UV light recommendations

[+DM|ZE]

I'm thinking about doing a cache that will require a UV light but I need to get one first and I was hoping someone might have a recommendation of which one to buy. Price is an issue, I don't want to spend tons on this as the usefulness will be limited to me.

 

TIA,

DM|ZE

[niverson92]

i have never personally owned one but there is the one on the official GS shop page but if that is to much look on amazon there are plenty that are under $10.

 

hope i helped

[+DM|ZE]

i have never personally owned one but there is the one on the official GS shop page but if that is to much look on amazon there are plenty that are under $10.

 

hope i helped

 

Thanks, I didn't even think to check there. It's currently out of stock and the price isn't bad, I just wish it had reviews.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Any Ultra Bright Blue L.E.D. (mostly the only readily available blue) Is U.V. Reactive.

I regularly find them as finger lights for 50¢ and occasionally find strings of 20 for 2.00.

In groups of 5 or more they work better at distance than most hand held florescent lights.

I can find pet stains wile standing vs kneeling with the florescent.

I have never bothered to find out how far they can be used at, but probably should considering their use on stage would lower the temperature.

[+Dgwphotos]

I like this one: Chauvet Handheld Blacklight. It's dual mode, with both a flashlight and a black light (though not at the same time).

[+kunarion]

I'm thinking about doing a cache that will require a UV light but I need to get one first and I was hoping someone might have a recommendation of which one to buy. Price is an issue

Look on a popular Internet auction site. You can find UV LED penlights for about a buck apiece. If you need a bunch, you can pay even less for each. As Vater_Araignee mentioned, the LED penlights may not even need to be "UV" to show the ink.

 

Bear in mind that if it gets rusty, breaks, or disappears, your UV cache gets harder to do. So keep a spare on hand, a light that's easily replaceable on the cheap.

 

I'm sure you have a foolproof plan for the UV ink , but just FYI, I tested a UV blue pen on a fake leaf outdoors, and after 4 months, it doesn't fluoresce anymore, and the number shows up as a dark stain in ordinary light. If you're using a fluorescent mineral rather than "ink", it may last many years.

 

[You know what would be cool? Gravel that "glows" in UV light, specially arranged in a bed of gravel. 'Scuse me a minute while I go ponder a completely unrelated cache idea. ]

Edited July 24, 2012 by kunarion

[+Vater_Araignee]

[You know what would be cool? Gravel that "glows" in UV light, specially arranged in a bed of gravel. 'Scuse me a minute while I go ponder a completely unrelated cache idea. ]

Glow Pebbles 3 colors.

Gravel 2 colors, the red is great.

Glow Sand.

You can also get slow sand cheaper in pet stores and pet supply sections that cater to hermit crabs and reptiles but only white w/green glow. If I remember correctly I was paying about a dollar an ounce.

Riskreactor.com also has great deals on high quality UV and photo-luminescent paints, inks, pigment, and dye. They are part of the recipe for the makeup and hair spray I used in my avatar photo.

[+kunarion]

[You know what would be cool? Gravel that "glows" in UV light, specially arranged in a bed of gravel. 'Scuse me a minute while I go ponder a completely unrelated cache idea. ]

Glow Pebbles 3 colors.

Gravel 2 colors, the red is great.

Glow Sand.

You can also get slow sand cheaper in pet stores and pet supply sections that cater to hermit crabs and reptiles but only white w/green glow. If I remember correctly I was paying about a dollar an ounce.

OK, now that's just plain COOL!

[+DragonsWest]

I've got a few I've bought off ebay for about $4, which take 3 AAA cells. They're OK, somewhere in the 400nm vicinity. I also have one which is closer to 380nm which lights things up much brighter. For most UV work anything around 370-400nm will do.

 

Some hardware outlets have these as people use them to search out scorpions with.

[+kunarion]

The OP might also find a used rock light (which illuminates minerals such as limestone). It may have selectable wavelengths, battery powered or A.C.

 

That would not usually be something you'd leave loose for people to take. But depending on what your idea is, that may be more suitable than an LED. Just throwing it out there.

Edited July 24, 2012 by kunarion

[+malo mystery]

Then there is Trintium - it glows permanently without charging of any kind, not sure that these are legal in USA

 

[+Vater_Araignee]

Then there is Trintium - it glows permanently without charging of any kind, not sure that these are legal in USA

 

They are, I have one in red.

It is only about 20% the brightness of green but that was a tactical decision. When playing multi day airsoft games you want to read not wave a target that screams come and get me.

I hear that the green can actually charge fast glow photo-luminescent pigment, but that is hearsay and I don't like the yellow greens so wont be testing it.

