# as promised...diy uv blocker



## 963369 (Nov 15, 2003)

sorry this took so long...i got laid off and was ill for some time. as for the few folks who thought this was a worthy project: YES! yellow rit dye and a small amt of red rit dye added to hunting clothing will knock the uv out. i used about 5 teaspoons yellow to 1 teaspoon Red per load. then i ran them thru using the new rit dye fixative. NO...I don't know how to post pics, but yes it does work...as long as you don't rewash the clothes using petroleum based detergents with uv enhancers(and yuck!...fragrances). so there it is. hope it helps. for those of you who thought this was a joke, pls pass on the flaming. If you are THAT good that you don't need uv killer and can hunt wearing mennen aftershave and still take a p&y buck every year, more power to you!


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## mathews xt 600 (Jan 5, 2007)

Thanks for the good info!!!


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## Maui Rhino (Mar 13, 2010)

Cool!!! I may have to try this instead of my old standby, UV Killer. Thanks for sharing.


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## buckslayerII (Nov 5, 2004)

How in the world did you come up with that?


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## buckhead (Apr 7, 2006)

Not trying to be the spoiler here, but do you have proof that this works?

I saw a thread like this before and i don't think there was any hard evidence that this actually worked.

I sure would give it a try if it does.


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## alchemist (Dec 27, 2011)

Now THERE'S a "why didn't I think of that?" idea right there. 

I'm also interested in how you came up with the right mixture and confirmed that it works. I know how I would do it, but I'm a chem geek with some good toys in my lab.


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## Babooze (Jan 5, 2008)

subscribed!


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## luv old #7 (Aug 14, 2011)

Worst case scenario? It doesn't work and you just blew about $4 on dye. I've blown $4 a lot worse ways than that. I'll give it a try. I'll post pix too, if I can find the power cord for my blacklight.


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## buckslayerII (Nov 5, 2004)

Or, worst case scenerio is that you end up with orangish hunting clothes

Not trying to knock the idea as it's really very intriguing, but am interested in the chemistry - alchemist - care to share?


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## asa12ringer (Apr 12, 2012)

Lol


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## buckhead (Apr 7, 2006)

UV lights and black lights are essentially the same thing, but i wonder if we are seeing the same wavelength light as a deer sees?


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## alchemist (Dec 27, 2011)

I wasn't planning to geek out on you guys, but since buckslayer asked...

The way I'd approach it is to first start looking at individual dyes - you want something that absorbs a lot of UV, but doesn't fluoresce (the glow you see under UV/black light). Ideally, it shouldn't absorb too much visible light (the visible color shouldn't be too intense), otherwise it can screw up your camo pattern, unless it happens to BE a camo color (green, brown, even a bit of pale yellow). I can think of some candidates that I'd try in the lab, but they're not exactly something you'd find on the shelf at Wal-Mart, so the RIT dyes would make sense to try. 

If you've got the right toys, it's pretty simple to measure the UV-visible absorbance spectra, pick out the best UV absorbers and colors and start mixing and testing. I'm thinking a spray-on application might be the ticket here, although a soak in a tub or the washer would do the trick, you'd just need to use more dye. 

Of course, the color, UV absorbance and fluorescence of most dyes will change a bit when they're dried, so you'd need to confirm that your UV killer is actually doing what you intend. The labrat method would be to measure the reflected absorption and fluorescence spectra, if you have the proper instrumentation (which I don't), but hitting it with a UV/black light in a darkened room is easier and more practical. I'm not sure what wavelengths of UV are most critical, but a dual-wavelength UV lamp (mine is 254 nm/360? nm) should pretty much cover the bases (unfortunately, you won't find one of these at Wal-Mart either).

That's today's photochemistry lesson. Quiz next week.


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## buckslayerII (Nov 5, 2004)

Thanks A.Chem


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## tim1676 (Nov 13, 2009)

alchemist said:


> I wasn't planning to geek out on you guys, but since buckslayer asked...
> 
> The way I'd approach it is to first start looking at individual dyes - you want something that absorbs a lot of UV, but doesn't fluoresce (the glow you see under UV/black light). Ideally, it shouldn't absorb too much visible light (the visible color shouldn't be too intense), otherwise it can screw up your camo pattern, unless it happens to BE a camo color (green, brown, even a bit of pale yellow). I can think of some candidates that I'd try in the lab, but they're not exactly something you'd find on the shelf at Wal-Mart, so the RIT dyes would make sense to try.
> 
> ...


Will that be an open book?


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## 963369 (Nov 15, 2003)

tim1676 said:


> Will that be an open book?


i'd like to see that someone posted pics too. i only used a white tee shirt that had been "skenked up" with regular laundry soap(but NOT in MY washer, thanks). it glowed in uv light. ran it thru the washer using the MILD formula i noted, above.....there was a slight tint, barely. then ran it thru using the new fixative by RIT. Line dried it, and truned on the uv light...yes virginia, there is a santa claus. I would suggest you experiment on non huntiong clothing FIRST. The color you are looking for is a VERY pale golden yellow, with just a hint of orange-red innit(sorta almost like..."geee this tee shirt kinda looks like it is a bit off white"). Use the proper amt as YOUR water and amt of clothing wil call for. Now for my announcement. This is my last post on AT. I am signing off permanently(for real this time). We have moved to a remote cabin here in Maine. No internet, no TV, and a cell phone that works(mostly). I want to take this oppty to say thanks to all the nice folks on this site and wish you all well. My wife and I will be commencing a Prayer Ministry and my new employment will not allow internet(that's now the only access I have). In any event, I will remember you all fondly.


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