Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

Buy Site Supporter Role (remove some ads) | LPF Donations

Links below open in new window

Lumia wheel fail

oic0

oic0

0
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Messages
289
Points
0
*sigh* dont go to walmart looking for a clock to make a lumia wheel from. This one was 8 bucks. Once I got there I realized that none of the clocks were turned on so I couldnt see which ones ticked and which ones moved smoothly. I shook them to see which ones had slack in the second hand. I picked one with no slack. Still when I got home and popped a battery in it, it ticks :(

I tried anyway, but it sucks. Tomorrow I hit the hobby shops for a servo motor.
*PS, I didnt try too hard on the "wheel" Its part of a crushed water bottle. Just testing the principle.

 





Good try. Like I said in the other thread, you need to go to a second hand store. All (mostly) newer clocks tick. Good effort though. Cant wait till you get it up and running.
 
Tech_Junkie said:
Good try. Like I said in the other thread, you need to go to a second hand store. All (mostly) newer clocks tick. Good effort though. Cant wait till you get it up and running.
Click to expand...

:crackup::crackup::crackup: Hahaha that's great, you've gotta go to a second hand store to get a proper second hand! :crackup::crackup::crackup:







I'm such a loser, lol.
 
The second hand stores have all kinds of goodies. Sometimes you might even find something high quality, and they dont have the brain power to know what they have. In one place I just missed an oak roll top desk that sold for $100. In the antique shops they are $4000+.
 
Chances are if it runs on a battery, it's not what you want. You want one that runs on mains to have a constant rotation clock motor. (synchronous AC motor) A constant rotation motor would use too much power to run on batteries.
 
I have been thinking on this lumia wheels for a while now. In fact, I have been planning it this last weekend. My way will be this: I will use a standard R/C servo from DX modded for 360 continuous turning, and a servo tester from DX. If I can't get the wrinkled glass, I'll make some with plastic/epoxy or maybe some surface filed glass. I will connect all this to a 5V wall adapter and/or depending on requirements to an USB plug. Also I am planning to use multiple lasers to create multiple patterns or maybe even a diffraction grid. Will post pics when I have the time to build it. A RGB lumia like this would be cool. I can't wait to start the project. You know how you feel when you have all the components lying around and you have no time ;)
 
Eaiser than finding wrinkled glass and cutting it, try the dishware section in walmart ;)
I have some teacup saucers that make awesome patterns. The glass looks very simple but the patterns it makes remind me of the "Mystify your mind" screensaver from back in the day.
 
Save your money on the modded servos, they suck for turning big glass wheels.

Google "Hankscraft Motor"

Google "Faulhaber Gear Motor"

Google "DC gearmotor"

Google "maxon" motor.

You can thank me later.
Steve
 
If the clock motor you got is stepping and is also one of those square clear plastic ones, you may be able to see the slow constant gear that drives the last "stepper" gear.
It might be possible to remove the unwanted gears, extend that shaft out the front of he case and use it. ;)
You may need to glue a shaft on the gear so it can still have a bearing surface to rotate on.
 
do u think a 3 phase motor could be driven slow enough to use or would there be too much mass to overcome the inertia for such a slow speed.
[edit]
like a cd spinal motor, tho i guess if enough voltage applied then it may!! :tinfoil:

i also dont think this is a fail, i think it looks quite cool, esp if u could get it to tick with the beat of music :D
 
Last edited:
In my lumia wheel thread I warned about the "stepping" clock motors... in the end, I opted to spend $35 on a great 1/3rd RPM motor, with lumia wheel found on eBay. Been working perfectly for months and sure beat the time and frustration of finding and fitting all the parts.

Of course, if you WANT to DIY, that's another story. Also keep in mind that if you're looking for a sort of "slow, relaxing, slowly morphing" lumia effect, even a 1RPM clock motor is way too fast. After much experimenting I'd say 1/3RPM is the max speed for the kind of lumia effect that would go along with chill music.

Even after you get the wheel going, it's a bit of an effort to figure out how to get your various pointers and lab lasers (if you have any) aimed in unison at the wheel!

Also, if you're using pointers to run the show, make sure you have some sort of small fan aimed at them; most pointers will fry after a few minutes of run cycle. But with a fan hitting them, i've left all my lasers running for hours and have had no issues.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top