[+DM|ZE]

Wow, thanks guys you have given me a lot to look at as I plan my next cache!!!!

 

Loving the rocks and trintium even though it was not my original question thanks for sharing these really cool ideas!!!

[+DM|ZE]

Then there is Trintium - it glows permanently without charging of any kind, not sure that these are legal in USA

 

They are, I have one in red.

It is only about 20% the brightness of green but that was a tactical decision. When playing multi day airsoft games you want to read not wave a target that screams come and get me.

I hear that the green can actually charge fast glow photo-luminescent pigment, but that is hearsay and I don't like the yellow greens so wont be testing it.

 

Any idea where to get these in the US?

[+kunarion]

Any idea where to get these in the US?

This is used in watches, and gun & bow sights. Google "tritium glowring keychain" for a huge selection. I don't know of any retail stores in particular.

 

Tritium is a cool idea for a cache clue light, since it doesn't need power. You can "turn it on and off" with a mechanism.

Edited July 26, 2012 by kunarion

[+Vater_Araignee]

Then there is Trintium - it glows permanently without charging of any kind, not sure that these are legal in USA

 

They are, I have one in red.

It is only about 20% the brightness of green but that was a tactical decision. When playing multi day airsoft games you want to read not wave a target that screams come and get me.

I hear that the green can actually charge fast glow photo-luminescent pigment, but that is hearsay and I don't like the yellow greens so wont be testing it.

 

Any idea where to get these in the US?

Got mine during a gun and knife show at the Taylor Gibraltar Trade Center. The guy made me a deal at $45 because the key-chains hardly moved now you can get them at $24 on amazon.

[jbravofaria]

Anyone knows any ink or non-toxic product that is UV reactive and would resist weather conditions?!

For painting info on a wall, exposed to sun and rain.

Thanks in advance

[Pup Patrol]

Anyone knows any ink or non-toxic product that is UV reactive and would resist weather conditions?!

For painting info on a wall, exposed to sun and rain.

Thanks in advance

 

Guidelines

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

1. Fundamental Placement Guidelines

 

1. All local laws and documented land management policies apply.

 

2. You assure us that you have the landowner's and/or land manager's permission before you hide any geocache, whether placed on private or public property.

 

3. Geocaches are never buried, neither partially nor completely.

 

4. Geocache placements do not damage, deface or destroy public or private property.

 

Caches are placed so that the surrounding environment, whether natural or human-made, is safe from intentional or unintentional harm. Property must not be damaged or altered to provide a hiding place, clue, or means of logging a find.

 

B.

[+T.D.M.22]

Anyone knows any ink or non-toxic product that is UV reactive and would resist weather conditions?!

For painting info on a wall, exposed to sun and rain.

Thanks in advance

 

You won't find any. Besides what Pup Patrol has said any UV ink you get will not last outdoors. It will fade due to weather, and the UV rays from the sun will make it fade as well....

 

If you still want to go ahead with it, there's this magic thing called Google.

[+thebruce0]

I highly recommend Cache At Night as a valuable resource for all things night/hidden

[+niraD]

Anyone knows any ink or non-toxic product that is UV reactive and would resist weather conditions?!

You won't find any. Besides what Pup Patrol has said any UV ink you get will not last outdoors. It will fade due to weather, and the UV rays from the sun will make it fade as well....

You won't find fluorescent ink/paint that will stand up to prolonged exposure to the elements, but you can protect it from the elements. That's what the UV caches I've found have done. Put the fluorescent ink/paint in something, or under something, or behind something.

 

Also, if you want to make it harder for seekers to read the fluorescent writing without a UV light, you can combine the fluorescent paint with non-fluorescent paint that looks similar under normal light. You might end up with something like this:

under normal light:

aaa       sss    ddd    fff         ggg       hhh    jjj    vvv
k   o     l   p  q   w  z   e       r   x     t   y  c   u  i   o
k   o     l   p  q   w  z   e       r   x     t   y  c   u  i   o
k   o     l   p  q   w  z   e       r   x     t   y  c   u  i   o
ppp       zzz    bbb    xxx         ccc       vvv    bbb    nnn
n   m     m   a  s   d  f   a       g   h     j   k  s   l  d   q
n   m     m   a  s   d  f   a       g   h     j   k  s   l  d   q
n   m     m   a  s   d  f   a       g   h     j   k  s   l  d   q
www   *   eee    rrr    ttt         yyy   *   uuu    iii    fff

under UV light:

aaa       sss    ddd    fff         ggg       hhh    jjj
k         l      q   w      e       r         t   y      u  i   o
k         l      q   w      e       r         t   y      u  i   o
k         l      q   w      e       r         t   y      u  i   o
ppp       zzz           xxx         ccc       vvv    bbb    nnn
   m         a  s   d  f           g   h     j   k      l      q
   m         a  s   d  f           g   h     j   k      l      q
   m         a  s   d  f           g   h     j   k      l      q
www   *   eee    rrr    ttt         yyy   *   uuu    iii

[+wmpastor]

Anyone knows any ink or non-toxic product that is UV reactive and would resist weather conditions?!

