# what paint glows best with UV LEDs?



## pedalinbob (Apr 5, 2004)

i would like to make my mini-lighthouse glow under UV LED light. it is currently painted white with medium blue and black trim.

the white paint does not glow, so i am looking for something that will flouresce under UV light--but i dont want any crazy colors. i would prefer white and other typical colors. the lighthouse will be outside for the summer, so weather-ability will be a factor.

any ideas? there are a zillion paints, and i have no idea which would glow.

thanks,
Bob


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## vcal (Apr 5, 2004)

Bob-what you should ask for is:
_phosphorescent_ white paint. 
(Not luminescent)

To get some ideas, look at:
www.bigboyguntoys.com/cgi-bin/ez-catalog/cat_display.cgi?2X375438

But of course, they only have the small bottles...


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 5, 2004)

Spencer's Gifts carries phosphorescent paints, but the closest they have to white is a pale green. And it only comes in small bottles.


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## pedalinbob (Apr 5, 2004)

now im getting somewhere, thanks!
i wonder if it is possible to get that "invisible" stuff--the kind that you use to mark things secretly--usually comes in a pen.

if i could find that, maybe i could apply a coat and cover with a clear coat.

or, if i can only find tiny bottles, i could paint the outline of the lighthouse--that might look nice.

if i cannot find somehthing that will work to my liking, i can use some filtered colored LEDs--but it sure would be cool to make the dispay "glow"!

the search goes on...

Bob


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 5, 2004)

[ QUOTE ]
*pedalinbob said:*
now im getting somewhere, thanks!
i wonder if it is possible to get that "invisible" stuff--the kind that you use to mark things secretly--usually comes in a pen.

if i could find that, maybe i could apply a coat and cover with a clear coat.

or, if i can only find tiny bottles, i could paint the outline of the lighthouse--that might look nice.

if i cannot find somehthing that will work to my liking, i can use some filtered colored LEDs--but it sure would be cool to make the dispay "glow"!

the search goes on...

Bob 

[/ QUOTE ]

As far as the "invisible" stuff - 

Go to a supermarket, fabric or craft store that carries RIT (fabric) dye. Get a package of the "whitening" dye - it's the same stuff they put in laundry detergents to get white fabrics to look "whiter than white." It's basically an invisible fluorescent dye that glows bluish-white under UV. It's the reason why white socks glow under black light.

Mix the dye in a suitable substrate for painting and apply to the lighthouse. Before you apply a clear-coat for weather resistance, try a test patch of the clear-coat on something fluorescent to make sure that it doesn't block a lot of the UV from the LEDs.


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## pedalinbob (Apr 5, 2004)

heeeeeeeeeeeeeey!

and it is inexpensive!!!!

thanks!

Bob


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## Justintoxicated (Apr 5, 2004)

www.clearneon.com has clear UV paint...It's ok some colors glow much brighter than others, and the affect eventualy seems to fade. But it's cool while it lasts I still have a few cans and Don;t knwo what to use it for heh.


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 5, 2004)

[ QUOTE ]
*pedalinbob said:*
heeeeeeeeeeeeeey!

and it is inexpensive!!!!

thanks!

Bob 

[/ QUOTE ]

I bought a pack of the stuff and whipped up a bottle of UV ink with it... a BIG bottle from a single pack.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 5, 2004)

[ QUOTE ]
*Justintoxicated said:*
www.clearneon.com has clear UV paint...It's ok some colors glow much brighter than others, and the affect eventualy seems to fade. But it's cool while it lasts I still have a few cans and Don;t knwo what to use it for heh. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. Thanks for the link!


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## LightScene (Apr 6, 2004)

[ QUOTE ]
*PhotonWrangler said:*
I bought a pack of the stuff and whipped up a bottle of UV ink with it... a BIG bottle from a single pack.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif 

[/ QUOTE ] That's a cool idea. I've been wondering where I could get some UV ink cheap. Did you just mix it with water? It seems like it could be used just about anywhere.


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 6, 2004)

[ QUOTE ]
*LightScene said:*
[ QUOTE ]
*PhotonWrangler said:*
I bought a pack of the stuff and whipped up a bottle of UV ink with it... a BIG bottle from a single pack.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif 

[/ QUOTE ] That's a cool idea. I've been wondering where I could get some UV ink cheap. Did you just mix it with water? It seems like it could be used just about anywhere. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I mixed it with plain old tap water. I probably could have used alcohol or some type of solvent as a carrier to improve the drying time, but I didn't see any need for that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif


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