Laser printer scan heads.....

[rog8811]

Hi guys, I have been working for a couple weeks to make a liquid sky scanner and have always ended up with more than 1 line.  Yesterday I was given an old HP laserjet, which soon became a bunch of component parts in my workshop.

I got the motor  fired up and guess what.....2 lines!!!!!   I guess that as it only needs to be one line out to around 3 or 4 inches for the printer it is not as accurately made as I thought it would be.

Has anyone come across a scan head that will do a better job?  I have seen ones for sale on ebay in the US but they state that they are 24 volt, I only have 12 volts available.


Regards rog8811

 

[SenKat]

Try this for liquid sky :

You know how to make a time tunnel, correct ? Well, similiar for the liq. sky....mount a mirror perpindicular to the motor surface, or mount the mirror right onto the shaft of the motor - glue it on GOOD - otherwise you will have a missle on your hands ! Turn on the motor, and aim your laser at it - it should create one line with no issues....

 

[rog8811]

@ SenKat That was the only successful method I have found so far, trouble is half the rotation is then not reflective, as I understand it the line is less bright than one that is scanned more frequently IE >50% as opposed to >100% of rotation ( I say > because of mirror edges).

I stand to be corrected on this, as I keep saying...I am new to this...as you will see when I start my next thread in the buy, sell, trade forum.   :-[

Thanks for the help anyway   this is a very friendly forum!

Regards rgo8811

 

[SenKat]

I have seen some scan heads on ebay for fairly cheap - they look like hexagon nuts that are mirrors on the ends.....I THINK they came out of printers, too - but you can increase the reflections by adding a second or a third mirror - kind of build up your own mirror disc to add to the motor....

 

[Tallaxo]

Yep Senkat is correct. You could always purchace a m22 Hex nut and mount it flat on an old CPU fan with a mirror glued to each of the flat surfaces and spin this up. This should give you what you require.

Jase

 

[rog8811]

I started with the nut with stuck on mirrors.... 4 lines.
2nd attempt polishing a stainless steel hydraulic nut, 3 lines.
3rd attempt 2 first surface mirrors mounted back to back 2 lines.
Which is why I tried the printer rotor.
I will most likely go back to the back to back mirrors and machine up an adjustable mount.

I will keep looking on ebay though, the right thing may turn up

Regards rog8811

 

[pseudonomen137]

Perhaps this would help you out? http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/m2521.html

What are you using as your power source? If you have a computer PSU with 2 rails you can get 17 and 24V.

 

[SenKat]

Pseudo - THAT is exactly what I was talking about ! I think MI sells them for $40 !!! LOL

 

[rog8811]

@ pseudonomen137, This is part of a laser show that is powered by a12v car battery....deep in the woods at halloween I would prefer to keep it down to 1 battery....in fact 1 battery is all I have got!

Regards rog8811