Question Tru Vue black light display

Create a Post
Tommy P

Tommy P

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Nov 16, 2003
Posts
870
Loc
Mid North Indiana
Okay, I know I've been accused of being a few fries short of a happy meal but this new Tru Vue black light display thingy is playin' with my grey matter!

How is this supposed to work in my showroom? I would have to turn off all the lights and board up my windows to make this weak little black light thing work on the pictures it comes with.

Please "enlighten" me! (sorry)
 
I've heard the lights are pretty weak but have you tried new batteries.
 
You do have to be in total darkness to see a markable difference. I took it into the bathroom that has no windows and shut the door and turned off the lights.

The black light is useful for a couple other purposes though. You can use it to test whether glazing has a UV filter by placing a sheet of white paper behind it (again in the dark) and shining the light through it. Test it using a noncoated and coated piece of glass and you'll easily see the difference. I used this to demonstrate to a customer when reframing Ansel Adams photos that the previous framer had framed it with non-UV protected plexi and ended up selling Optium acrylic on three pieces.

It can also be used to examine paintings to see if restoration work has been performed in the past. Again, the light is not very intense, so you would have to block out any extraneous light for it to work well.

I appreciate the gift from TruVue!
 
Or you can get one of these..

images
 
Yeah, I appreciate the gift also but I'd have to wire the light up to 220 to boost it's power enough to make it work!

Nice idea though on Tru Vue's part.

Guess I'll just have to take my customers into the bathroom. That should go over well! "Come with me into the bathroom, Mrs Nusbaum, and I'll show you how this thing works."
 
Tommy P said:
I would have to turn off all the lights and board up my windows to make this weak little black light thing work on the pictures it comes with.
Click to expand...
You don't have to make the room dark to demonstrate the differences of UV blocking using the Tru Vue display. A few suggestions:

1. Put the display in a small box or under a shelf to cast a shadow on the three images. The box the display came in would work for this purpose if you care to tape the flaps open and cover it with decorative paper.

2. Like all fluorescent lights, this one takes a few minutes to develop full brightness. Turn it on first, then explain what you are about to demonstrate before you actually do it.

3. If you hold the light directly against the glass, you can see slight UV illumination on the left two images even in normal room light. The difference is not very dramatic, but it is discernible.

4. As others have suggested, you can get a better UV light for a small price, if you find the demonstration to be useful with customers.

Tru Vue's main goal probably was to demonstrate the difference to framers, but it makes sense to share the information with customers. Tru Vue has always been good about providing point-of-sale demos, but the cost of designing, assembling, and shipping thousands of those UV-lights and frames has to be huge. Has any other supplier made that sort of commitment to helping framers?




Still using Tru Vue in my frame shop every day and consulting for the company.
 
Haven't seen the new display but I do remember that when we used to go to the mall to the head shop to see the black light posters you had to be in a little darkened room to see the blacklight effects. Maybe that is what you are supposed to do, build a little room that you can sell black light posters out of. Throw in some glow in the dark star stickers, some t shirts....
 
Jim Miller said:
Still using Tru Vue in my frame shop every day and consulting for the company.
Click to expand...


Unlike Jim, I don't consult for them but I will defend them. The light that I got is bright enough to see the effect everywhere but in outdoor sunlight. Right out of the box. The effect is quite clear. Maybe there are some bum lights in the inventory. I've easily been able to use it to upsell folks on CC or better glass on their pieces by demonstrating that it wasn't already in place and even generated a 5 piece redo by sending the light home with a woman who was sure all of her pieces were protected. I used the sample to explain what to look for and then sent her home with it. She came back with these pieces for us to put CC in (no go on the MG) since they were the ones in her collection that didn't already have it. Great little tool. Thanks TV.
 
They do have "not for sale" signs on them. and they do say "for display only"....

I don't know how they keep disappearing, ....

Tobacco water pipes.... I even sell bags of drum.

Head shops are illegal in ME and NH, but I have an ex-freind from high school living in NH that has a "tobacco shop" with interesting bits of tobacco paraphenalia. And his FB page will announce the new shipments of incense that he gets in... Not the same kind I am familiar with :)
 
Having a UV light source in the shop

If one has a good UV light source handy, it can reveal latent foxing, staining, and optical brighteners as well as showing which glazing material has a UV inhibitor in it.



Hugh
 
I saw the display in my shop today all the lights where on, and you could see it work just fine.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top