For painting info on a wall, exposed to sun and rain.

Thanks in advance

 

Guidelines

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

1. Fundamental Placement Guidelines

 

1. All local laws and documented land management policies apply.

 

2. You assure us that you have the landowner's and/or land manager's permission before you hide any geocache, whether placed on private or public property.

 

3. Geocaches are never buried, neither partially nor completely.

 

4. Geocache placements do not damage, deface or destroy public or private property.

 

Caches are placed so that the surrounding environment, whether natural or human-made, is safe from intentional or unintentional harm. Property must not be damaged or altered to provide a hiding place, clue, or means of logging a find.

 

B.

Ok, so what are the rules for using ink that is only visible in UV light? If you follow the above strictly, you could never write on anything except something you bring to the site.

[Clan Riffster]

Anyone knows any ink or non-toxic product that is UV reactive and would resist weather conditions?!

For painting info on a wall, exposed to sun and rain.

Thanks in advance

 

Guidelines

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

1. Fundamental Placement Guidelines

 

1. All local laws and documented land management policies apply.

 

2. You assure us that you have the landowner's and/or land manager's permission before you hide any geocache, whether placed on private or public property.

 

3. Geocaches are never buried, neither partially nor completely.

 

4. Geocache placements do not damage, deface or destroy public or private property.

 

Caches are placed so that the surrounding environment, whether natural or human-made, is safe from intentional or unintentional harm. Property must not be damaged or altered to provide a hiding place, clue, or means of logging a find.

 

B.

Ok, so what are the rules for using ink that is only visible in UV light? If you follow the above strictly, you could never write on anything except something you bring to the site.

I think they just posted them.

As noted by several folks with experience in UV ink, they oft become visible over time.

It's the 'become visible' part that is problematic.

[Pup Patrol]

Ok, so what are the rules for using ink that is only visible in UV light? If you follow the above strictly, you could never write on anything except something you bring to the site.

 

What exactly would you want to write on at the site? Rocks? Trees? Traffic signs?

 

How would you get permission from the land owner/manager to write on something at the site?

 

 

B.

[+fab_seeker]

Hello!

 

I bought a pencil/lamp UV on the Internet (Ebay) which cost 3 euros.

 

I hid a stage of multicache which required UV: I simply placed a microfilm box, in which I set a piece of paper on which I wrote with invisible Ink. Maybe the solution not to write on natural environment.

 

Have a nice day!

[+bjmccacher]

Fair warning, if you hold the paper up to the sun you can see it. Either write it on cardboard, or another trick is to cover it up with squiggley lines written in normal pen. Test things out before placing!

[+teamvoyagr]

The challenge with anything UV related is the Sun. The Sun puts out an enormous amount of UV light. Anything that is UV reactive will degrade quickly in sunlight. Inks tend to be water soluable so they must be protected from the elements. Paint is permanent and should only be applied where you have permission. An alternative is to use something that is constructed to be UV reactive. From a caching perspective this is the best material we have found. It is weather friendly, just keep it out of direct sunlight. UV Monofilament.

[+wmpastor]

You know what would be cool? Gravel that "glows" in UV light, specially arranged in a bed of gravel.

Does the code message get lost when a deer pees on your gravel UV-ink message?!

[Pup Patrol]

You know what would be cool? Gravel that "glows" in UV light, specially arranged in a bed of gravel.

Does the code message get lost when a deer pees on your gravel UV-ink message?!

 

Sure, blame it on the four-legged animals.

 

 

 

B.

[+The A-Team]

You know what would be cool? Gravel that "glows" in UV light, specially arranged in a bed of gravel.

Does the code message get lost when a deer pees on your gravel UV-ink message?!

Sure, blame it on the four-legged animals.

 

Just set up a game camera pointing at GZ to catch whatever or whoever is doing it.

[+thebruce0]

You know what would be really cool? UV-reactive photons!

Shine a UVP light (solar powered of course) with a stenciled message against the ground, or a building wall even (there would be no property damage) -- in both daylight and night, those special UV-photons will remain invisible. But shine a UV light against the ground or wall, and suddenly it all lights up! Of course, the UV light would also light up the UVP beam itself and you could find the UVP source, so it might be a small challenge to make out the actual pattern against the surface... but wouldn't that be cool?

Now who wants to invent invisible UV-reactive protons?