Displaying: Let there be light

[Ramjet]

I'm using Mercury-Halide. Is that a bad deal?

[Banzai-Tron]

Not if all your 'bots and 'cons like to have a nice tan.

[Rattrap]

Mercury-Halide lamps lack any sort of phosphor to use up the UVB radiation All of the light comes from the visible portion of the Mercury and the halide's spectra. Unfortunately, there's also a large portion of the spectrum in the UV range. In most situations, the Borosilicate glass serves to filter most out the UV radiation.The glass can be damaged, but even undamaged it doesn't filter out all of the UV light, just enough to be safe for prolonged human use. Undamaged glass There have even been reports of eye damage and skin damage from use of damaged Mercury-Halide lights.

Undamaged Fluorescent light bulbs do not produce UVB radiation, but UVA light does cause some yellowing. The 364 nm wavelength would be responsible for the yellowing of especially sensitive figures. As Wheezel said, there are any number of affordable solutions.

Fluorescent Spectra

[Ramjet]

Wow, I really have no idea what you said. I use Mercury Halides in newspaper and screen printing to expose plates and screens, because they have a higher UV output. (Maybe not higher, but more intense.)

[Rattrap]

Undamaged Mercury-Halide lights are perfectly safe for people to use. Its just bad for the toys.

[Grimlock]

Derrick has just bought a big glass fronted display case for all of his Transformers ( £200 GBP ) and he is wondering what sort of lightbulbs to use, but to me they are all the same, can someone help ?

[Banzai-Tron]

I suggest reading the thread, Snarl. The short answer is standard flourescent bulbs, WITH a diffuser:

EDIT: Okay, this all gets *really* confusing after a bit, once you start trying to account for all the potential variables. The simplest answer? I'd recommend, whenever possible, to stick a plastic diffuser over your fluorescent bulbs, just to be on the safe side. These should run you around $4-6 USD each, and reduce your UV radiation by 40-99%."

[Grimlock]

Thank you for that.

[Overlord]

for all the engineers and chemists here...i have a display case with some small lights from ikea that hang from the top...they use small halogen bulbs.

what are the risks involved with using these bulbs?

[Rattrap]

for all the engineers and chemists here...i have a display case with some small lights from ikea that hang from the top...they use small halogen bulbs.

what are the risks involved with using these bulbs?

Halogen bulbs have a higher energy output and higher UV output. Most general purposes lights have a coating or a built in filter that reduces UV output to below the levels seen in incandescent lights. I would just double check that they're doped light bulbs (I can't imagine why they wouldn't be) and leave it at that. There are probably some people who would want more substantial protection though. If any especially valuable figures are in the case, it may be worthwhile to invest in an external filter.