Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
I took my wife to the beauty salon a short while back and noticed that the manicurist was using a light on this girls nails. I asked her what she was doing and she replied UV curing these nails on. I thought WOW, wonder if this light would work on a break the same way. I went and bought one a couple nights ago and brought it home to try it out. The light cured the resin in about 2-3 minutes. How could this be? I spend $20.00 and end up with a light that will do what my $100.00 light will do in the same or less time. It uses 4 AA batteries or has a place on the side to plug in 12 volt. I just thought I would mention this and see what everyone thought about this as an alternative UV curing light. CWREPAIR
Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
Where did you buy it? A beauty supply store?
Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
I bought it at a store called Big Lots. Its kinda like a Freds store. I didnt check Wallmart yet, they may have them. It came in a kit with all the nail stuff.
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
Its actually not the lamp... its the bulb. You can get uv bulbs to fit just about any florescent fixture out there... from very cheap to high priced ... I went to WallyWorld and purchased a 2-pk of battery-powered florescent lamps for about $10 and then put in UV bulbs from Janvil. Any clever person can figure out how to attatch suction cups to stick it to the windshield. Most of the time, though I depend on sunlight to do the curing for me. Make sure the batteries are fresh and change out the bulbs on a regular basis (they lose strength even when they arent used), and you are good to go.
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
I don't know what lamp you got at biglots, but I have some surplus nail lamps that boost the uv output and have a one minute timer. These lamps are 12V and cure pretty fast. They have a strong output and the bulbs get pretty warm, unlike a regular "4 AA" light.
Having said that, I use the $100 13W dual-tube style lights like Delta has. My "nail" lamps work well though, and make a nice back up. You can't have too many gadgets and toys.
Having said that, I use the $100 13W dual-tube style lights like Delta has. My "nail" lamps work well though, and make a nice back up. You can't have too many gadgets and toys.
Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
Gold Star, Thanks for the reply and info. Glassdoctor, I appreciate your reply as well. I think my light must boost the UV output too because it cures so fast. I used it again with it plugged into the 12 volt adapter and it cured in a couple of minutes. Thanks Again CWREPAIR
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Re: Curing Lamps
Okay, i'll jump in here for a second...
1. There are many differences between the AA battery powered lights that nail salons use and more expensive professional level lights. The lights that we sell (except for the AA powered back up light), are all designed for extremely heavy, constant use outside. While the small, battery operated lights are cheaper, they absolutely will not last as long as professional level lights.
2. If you put a bulb in a AA powered light, and then in a professional level light, the output is MUCH different. While you can certainly cure with a AA powered light, the cure times are MUCH longer, which leads me to...
3. Cure times...It's very hard to determine cure times. Most UV bulbs can cure surface resin quickly. Our lights all (again, except the AA) cure pit resin in under one minute. That's why some manufacturers tout their 30 second curing lights. If you put pit resin on the surface of a windshield, tape it, and cure for 30 seconds, it looks like it's cured, and you can scrape it off...The problem comes when there's a break underneath there. Did you know that a windshield blocks well over 50% of UV light? So, while you can certainly surface cure in 30-60 seconds, it takes longer to cure the legs of the break. What's worse, it's almost impossible on each break to determine whether that resin is cured. Only during tests can we tell that.
So, what i'm getting to (sorry it took so long), is that a AA battery powered light does not have the strength to cure the resin anywhere close to as quickly as a professional level light.
And last, 3 things determine the application of the UV light to the break. The circuitry of the light, the bulb, and how close the bulb is to the glass.
1. There are many differences between the AA battery powered lights that nail salons use and more expensive professional level lights. The lights that we sell (except for the AA powered back up light), are all designed for extremely heavy, constant use outside. While the small, battery operated lights are cheaper, they absolutely will not last as long as professional level lights.
2. If you put a bulb in a AA powered light, and then in a professional level light, the output is MUCH different. While you can certainly cure with a AA powered light, the cure times are MUCH longer, which leads me to...
3. Cure times...It's very hard to determine cure times. Most UV bulbs can cure surface resin quickly. Our lights all (again, except the AA) cure pit resin in under one minute. That's why some manufacturers tout their 30 second curing lights. If you put pit resin on the surface of a windshield, tape it, and cure for 30 seconds, it looks like it's cured, and you can scrape it off...The problem comes when there's a break underneath there. Did you know that a windshield blocks well over 50% of UV light? So, while you can certainly surface cure in 30-60 seconds, it takes longer to cure the legs of the break. What's worse, it's almost impossible on each break to determine whether that resin is cured. Only during tests can we tell that.
So, what i'm getting to (sorry it took so long), is that a AA battery powered light does not have the strength to cure the resin anywhere close to as quickly as a professional level light.
And last, 3 things determine the application of the UV light to the break. The circuitry of the light, the bulb, and how close the bulb is to the glass.
Delta Kits, Inc.
Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
Delta Kits, I really appreciate your reply. It helped me to finally understand the difference between the two types of light fixtures. I do have one question. You said that a windshield blocks well over 50% of UV light and it would take much longer to cure the legs of the break due to that. First I would like to ask, is the UV protection in the windshield Glass itself or in the lamination in between the two layers of glass. Also, if it was in the lamination?, wouldn't the top layer that your repairing be fully exposed to the UV cure? Thanks CWREPAIR
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Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
Great question!cwrepair wrote:First I would like to ask, is the UV protection in the windshield Glass itself or in the lamination in between the two layers of glass. Also, if it was in the lamination?, wouldn't the top layer that your repairing be fully exposed to the UV cure?
Each layer of glass does block significant UV light. The PVB layer also blocks UV light, but you're right, that doesn't matter much to us since that's below the resin anyway.
Delta Kits, Inc.
Re: Has Anyone Ever Used A Nail Curing Lamp?
Delta, Thanks for the information. Thats what I love about this forum like so many do. This forum has to be the best source of information on the internet. Thanks so much CWREPAIR
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