This is only the beginning of a build that I expect will take me over the next year to complete. I am slowly gathering parts I will update here whenever I add something cool

The specs for this aren't set in stone yet but it should be something like....
500mw 532
400mw 635 or 640
1.2W 650
250mw 473
100mw 442
1.2W 405

DT40 Wide + DT30
Lumia Wheel
Diffraction gratings and MORE....





This Diagram is is just a quick sketch, almost EVERYTHING has changed now. I will be using some 30/70 beam splitters instead of 50/50's and extra gm20's. also one of the SP20's will be DT40W.

Here are some pics...its lonely for that 635






More to come............................

very interested to know what dichros you will be using?

where are you going to get a dichro that passes 650nm but reflects 635nm?

also all that work and money and only crappy chinese 20k scanners? doesnt make sense

Well hopefully I can get a DT40 and use that with the SP20 I already have(then get another DT40 later). The SP20 will be the secondary(beams)(x-inverted) head and the dt40 will be The main(graphics)

Maybe one day I will get some NICE CT Scanners

As for dichro's, I'm not entirely sure. I was going to go with Edmund dichros but I'm going to see what the dichro tests at PL have to say about the new LW dichros.

This is my first WHOLE build, I have modified some cheaper projectors before but this is mostly new to me here.

Sorry, what are GM20 ? ..... 20% reflect beam splitters ?

For directing the beam.

will it be able of dual/scanning (both scanners working at the same time)?
I think it won't, but if yes IT WILL BE GREAT!!!

YES!
And the X-Axis on one will be inverted.
It will be able to do just the DT40 or just the SP20 OR BOTH at the same time.

Laserwave doesnt have dichros for combining your reds last time I checked. Heres a link where you can find one Semrock : LaserMUX™ Dichroic Beamsplitters

Great Link. Thanks

This was my inspiration.... Imagine this but with 2 Scan Sets
Start at 46sec.

What about a configuration like this one ? ..... sure no others have it



(i know, i know, i'm crazy )

I like :P +1

The one great thing about my case is I can literally try any configuration I want and if I don't like it, it's easy to change again

Sorry, i forgot to say ..... EM commuters are mobile splitters using bistable solenoids ..... the first one is 50/50, the second one is two 50/50 in series (that means, the first beam splitted is 50%, and the second and third are 25% each) ..... with this configuration, you can choose a lot of combinations (all on optics, all on scanners, both scanners half and half, all scanners and optics together, and so on) ..... ofcourse is just a schematic idea, if you're interested i can complete it with all the parts and beam paths, but i think no other scanner have so much possibility (and now you know why some of my friends call me crazy )

Cant wait, Just need to find a cheap place for Gm20's now...


..just had a thought....maybe I will add my argon to this project if it doesn't sell...hmmm...allot of work for an extra ~40mw, we will see

i think your really going to struggle dichro wise.

I really think you end needing wheels .....









..... cause at the end that assembly will weight a pair of tons, for all the addons, LOL (j/k)

I haven't even started down that road yet and I can tell that this is true...but I'm sure I'm going to struggle with allot on this project. It will be worth it in the end..

I was looking at some thorlabs dichros last night and I'm ready if I have to spend $165 for a custom dichro. doesnt mean I'm lookiing forward to it though.


You would be amazed at how light this HUGE case actually is. Its great

Well, i revised a bit my scheme, and just adding a switch, you can do almost all the combinations .....

In the order ..... 100% to left scanner ..... 100% to other optics ..... 100% to right scanner ..... 50/50 to both the scanners together ..... 50% to other optics and 25% to each scanner ..... 50 to other optics and 50 to left scanner ..... in the pics, the switches and commuters that are in orange are the ones turned on for the different paths ..... one of the switches need to be double sided, but all the others are single sided (just for save one )

I've not added intentionally "50 to other optic and 50 to right scanner", cause is basically the same combination of the last one, and had required to add at least other 2 FS switches, not worth the expense and the mechanical complication, imho .....

Probably there's a better way for do this set of divisions and combinations, but at the moment it don't come me in mind

BTW, about these GM20 switches, is not better to use "guillotine" switches with two-states solenoids, instead lever ones ? ..... or they are used cause the arm take less space and interfer less with the beams ? ..... asking just cause these ones i don't see any way for DIY them cheap, where instead guillotine type units, probably, can be built DIY more easy and cheap (but i'm not sure, how much cost one of these GM20, usually ?)

WOW, Thanks for those diagrams, I wish I could give more rep 2U

The GM20's are not cheap. I was able to get them for $80 with a driver(each)


its taking sooooo long to gather all these parts, I just want to start already.

I'm wondering if something like these ones can be used for DIY something similar to your GM20 .....

Rotary Solenoid 24 VDC 30 degree. Lot of ten pieces - eBay (item 290376984632 end time Jan-01-10 17:45:53 PST)

Anyway, the seller don't say if they are bistable, and for make optic switches, the solenoids must be bistable or have a self-return spring inside, at least ..... other than this, you need to build all the rest, so, don't know if it worth the effort ..... i mean, for someone with machines and free time, it can end in a funny work, but if you need to ask an external worker for all the parts, it may end in a too high price .....

Sorry, those are just some of my crazy ideas

The solenoids wont be as fast as the GM20s , GM20s are galvos and they move at a crazy speed, that's why they are the weapon of choice for beam tables and shutters.

Oh ..... but if it's only for the speed, i'm wondering why they don't use guillotine switches, as they are more fast and cheap ..... something like this (very schematic, but i think the principle is clear)





Edit: or you think that the GM20 can be more fast also than a linear solenoid ? ..... with that long arm, i may suppose not .....

GM20 has arms with it too, for mirror mounting, it's fast, it's quiet, it doesn't need much power and it's been tried and tested.

....And it's $$$ expensive $$$

But it doesn't get much better


EDIT: just noticed that lasershowparts.com is back online and WOW at the new prices
I found my blue I think.