my super simple, totaly ghetto lumia wheel

I love the "lumia wheel" effects, it's always been my favorite laser effect of all, and after a little hunting around and educating myself, I came up with this:



[can someone tell me how to embed YouTube videos here? I tried the embed code but it didn't work]

Here is a link to the eBay listing where I got the wheel/motor combo (no relation or affiliation to this guy, just wanting fellow enthusiasts to know how to do it):

classic Lumia laser show effect complete ! - eBay (item 230530839938 end time Oct-26-10 04:43:55 PDT)

It really couldn't be easier and the effect is way better than my video shows (remember I'm only using a 5mw pointer (more powerful lasers are on the way) and low light video is a tough one to start).

Good luck if you decide to try it yourself. I'm also open to ideas and suggestions on how to improve (or start over

Take the code after the 'v=' in the URL, and place it between

To embed videos take a look at the URL...

"...youtube.com/watch?v=zzRog57JS58"

Put everything after the "=" inside the tags [.yt] [./yt] (remove the period) and that's all!

Nice video by the way. I like the lumia effect combined with the stars and the clouds. What are you using to project that?


Edit: Prototype beat me to it.

Thats pretty. No seriously it was. What were you generating the blue with?

Edit:RA_pierce beat me too it lol I type too slow.

Thanks, got the embed working!

Oh yeah, the star/cloud projector! Should have mentioned that. Here is a link:

Amazon.com: Laser Star: Toys & Games

It is WELL WORTH the money - one of the coolest "instant atmosphere" items i've even seen. It will put moving stars all over the ceiling and wall and the nebula cloud on the ceiling. And it's nice and bright, the reflected light from that thing alone is enough to see by in even a large room.

The stars are generated by (i'm assuming) a 5mw green and the cloud... i'm not sure. I don't think it's a laser, just a moving effect in front of a bright bulb, but I could be wrong - the color is very saturated and intense, so it could be a laser.

Also, the stars are MUCH BETTER than the ones you get from the simple square defraction grating you get with cheap pointer lenses and in some of the "laser show" rigs - with those, it's always obvious that you're looking at a multiplied square pattern. This thing also using some sort of multiplying grating, but the effect is MUCH better. The stars also have various luminosities so it's a very realistic, dense starfield.

The blue nebula has it's own brightness control and can be cranked up or turned off.

And, as you can see, it's even better when combined with a lumia effect.

When I get home after work I turn the entire setup on and leave it on all night. It's awesome.

Is there anywhere cheaper than that ebay listing to buy one? seems a bit harsh, $35 for a little motor with gear reduction and a glass disk.

Are you serious? Cheaper than $35??? Dude that is DIRT cheap!

What is it with people in forums who always want everything beyond what is reasonably cheap...

What do you think is a fair price to pay someone who sourced and bought the motor, found the right kind of refractive glass and hand cut it, created the right hole to match the motor and provided the washer.

Plus, finding motors slower than 1RPM is not so easy. I spoke to someone else who makes lumia wheels and he was surprised how cheap that ebay deal is.

So tell me what you think the price should be? I think people assume the price should only be the raw material cost, without considering that someone's time and work also deserves to be compensated.

If you designed and built a house for me, should I only pay for the materials used to build it?

How come artwork costs more than a few dollars? I mean paint and canvas are cheap!

Sorry to sound a little rude, but it's amazing that someone thinks $35 for a ready-to-go lumia show is too expensive...

This is simply a case where if you want something THAT cheap, you really have to make it yourself.

MojoLA said:

Are you serious? Cheaper than $35??? Dude that is DIRT cheap!

Click to expand...

Not really. That glass piece can be bought for $1 at any hardware store that sells glass. Also you can get 1 RPM motors out of an old clock at any second hand shop. You just have to do a little leg work. And that star generator is nothing more than 2 diffraction gratings, 1 RPM motor, a low power laser, and a blue diode.

Total = under $30.

All the info is posted on this forum.

Ah well, lets not muck about the single dollar here or there

Lumia wheels have a nice touch of randomness to them at virtually no cost, and can be completely changed by just poiting the laser at a different circle on the wheel.

I dont see the show potential, but i can imagine people liking the effect, like people like lava lamps and such... certainly a cool thing to stare at when not partcularly sober

Benm said:

Ah well, lets not muck about the single dollar here or there

Click to expand...

You didnt read the thread. It's more like $155.

Not everyone has the skill or desire to make these things themselves, and it's incredibly condescending of you to insinuate that everyone SHOULD be able to.

Plus it's not just the parts, the fit, finish, form factor and ease of use all factor into price.

And Junkie, perhaps YOU should read more carefully - the price of the lumia wheel and motor IS $30 - the star projector (a separate item) is the more expensive one.

And you also missed that we are not talking about a 1rpm motor, which is very easy to find - this is a 1/3rpm motor, something not so easy to dig up (the further you go under 1rpm the more difficult it becomes to find).

I agree whole heartedly that the star projector is WAY overpriced, once again it comes down to what would it take for you to make something that did exactly the same thing, and didn't look like a box with wires sticking out of it?

And what's the time it would take to make it worth? And it's not a simple diffraction grating, if it were all the stars would be in totally uniform square pattern. Plus there are varying brightness, they rotate, and we're not even talking about the nebula effect.

The lumia wheel, on the other hand, is absolutely worth $30. If you want to take the time to hunt down a 1/3rpm motor and cut the glass and fit it to the motor, go right ahead. But those of us who don't want to (or can't) spend that kind of time doing all that will find great value in that for $30 someone has done it all for us.

Maybe you should read your own thread. The price for the lumia is $35 + $6 shipping. ($41) And a 1RPM motors gives nearly the same result. Also there are threads telling how to step down motors for use with lumia wheels. All you have to do is look. And sorry, but it is just a simple diffraction grating. If you spent time doing your homework here, you'd have found that out.

This is a do it yourself forum, in case you have noticed. All I was saying to others who read this thread, is you dont have to spend $155 to make the same effect. Sure, if you want to blow your hard earned money, without having read anything about what you are buying, then by all means spend it.

For another $45 you could have bought a scanner.

Four Head DJ disco Laser Lights DMX Projector 300mW - eBay (item 290483228597 end time Nov-02-10 06:14:12 PDT)

You title is mistaken. a 'ghetto' build is a DIY on the cheap. You didnt make any of it, so you should change the title.

I enjoy making my own and YES the very slow motors a very hard to find. The rest is however, easy.
My newest version has six(RG&BR) pointers arranged so I can 'play' them to go with the music. lot of time making it but aside from the lasers and the JB Weld I paid 0.00. Nobody 'scrounges' better than I do!!!!

Is that cheap enough for you T_J?? lol

Thanx for sharing you vid. nice job--hk

^^^^ well said ^^^^
I'm impressed by your restraint T_J

TJ, as I said, I know your type and I'm simply not interested in wasting any energy on you. As I have no interest in your feedback, you should feel no obligation to help me or waste YOUR time by contributing to any of my threads, present or future.

Of course, that's likely a battle cry to someone like you and you'll now probably go out of you way TO post in all my threads, but keep in mind that is very, very predictable.

Anyway, I apologize if this seems like malice, it is not - i'm simply looking to avoid potential future confrontations. Best wishes to you - and please ignore me!

De ja vue



Is that you Bloomie?