Way Too Cool, LLC (WTC) was founded in 1998 by Bill Gardner. He has an AS in engineering and a BA in geology specializing in mineralogy. Bill was a NRC licensed Reactor Operator at Yankee Atomic Electric Company in Rowe, MA, and retired from Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. He has multiple Patents related to UV lamp fixtures. Bill owns the Hogan Claim in Yavapai County, AZ and is a 50% owner of the Purple Passion mine also in Yavapai County. https://www.fluorescents.com/articles.html
The Claim at the Purple Passion Mine (PPm) in Arizona is currently held by Bill Gardner and Bill Freese (who organizes collecting trips all over AZ including PPm). Originally in 1996, the hunt was for wulfenite specimens which never got good enough to support the effort. Approximately a year later, a customer purchased several wulfenite specimens and inquired whether any of the material exhibited fluorescence. A UV lamp fixture was borrowed, and material was discovered fluorescing brilliant red (calcite), green (willemite), blue (fluorite), and white (aragonite). WTC sells fluorescent minerals from around the world. https://www.fluorescents.com/products-minerals.html
Fluorescent minerals are very hard to sell without UV lamp fixtures and vice versa. Bill started building UV lamp fixtures to compliment the fluorescent mineral sales. Here is a photo of the very first UV lamp fixture Bill built using a 36 watt linear tube/bulb/lamp from a swimming pool sterilizer, a piece of 2” diameter plastic pipe, some aluminum foil, and a piece of Hoya U325C filter glass. WTC custom manufactures UV lamp fixtures from 5 watts to 95 watts in any combination of SW, MW, and LW.
In the rotating photos to the right, the first three photos show the new WTC Trim-Line series available in 95-watt, 60-watt, 36-watt, 35-watt, or 18-watt versions and in any single wavelength SW, MW or LW. Traditionally, UV lights go at the top of a case pointing down. The novelty of these is that they can also stand in the corners (or the bottom) of a case pointing inward so there is UV all the way to the bottom of the case instead of just from the top.
Way Too Cool also designed and sells UV flashlights with SW, MW, and LW, including a flashlight with all three wavelengths. https://www.fluorescents.com/products-all-wave-uv-flashlight.html
Bill is committed to customer satisfaction. He is constantly researching ways to bring fluorescent lamp fixtures to the world. From UV lamp fixtures and mineral specimens for new rockhounds to fine museums and everyone in between, Way Too Cool LLC has a product for you!
