Help needed making these mirrors move

[hakzaw1]

won this experimental laser board on EEKbay.(WOW only 15$usd w/ free local pick-up) the four wires(b&w) were not connected to anything but the red HeNe works. My question is what type and amount of power is needed to make the mirrors move. They are are mounted one x and the other Y axis. I would like to either have them move to the music or have some control perhaps via my PC. would a stepper motor controller do any good. I have applied several different amounts of dcv but no movement. tried atttaching speakerleads no-go either. HELP Me Mr Wizard!!(Tooter Turtle) I have a nice little gift to send to whomever can help me out with this bugger.<(*u*)>---the haksaw sez thanks

 

[hakzaw1]

Here is another view showing one of the coils with FS mirror and four b&w wires (two per coil)

 

[daguin]

If you can find enough info to be able to identify which barcode scanner this came out of, you might be able to get a spec sheet (or an install guide)

Peace,
dave

 

[hakzaw1]

thanks for the help Dave-came as-is with zero info-at least I know now it came from a scanner- should have guessed that. Any clues as to ac or dc - should I be checking resistance or what? I have tried AA, two AAs, 6 & 9 volt batteries --nothing-- is it a pos. then neg. like a stepper motor-I sure would like to figure this one out. What do I need to do to make this thread see-able by more members? kinda looks buried on page two already. HAK- sez thanks

 

[daguin]

Are there any markings on the motors themselves? Is there anything on the mounting plate? We really need a "hook" to get started down the research path.

Unfortunately we are trying to recognize something that is incomplete. This is probably a good place to do that. With almost 8,000 members and an average of 250 members and >1,000 guests on line at at time, there are a lot of eyes on these posts.

Have you tried Googling "barcode scanners" -- search within results -- <search> Hene "helium neon" -- then look at "pictures" from the results.
Odds are that this is old and has been replaced with a diode based scanner.

Peace,
dave

 

[hakzaw1]

the whole thing is mounted on a 'thawing plate' made from Aluminum-- my guess is now that the 1mW hene and the scanner mirrors all came from and old barcode built-in scanner. good deal even if the laser only was working- which it does!!I will go googling and get back if I find more info. thanks a bunch for the help(again)

 

[hakzaw1]

I dont see what looks (traditionally) like a 'motor'- each mirrorassemblyhas two tiny yellow coils with a pair of black and white wires on the coils is 428-076 and on the bracket that holds the coils and mirrors is 06885- the lasers' power supply has written by hand -12v 800mA-- tube is a Spec-Phys.007-2.

 

[billg519]

Have you tried to measure the coils resistance? They might need a little more drive than batteries would give. These almost look like solenoid coils. You might try a little shot of 5V or 12V from a bench power supply. If they're solenoids thay should at least wiggle or jerk a bit.

 

[Krutz]

wow, I wouldnt even have recognized them as barcode-scanner-parts..

well, what do you plan to do with the whole setup, Hak? perhaps you should replace the motors altogether.. if youre after a "spirograph", you could simply attach the mirrors to computerfans..
if those are stepper motors or solenoids, you will need drivers which will probably cost more than the whole setup did..

manuel

 

[hakzaw1]

I didnt recog. them either (thanks Dave) I THINK the yellow 'coils' are Electro Magnets that rock the mirrors using ac . So with one assembly x and the other y it would something like sprios do but different. I will look thru my several 5- gal buckets of wallwarts as I think there are a couple that output ac rather than the vdc usual. Not gonna hook it up to the 110 :-( I had my first spiro in 1989.(1mW red HeNe)) I want somebody to do a tutorial on homemade light show using common stepper motors(from printers etc). thanks for all the help keep it coming.<(*u*)>

 

[ElektroFreak]

Do you have access to an adjustable power supply? You could attach one of the coils to it if you do, and gradually increase voltage until you see the assmbly move. Since it's DC, it will only snap forward or backward and then stay there, but you should be able to determine what kind of signal to give it based on this..

 

[hakzaw1]

OK well would that work if the power supply was a lowly wallwart with a slider that allows changeable voltage from 4.5 up to 12VDC?? cause I tried that but will again. thanks for ALL ideas-found a schematic via Sam's FAQ with very similar laser but I am not familar with them to find there mirror assemblies - I will find again and post a link. AND as a desperate last alternative I am willing to grovel like the cowardly Lion before the mighty Wizard(of OZ)- and send an email to the good Dr. Sam - he will take a one-second look and reveal all(as ususl).

 

[hakzaw1]

Heres a link that I hope one of you all can help me with--http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/ichi2sch.pdf-- I find the 1mW red laser on there but--- are the mirror thingys on there?? Heres other photos of the whole deal.

 

[hakzaw1]

THANKS EF-- Just tried again with adjustable voltage and got a bump hooking one side only but to keep it moving I guess i need power going to both coils- but most important us that ITS ALIVE!! didnt notice it before as I bounces a lot when your touch it(it monunted on springs) so I didnt notice the diff.BOY is my face red. And I was about to email Dr Sam --whew!! think I can figure it out from here willl post a beamshot pix when I get the green and 100mW red on the board. thanks guys

 

[Krutz]

nice! seems like you found the answers, now only the beamshots are still missing! ;-)

manuel

 

[hakzaw1]

Still wanting to use these one or both with spiros or stepper motors and 'bounce' to the music via headphone jack-- nay new ideas(sorry to bump this old thread but new new guidance-cabin fever-hak--was trying to get 7 free stepper motor drivers at Spark(not too much(Fun today. No Luck on that .. But I do have one already(driver)but don.t know how to hook it to the music and power totally. thanks Hak