Lighting-Gallery.net
General => Off-Topic => Topic started by: wattMaster on June 27, 2016, 09:07:01 PM
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I have an odd question, What's the darkest paint available? I want to theoretically paint a room with this paint, and have it looks like a black hole, or have special effects. I tried looking this up and it's all about Vantablack and Superblack, which is of no interest to me, because it is not easily available. For this purpose, regular black paint is like a mirror.
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Flat black would be the blackest. Should be available at any paint dealer.
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Flat/Matte Black isn't dark enough, I want some specialty paint that can go darker, the goal is to have a room painted with this with some lights on in it, and this matte black would likely be not dark enough.
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Vantablack IS the black hole of paint. Almost no light is reflected off it! And I thought black toner dust (broken toner cartridge from an old laser printer, I was praying that I do NOT sneeze while I was looking inside) was the blackest I've seen... :o LOL!
On a serious note. Matte black paint is the way to go. Though... Why you want to paint your walls black? ???
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Vantablack IS the black hole of paint. Almost no light is reflected off it! And I thought black toner dust (broken toner cartridge from an old laser printer, I was praying that I do NOT sneeze while I was looking inside) was the blackest I've seen... :o LOL!
On a serious note. Matte black paint is the way to go. Though... Why you want to paint your walls black? ???
Just for fun. Maybe as a concept room idea.
Problem is, Vantablack is experimental stuff, I want something anybody can buy in store or online.
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The texture of the walls may have no less effect. I think some big-bubble acoustics foam or the like, painted with that same matt black, would be blacker than a flat wall painted with it. However, the foam accumulates dust over time, so its blackness will degrade
Another solution maybe to cover the walls with black theater curtains. Those are pretty black, are allready textured, and you can maintain their performance at least to some extent by washing them
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I think the theater curtains are very good idea, definitely they are designed exactly for the purpose to not reflect anything (so even shadows are not visible on them). But do not expect these things to be any cheap...
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Sounds good, for extra insurance, put the curtains over the matte black wall paint.
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Theater curtains--you may be able to get the fabric those are made from and use that.Looked on an online cinema supply and the cloth is much cheaper than a made curtain-those cost the big bucks!If you can sew-make the curtains yourself from the fabric-and you can make them any size you want.I am starting to learn how to use a sewing machine-have a small collection of them with my vacuums.
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Sounds like a plan.
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If you want to make the curtains-you can have many options for making them Have a freind or someone who can sew do it,or get yourself a new or used straight stitch sewing machine.This would be the easiest to use.Buy from a good Sewing dealer who can warrantee the machine and show you how to use it.Used machines in good condition adn warranted are good as well.If you buy a used machine from a yard sale or private-have a good sewing tech go over the machine to make sure it works OK.I bought a Rocket Singer machine from a yard sale-one of the best I have!All metal-these machines are best.Newer machines with plastic cases and cast pot metal frames should be avoided.The old Singer,Necci,New Home, and other vintage metal machines are best.Pfaff and Bernina are good,too.Esp the older metal ones.Just have the timing,cleaning and wear of the parts checked.Get a pack of needles-you can't sew with a dull needle.
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If you want to make the curtains-you can have many options for making them Have a freind or someone who can sew do it,or get yourself a new or used straight stitch sewing machine.This would be the easiest to use.Buy from a good Sewing dealer who can warrantee the machine and show you how to use it.Used machines in good condition adn warranted are good as well.If you buy a used machine from a yard sale or private-have a good sewing tech go over the machine to make sure it works OK.I bought a Rocket Singer machine from a yard sale-one of the best I have!All metal-these machines are best.Newer machines with plastic cases and cast pot metal frames should be avoided.The old Singer,Necci,New Home, and other vintage metal machines are best.Pfaff and Bernina are good,too.Esp the older metal ones.Just have the timing,cleaning and wear of the parts checked.Get a pack of needles-you can't sew with a dull needle.
We have a sewing machine somewhere, but I don't know where.
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Dont need machine, it can be done by hand, allthough the seams likely won't come out as neat
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Oh, and it it has to be as smooth as it can be, or it will ruin the effect.
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What is the intended effect ?
If the curtain is black enough for photometric experiments when it is stretched, it would be no worse when wavy (and probably better, as mre light will be lost in it)
If its to make some effect for peeps to see, then you might want it stretched, as waves would stand out on the otherwise uniform black background
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What is the intended effect ?
