Right Acrylic for a diffuser

[adw]

I'm putting together some DIY radion diffusers. Wondering what I should use for acrylic. Want to make sure I don't lose my UV and don't get discoloration. Thanks in advance.

 

[adw]

@saltyfilmfolks would love your opinion

 

[theatrus]

Acrylite Satin Ice Colorless. https://www.acrylite.co/satinice-optimum-light-diffusion-colorless-0d010-df.html or WD852 is one pick. It’s “UV Absorbent”, which aligns with the UV3 additive and has a sharp cutoff below 400nm.

 

[adw]

I bought this for diffusion but wanted some clear acrylic to put it on.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B75TTY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[oreo54]

https://www.eplastics.com/blog/uv-filtering-plexiglass

UV TRANSMITTING PLEXIGLASS ACRYLIC SHEET OP4*(special order) Acrylite® OP4 UV Transmitting acrylic sheet is manufactured for use in indoor sun tanning equipment. It offers high levels of UV light transmission and strong resistance to degradation caused by UV light. OP-4 acrylic sheet transmits a high percentage of UVA and UVB light. Only a small portion of light in the UVC region (200 – 280 nm) is transmitted.

https://www.gsoptics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/transmission.jpg

Whats it worth to you???
https://www.acplasticsinc.com/categories/uv-transmitting
https://www.acplasticsinc.com/products/0001-170-63x-88-suvt-f

 

[adw]

Not that much lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'm putting together some DIY radion diffusers. Wondering what I should use for acrylic. Want to make sure I don't lose my UV and don't get discoloration. Thanks in advance.

You won’t get and discoloration if you avoid whites plexi. Even with white the shift is minor.
I used clear and then sanded it so it’s a true diffusion.
Best to experiment with a piece to get it right.

 

[adw]

@saltyfilmfolks I bought the diffuser below and was going to glue it to some clear plexiglass. Would I just be better off sanding?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B75TTY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[theatrus]

@saltyfilmfolks I bought the diffuser below and was going to glue it to some clear plexiglass. Would I just be better off sanding?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B75TTY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Should work fine, with caveats over what violet/UV you are using.

 

[oreo54]

Technically diffusion isn't just "scratcy glass"..
but no need to get too technical about it..
OR stupid expensive..
https://www.rpcphotonics.com/engineered-diffusers-information/
https://www.pssl.com/Chauvet-DF60X1D-Color-Blending-Filter-60x1-Degree-1


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1257192-REG/digital_sputnik_5910844101_double_sided_34_76_degree_holographic.html/?ap=y&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0LGmpvCx4QIVGP_jBx1uuwxcEAkYAiABEgK9iPD_BwE&lsft=BI:514&smp=Y

Already covered the fact that one needs the "correct" material in order to avoid UV losses..

Suggest at least plex-g and scuff it..and as thin as practical.. Absorption increases w/ thickness..
http://www.lairdplastics.com/product/materials/acrylic/264-plexiglasr-g

Might want to check out this company but would need to contact them for availability of cell cast acrylic.
Costs appear reasonable for circles.

https://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/acrylic_circles/clear_acrylic_circles/140

 

[adw]

@oreo5457 This is the acrylic I got. Would it work?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JCGT6VZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

@saltyfilmfolks I bought the diffuser below and was going to glue it to some clear plexiglass. Would I just be better off sanding?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B75TTY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Actually that stuf is a pretty close guess.
That’s the thickest version of their diffusion. It will diffuse beautifuly but you’ll have more light loss. (Do you have a par lux meter?)
They also make 1/4 and 1/8 versions. If it’s not too spendy you may want to try that.

Also if you have spare plexi do try the sanding method. I went with the sanded. You may like the 216.

So the 216 May cut too much. And the lightest stuff may not diffuse enough.

Find the balance you like and need.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Should work fine, with caveats over what violet/UV you are using.

Won’t effect spectrum, will cut “uv” only because it’s so low intensity.

 

[adw]

Starting to think I should have just bought the radion diffusers lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Technically diffusion isn't just "scratcy glass"..
but no need to get too technical about it..
OR stupid expensive..
https://www.rpcphotonics.com/engineered-diffusers-information/
https://www.pssl.com/Chauvet-DF60X1D-Color-Blending-Filter-60x1-Degree-1


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1257192-REG/digital_sputnik_5910844101_double_sided_34_76_degree_holographic.html/?ap=y&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0LGmpvCx4QIVGP_jBx1uuwxcEAkYAiABEgK9iPD_BwE&lsft=BI:514&smp=Y

Already covered the fact that one needs the "correct" material in order to avoid UV losses..

Suggest at least plex-g and scuff it..and as thin as practical.. Absorption increases w/ thickness..
http://www.lairdplastics.com/product/materials/acrylic/264-plexiglasr-g

Might want to check out this company but would need to contact them for availability of cell cast acrylic.
Costs appear reasonable for circles.

https://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/acrylic_circles/clear_acrylic_circles/140

Scratchy glass is technically a diffusion.
But it’s best to not overthink.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Starting to think I should have just bought the radion diffusers lol

It’s not worth over thinking.

Basically don’t diffuse too much to avoid massive par loss.

You won’t effect spectrum. You’d have to use a LOT of diffusion to do that.

 

[cincyfishguy]

Could you get plain glass and hit it with a sandblaster to get the desired effect? I've read glass is good since it won't discolor over time.

 

[dantimdad]

Technically speaking sandblasted glass would diffuse.

I wonder how you would do it without having it diffuse too much.

 

[dantimdad]

What's odd is that most lights I like prismatic diffuser. A couple I like sanded plexi. None of them I liked the camera diffuser after a couple days of looking at it.

 

[theatrus]

Won’t effect spectrum, will cut “uv” only because it’s so low intensity.

Intensity doesn’t matter, if it cuts it cuts. If you wanted that wavelength, it’s now muted or outright gone.

There is a secondary effect that the method of filtering is absorption, so that energy goes into heating the plastic. However we don’t cook things with UV so it’s not going to matter.