Quartz bulbs for Calmat flash

[Sbrem]

OK, we need some bulbs for our Calmat flash, a QC 20 Compact Gold model. No luck, except that Hirsch found one for us, and it's on the way. We may have to eventually abandon these great flash units for lack of bulbs. Anyone, Pierre?

Steve

[ebscreen]

Same boat dude. Posted about it awhile back. Roughly $650 each from Calmat.

It is rather easy to convert to readily available quartz bulbs (Ushio and the like).
Though the performance is nowhere near these carbon-fiber element gold plated
beasts.

Come to think of it, if you're interested, I might have 5 for you. I'm on the fence about
switching over because I still have 5 that work fine.

[Sbrem]

Yeah, $700 now. I mentioned your possible offer to my partner, and he likes the idea. We may change over too, the guy we used to deal with when we bought our machine out or Spartanburg, SC is making his own, 3K - 4K, but the replacement bulbs are only $150.00. Let me know if you want to move the bulbs, my email is in the profile. Have a good one.

[squeegee]

The MSI flashes are really good, I have 4 of them, they do the job everyday and are solid workhorses, 2 are 6 years old with original bulbs (except the couple we carelessly broke).  Not sure if they have model with casters for the S-type, but the wheels are awesome.

[ebscreen]

Casters would be awesome, but the S-Type heads don't roll like that. Drop in only. Which is how I broke a bulb.

[blue moon]

I am on the cheap bulbs from Hirsch (little over $100 if I remember correctly) and my flash times are downright disgusting! All my bulbs are silver so my guess is that's why the times are so long.

'saving pennies for a  new flash . . .

pierre

[ebscreen]

Look into the gold reflector ones. Not much more than the standard, and if purchased from the
manufacturer, about $80 each for ~1600 watt - 20"LL.

You likely don't need a new flash, just new bulbs. The nuts and bolts of quartz flashes are surprisingly simple.
Hell, I'm building my own.

[Sbrem]

Pierre, do they, the silver bulbs fit in the same flash unit, the QC20, and how long are your flash times, roughly? And who is that manufacturer so I could look them up, EB?

Steve

build my own, hmmm...

[blue moon]

Pierre, do they, the silver bulbs fit in the same flash unit, the QC20, and how long are your flash times, roughly? And who is that manufacturer so I could look them up, EB?

Steve

build my own, hmmm...

I bought them from Hirsch, they fit right in the Calmat for the E-type.

On big prints, it can be 12 sec. Normal front (12x12), one stroke through 160 probably about 8 sec, maybe 7. Left chest will go down to 3. Most prints we run are flashing 7-8 seconds.

[ebscreen]

There is essentially 2 types (well 3 really) of quartz tubes. The one's we (QC20) have are carbon emitter with gold
reflector. M&R and the like are coming around to these due to the incredibly quick flash times. What makes us (Calmat)
special is that instead of using industry and US standard 240 volt tubes in parallel they used 100 volt tubes in series.
Ugh. So not only are they hard to find, but if one goes out, you're SOL on the other. Luckily you can re-wire 240 volt
standard tubes in parallel pretty easily.

The standard in the industry as far as I know is nichrome coils in clear quartz with external reflectors. Not nearly as
quick per watt as the carbon, but readily available and inexpensive. USHIO is a major manufacturer, and there are others.
Requires more power for the same amount of heat, the reason our flashes are single phase and most in the US are 3 phase.

Here is the manufacturer of some gold reflector types:

http://www.noblelight.net/infrared_heaters/short_wave_single_tube_nir_heaters.shtml

DO NOT ASK FOR A TUBE OF EXACT SPECS AS YOUR CALMAT!! They will refer you to them.


As far as building one yourself it's relatively easy. Signal comes from the press to turn on
SSR's controlling the tubes. Divide them in the sections you want with separate relays.
The rest is mostly mechanical, and if you want intensity control, a signal chopper.
The special thing about us MHMers is that instead of a signal from the press lasting as
long as the flash time, they instead use an ON and OFF signal, requiring a thyristor to latch
for the on and unlatch for the off. Maybe all presses do that but it sounds like a way of
locking you into a certain type of flash.

[Sbrem]

Thanks EB, a bit to digest, but not so much as to put it off. Pierre, 12 seconds, holy cow. We're at about 3 seconds. My partner has spoken to the guy I mentioned that is building them, and he is going to send us a video of his flash in operation, which of course I'll share. His unit is in the $3500 range (We paid 4500 for the Calmat 8 years ago) and bulbs in the $100 area.

Steve

[blue moon]

Thanks EB, a bit to digest, but not so much as to put it off. Pierre, 12 seconds, holy cow. We're at about 3 seconds. My partner has spoken to the guy I mentioned that is building them, and he is going to send us a video of his flash in operation, which of course I'll share. His unit is in the $3500 range (We paid 4500 for the Calmat 8 years ago) and bulbs in the $100 area.

Steve

my sentiment exactly. We are running 3600 pieces today and the flash is at 5 sec and we are limited to 650/ hour. Long term that averages less than 400 per hour and I am not happy. With a better flash we could run those at 750-850 and just plow through them. I would rather work harder and get it done in six hours than having to go nine.

I have talked to Gaylen about his flash unit. That's why I am saving the pennies. It will be cheaper than getting the proper bulbs.

pierre

[squeegee]

Gaylen's flashes rock, we get 3 second flash times on big prints or small ones (at speed with hot pallets of course), and we normally only run ours at about 75%-80% of full power.

[Screened Gear]

Gaylen's flashes rock, we get 3 second flash times on big prints or small ones (at speed with hot pallets of course), and we normally only run ours at about 75%-80% of full power.

What is the size of the Gaylen flash? Is there any power difference needed? I have a Calmat flash and wonder if i have to run a new power line. Mine runs off a 3-Phase 40 amp. You think Gaylen would give a discount for board members or if we all buy them at the same time.

[244]

This is not a post to sell you a flash but to possible help you with your understanding of flashes. A good quartz flash cure should gel your ink in around 1-3 seconds if you are using the proper  wavelength of IR. It is not the type of bulb so much as it is the wavelength. We have customers gelling the ink in one second once the pallets are warmed up and less than 5 seconds even if the pallets are not. A reference price can be had by looking at our Red Chili flash. A 18X22 on a stand that pulls 34 amps on 3 phase typically runs around $2500. That is also with a money back guarantee as well if you are not satisfied. If here at M&R we sell at that price that should be a good guide for what you should pay for others. Again this is not to sell you on our product. Hope it helps.