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Rick58

UV flashlights

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Never had a problem with either of mine...make sure the batteries haven't become too low and just about any of those available will work fine.

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I use a UV Dental Curing Light that I got for $30 to benchcure my scuds. I then place them in a used denture curing oven that I found used.

I found that the hand held light didn't completely cure the resin but left a slight film that would cloud after a bit.

Placing the scuds in the UV oven for 2 to 3 minutes completely cured the resin with no leftover film to cloud.

My application of resin is rather thick and hard to cure completely. This is especially true on things like minnow heads. Using the oven allows me to continue tying while while my flies cure.

You might also check how your wife hardens her nail polish. Her nail polish oven works nicely on your flies and is very economical.

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At the risk of providing too much technology content . . . 🤪

The best UV light for curing resin is one that emits UV-A light with a wavelength between 365-405 nanometers, but the actual "sweet spot" varies with the specific composition of the resin you use.  If you have to post-process your flies then it is possible you have a wavelength mismatch between your resin and flashlight (aka "torch" in the UK) . . . or you are not curing it long enough, or with the optimum technique (start with short burst of distant intermittent exposure, and then slowly move the lamp closer and for longer duration).  You may notice that if sometimes you "blast" the fly at close range with a higher power lamp, there is a little puff of smoke from the fly - this is bad for two reasons: the cure is too intense and can make the resin brittle, AND the smoke is toxic!  Multiple applications of thin coats is better that one application of a thick coat.  Also, some folks believe that exposure to actual sunlight somewhat tempers the cured resin (especially for thicker applications) - I have no evidence that this works (or doesn't).

Lastly, all UV resins are not created equal.  I've tried a quite a few, but not as many as Charlie Craven (see his video below).  I use Solarez in several viscosities, and a "reasonable thickness" cure is accomplished in less than a minute using the technique mentioned above, and the Solarez High Output UV Flashlight Resinator Kit (powerful, rechargeable, with extra battery).  I am certainly not suggesting there aren't MANY other resins and lamps that work well, but this is what an old retired engineer (tying flies for almost 50 years) finally settled on! . . .    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA-l1Qknuyc

Regards,

 

             

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