putting glowpowder in the reflector like this :
http://litemania.com/front/php/product.php?product_no=141&main_cate_no=74&display_group=1

What is the best way to go about doing this and what do I apply to stick the glowpowder?

If there are better ways/methods for making a flashlight findable in the dark (preferably without attaching anything external like a blinker), pls let me know what and how to go about it... thanks guys!! :D
 

bombelman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
1,751
My Idea

How about attaching it to the BACK of an optic ??
Light goes through an optic, no reflections from sides.
(no idea how to use it for reflectors?)

glow-optic.jpg
 

bombelman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
1,751
Bags are sold in 1pound quaitities for US$50 with free shipping to USA.

http://www.extremeglow.com/Merchant4/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GP&Category_Code=POWDER

Green is the brightest.

The amount of glow depends upon your perception of the glow. The powder will glow for 14 hours, but how well you see the glow depends upon a number of factors.

The newer style is Strontium Aluminate with Europium as an activator. The glow powder is a non-radioactive phosphorescent pigment with extreme after glow. The after glow is about 10 times longer than conventional pigments and about 10 times brighter. The excitation wavelength is very broad 200-450nm. The glow powder that we sell is the new kind and is designed to be mixed with plastic, clear coat etc. to cause an extreme glow.


Who is willing to buy 1 bag, split it op in 50gr bags for $10 shipping incl postage ?
 

LEDcandle

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
1,943
Location
Mushroom S'pore
Re: Oke, last post here guys . . . . .

thanks for all the info, bombelman... but how do we apply the powder?
There's some powder being sold in the B/S/T forum I think.. didn't really read the details yet
 

Nitroz

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
3,258
Location
Monroe
Re: Oke, last post here guys . . . . .

LEDcandle said:
thanks for all the info, bombelman... but how do we apply the powder?
There's some powder being sold in the B/S/T forum I think.. didn't really read the details yet
The Glow Paint IMO works very well versus the powder. Check your PM.
 

LEDcandle

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
1,943
Location
Mushroom S'pore
Re: Oke, last post here guys . . . . .

Here is some info from the B/S/T thread :-

"Ok, well in short, pour the powder into a nail polish bottle - it MUST be clear with no UV filters in it as UV is what gets the particles excited causing them to glow.

A white background is very desirable. Best results I have are from white nail polish - about 3 or 4 base coats will do. This is to reflect the glow back instead of some of it being absorbed/wasted.

Glow mix ratio is about 30%. More is fine but you will get to a point where more powder = less stick. Basically this means the meduim (carrier) has too much powder and can't hold itself together, or at least is a much weaker bond than normal.

For this last reason, epoxy is a better alternative to nail polish. Nail polish is more convenient as it stores well, epoxy batches must be mixed and used within a short timeframe.

A lot of people use toothpicks to mix the epoxy and powder together, and then again to apply the epoxy.

If using epoxy, it has been recommended to use 2 ton grade over 5 minute types as the fast-setting stuff tends to turn a yukky brown colour after a few days in the sun.

I prefer to apply the glow mix to the business end of the light so it gets a charge off itself though it can be applied almost anywhere - just pick a spot that is a bit out of harms way.

I hope this wasn't too brief Dennis, as I said - it was drafted a couple of times so I had a bit of practice!! hehehe

Let me know if I can help you any further - its no problem!!

Cheers,

Tim."

And the thread is at https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/85986&page=1&pp=30
 

MorpheusT1

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,832
Location
Norway
I think you have to mix it with clear epoxy.

but for finding the light in the dark id have to vote for tritium.
there arent many sources that sell these.
One way to apply a Trtium rod in a light without places to put it,wpould be to drill a small hole in the body and gluing it in there.
But where to find those small tritiums.....

I am considering something like that to my lights.

Just need to find that darn tritium.


Benny
 

rantanplan

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 14, 2004
Messages
186
Location
Hannover, Germany
Re: My Idea

bombelman said:
no reflections from sides.

Isn´t that wrong? :thinking:

IIRC the things what we call "optic" are actually reflectors too. The use the reflection of light on the "barrier" plastic/air ... refraction index difference, bla bla ;)

I would guess you screw up the function of optic when you put some paint on the back ...

correct me if´m wrong ... or feel free to try it :bumpit:
 

LEDcandle

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
1,943
Location
Mushroom S'pore
MorpheusT1 said:
I think you have to mix it with clear epoxy.

but for finding the light in the dark id have to vote for tritium.
there arent many sources that sell these.
One way to apply a Trtium rod in a light without places to put it,wpould be to drill a small hole in the body and gluing it in there.
But where to find those small tritiums.....

I am considering something like that to my lights.

Just need to find that darn tritium.


Benny

I've seen tritium vials for sale here and there, prob you could post in the B/S/T. I haven't experienced tritium myself (other than on watches), but some reviews on those nightglow tritium keychains seem to indicate they are pretty dim and only can be seen in near absolute darkness.

And in such a small amount, they would be harder to see than a generous application of glowpaint (assuming we find a good place to apply it, preferably near the bulb somewhere). I'm sure 12 hours of visible glow is quite enough time to find your light in the darkness :)
 

bombelman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
1,751
I think the light gets bent by/within the optic itself.

At least for the better part.
 

Nitroz

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
3,258
Location
Monroe
bombelman said:
I think the light gets bent by/within the optic itself.

At least for the better part.

A guy at work I know painted some on the optic of his flashlight and it definitely decreased the brightness of his light so much so that he had them send him another optic.
 

MorpheusT1

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,832
Location
Norway
Hmmm,

But will glowpaint get exposed to enough light when applied other places than in the bezel.
I mean in Darkness the Glowpowder/paint wont get any light.

And therfore will be useless?

We something new guys ;)

Kryptonite might do the trick.
;)
 

Grubbster

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Messages
482
Location
Danville, KY
bombelman said:
Who is willing to buy 1 bag, split it up in 50gr bags for $10 shipping incl postage ?
Boy, this statement really reminds me of a time back in the 70s when several of us.....uhhh.....what was I saying??? Oh never mind. :naughty:
 

LEDcandle

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
1,943
Location
Mushroom S'pore
Grubbster said:
Boy, this statement really reminds me of a time back in the 70s when several of us.....uhhh.....what was I saying??? Oh never mind. :naughty:

LOL... :crackup:
And bombelman, nice CRACK pun, even if it was totally unintentional... hahah...
 

Nitroz

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
3,258
Location
Monroe
LEDcandle said:
LOL... :crackup:
And bombelman, nice CRACK pun, even if it was totally unintentional... hahah...

Anymore of this funny stuff and I'm gonna pass out! :faint:
 
Top