My RGB Build Thread.

[ARG]

I think its much easier to just have baseplates made for the lasers. I just need spacer plates, I will drill and tap my own holes. I am not worried about countersinking anything on the bottom of the plate since I am going to use small standoffs to get some air flow. Looks like 2U Server cases are only about 3.5" tall. Im going to need a 3U.

I got a 3U case for my build, it works great, it's got enough room to mount the power supplies vertically and put a couple 90mm fans under the top plate.

 

[kiyoukan]

what galvos did u upgrade to? dt40s? if you had 30s i would take them.

 

[whatsupadrian]

what galvos did u upgrade to? dt40s? if you had 30s i would take them.

No i upgraded from cheap 15ks to the PT30's

 

[kiyoukan]

well u selling the 15ks?

 

[whatsupadrian]

OK I think i found my case.
3U audio instrument industrial rackmount case 10-19145G | eBay
I think this is PERFECT!!! I am asking the seller for some pics of the insides. This is comming from N Arlington NJ, I believe there is a storm of epic proportions in that area. I dont think I should order this week.
What do you all think?

well u selling the 15ks?

sorry sold them already

 

[ARG]

That's a good case, I have pretty much the same thing... The front plate is 3mm thick though, so it will hard to cut, cut everything else is 1mm and can be cut with a nibbler.

Edit: 73$ is a bit much, I got mine for 35$

 

[whatsupadrian]

That's a good case, I have pretty much the same thing... The front plate is 3mm thick though, so it will hard to cut, cut everything else is 1mm and can be cut with a nibbler.

Edit: 73$ is a bit much, I got mine for 35$

WOW I need to find a 3U for $35. Where did u get it?

 

[ARG]

My local electronics store sold them, they had a big variety there. If your electronics store doesn't have one, try a computer parts store.

 

[whatsupadrian]

OK its been a little while and its time for an update. Just finished sorting the layout and drilling holes. I need to figure out how I am going to isolate my red without lifting it too much, what do you all use nylon screws and capton tape? Think i figured out the I/O board. And got it in a case. Its pretty big and heavy but thats ok. I will probably have a big hole dilled in that plate but I still dont know if I just want a window or some kind of aperature lens cap type thing. Those plate will be painted black of course. BTW everything was hand drilled, no press or anything, have very basic tools. Will probably start lining up the optics tomorrow, possibly wire it and fire it up. What do you all think?

 

[bhwollen]

are you saying the beam height of the red isn't high enough?

 

[ARG]

How do those dichro mounts work? How to they mount onto the base plate? Sorry if this seems obvious, but I can't figure out how they are supposed to work.

 

[whatsupadrian]

Nah I need to isolate the case neg laser diodes from the baseplate. I need to do so without raising the plate much, im thinking of kaptom tape and nylon screws.

Those dicro is mounted to the baseplate with i screw as seen in pic 1. 3 corners have extremeli fine threaded screws that position the dichro on 3 axis

 

[rocket689]

OK its been a little while and its time for an update. Just finished sorting the layout and drilling holes. I need to figure out how I am going to isolate my red without lifting it too much, what do you all use nylon screws and capton tape? Think i figured out the I/O board. And got it in a case. Its pretty big and heavy but thats ok. I will probably have a big hole dilled in that plate but I still dont know if I just want a window or some kind of aperature lens cap type thing. Those plate will be painted black of course. BTW everything was hand drilled, no press or anything, have very basic tools. Will probably start lining up the optics tomorrow, possibly wire it and fire it up. What do you all think?

On my RGB, a 58mm clear camera lens is epoxied to the galvo aperture.

This way, no dust can get in to get on the optics and galvo mirrors.

It's also nice because a lens cap can be used as a dust cover and/or a manual shutter. :beer:

 

[whatsupadrian]

OK well I checked out of work early today eager to get home and start wiring everything up. Looks pretty good. I need to get some zip ties tomorrow to get it looking tidy inside before i take inside pictures. I also need to make a small 12v driver for the fans inside. I still need to get the front plate cut and painted and get a window. I have no idea what to get. Then I want to make it sealed completely and get good filters on all the fans, possibly isolate the optics/lasers from the rest of the case. And finally I need to get the I/O plate cut and painted.

Fired it up real quick, OMG galvos mirrors are clicking together!!!! checked them out they are fine no sign of damage. Playing the pt-itrust works ok. but thats no good for tuning the dichros. I did my best but couldnt get it right. I spent most of the night trying to get a signal from my audiolase dac /spaghetti. It worked with my shitty 15k scanners, but doesnt seem to work with my PT-30ks. Looking at my volume control while playing test pattern shows full blast but i get no movement on my scanners what so ever and no signal to my modulation. Im going to get my multimeter out later and test the ILDA cable to see if its actually outputting anything. I hope I didnt damage the audiolase with EST while bulding this thing. It was kinda neglected and tossed in a corner during the build mayhem.

I will take pics of the inside tomorrow after I get some zip ties. Heres a video of the PT-Itrust show clip.

 

[whatsupadrian]

As promised here are some pics of the guts.

 

[LtKernelPanic]

I wonder if you're running into the interlock issue that I am (and guyfromhe did too) with my Reke PJ. It won't do anything since the DAC doesn't close the interlock. I had to order parts to make an adapter that allows me to close the interlock. You need to have pins 4 and 17 connected.