If the curtain is black enough for photometric experiments when it is stretched, it would be no worse when wavy (and probably better, as mre light will be lost in it)
If its to make some effect for peeps to see, then you might want it stretched, as waves would stand out on the otherwise uniform black background
Then I would have it stretched to look nice.
But the room would also be a light testing area.
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If you want to stretch it vertically, fold its bottom end around a metal chain or something, so that it would weight down the bottom of the hanging curtain
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If you want to stretch it vertically, fold its bottom end around a metal chain or something, so that it would weight down the bottom of the hanging curtain
And I would have to hide the chain really well, or it will ruin the effect.
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Real theatre curtains have a heavy chain in the bottom. It is invisible as it is located in the bottom hem, however you can feel it if you pinch it there.
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Sounds good.
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I put up black fabric on all walls before in my band room it has a softer feel and dampen the noise I got it at Walmart
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You might want to get some fire retardant fabric if you are covering all the walls in a room. This is especially important if it is a public place, but home insurance could be affected should there be a fire...
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You might want to get some fire retardant fabric if you are covering all the walls in a room. This is especially important if it is a public place, but home insurance could be affected should there be a fire...
But will the fire retardant coating make it more reflective?
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What about the trim? You should use glow in the dark white paint for a awesome effect
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What about the trim? You should use glow in the dark white paint for a awesome effect
That will completely obliterate the effect! Another thing I could do, instead of trying to make the walls black, I could make the walls a bright black light paint.
Then install some black lights, and you have a nice effect!
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The black curtain is used in theaters, where fire safety is at very high priority (after many incidents for as far as theater history goes). So it can be handled safely. Do the best practices for safety, as in any other room regardless of the curtains :
- Avoid sources of ignition. No surge protectors, "cheepee" electrics, and other stuff that can randomly combust, except when you are testing them in a controlled way. Inspect all electrics used there for bad connections/damages. Keep high power lighting at safe distance from flammable stuff
- Keep some clearance between any "big flammable things" and the exit from the room, so that any starting fire can't block the exit immediately
- Keep fire extinguisher in the room
- Specifically for the curtain : Make it removable, remove or fold aside when not in use, so that its in one place and not all over the wall most of the time. This will also preserve its blackness better
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The black curtain is used in theaters, where fire safety is at very high priority (after many incidents for as far as theater history goes). So it can be handled safely. Do the best practices for safety, as in any other room regardless of the curtains :
- Avoid sources of ignition. No surge protectors, "cheepee" electrics, and other stuff that can randomly combust, except when you are testing them in a controlled way. Inspect all electrics used there for bad connections/damages. Keep high power lighting at safe distance from flammable stuff
- Keep some clearance between any "big flammable things" and the exit from the room, so that any starting fire can't block the exit immediately
- Keep fire extinguisher in the room
- Specifically for the curtain : Make it removable, remove or fold aside when not in use, so that its in one place and not all over the wall most of the time. This will also preserve its blackness better
The problem is, all of those items will reflect a lot of light, which means I would either have to paint them, hide them and memorize where they are, or not have them in the room.
And then there is the problem of what lighting to use.
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All what items ? Extinguisher ?
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All what items ? Extinguisher ?
The items talked about in the post, and the extinguisher would likely be painted red, not matte black, so it will ruin the effect.
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Fabrics made for theater-cinema use have to be fire restive treated.So don't launder it or the treatment may be removed.And the curtain may be treated after it was made.These have to have a label on them stating that fact and that they meet the fire safety requirements.And of course-keep heat sources-such as lights away from it.You could still use fabric from a fabric shop-just again keep heat producing things well away from it.Note that fabric shops are disappearing-not as many folks are making things as they used to.A fabric-sewing shop closed out my way not long ago.A Hobby Lobby opened in its place-they have fabrics-but not the selection the fabric shop had.
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How would apply the treatment after you install it?
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"The items talked about in the post, and the extinguisher would likely be painted red, not matte black, so it will ruin the effect."
Come on, red extinguisher standing not in the path of your main beams of light would ruin th effect ? What are you trying to do there and to what degree of perfection ?
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"The items talked about in the post, and the extinguisher would likely be painted red, not matte black, so it will ruin the effect."
Come on, red extinguisher standing not in the path of your main beams of light would ruin th effect ? What are you trying to do there and to what degree of perfection ?
Complete perfection, all you see is the door to get out and the light fixture + bulbs.