My DIY Spirograph

[nikokapo]

ok, i've posted "My First Spirograph" before on experiments & mods. but now i just want to share my pics with you

i re-did the whole concept..trimmed off the fins of both fans, had one mirror cut in 4 parts so they were smaller (now the fans spin quite faster)

i used...dunno how u call it there, but in spanish it is "fibrofácil", could be "easy-fiber"..
and then painted the base and all things i built in black.

i used two 1kOhm potentiometers, also built a little box for it.


this project took me A LOT of time...almost 3 and a half days (FULL TIME WORKING, my only tools were: a little saw (LITTLE, i could cut max 12cm of wood), one nail and a hammer.....thats it (well...vinyl glue also...but thats a material, as wood and one sticky rubber thing i used to stick the upper base to the big base as the fans would vibrate immensely and it would glide as an air-hockey machine )


now some pics:

...21 pics, sorry hehe.

hope u like it!!


note: some pics were taken with low exposition because my camera couldnt register the patterns.

 

[JLSE]

Nice pix, nice work, NICE HOUSE!

 

[FireMyLaser]

But those were LED fans! You don't cut off the blades from LED fans! ;D ;D

Jk, very nice! And bright too.

 

[nikokapo]

hahahaha

i just HAD the wicked idea of cutting the blades...i wanted more speed and i wasnt gonna change the whole project and starting using metal and motors instead of wood and case fans...

but i paid 11 dollars each for those coolers 2 years ago and never used them for ANYTHING...so i said to myself that i HAD to do something...so i didnt mind destroying the fans (though i hated myself for taking care of them for two years and stabbing them on the back like i did hehe)

PS: i can take pics of my house if u want me to ;D ;D
(but thats not MY house, thats the garage wall)

 

[Switch]

That's awesome, I so have to make one now I think I have 2 fans somewhere. Btw , I love air-hockey ;D

It would probably improve it's visibility if you used surface mirrors :-/

 

[nikokapo]

That's awesome, I so have to make one now I think I have 2 fans somewhere. Btw , I love air-hockey ;D

It would probably improve it's visibility if you used surface mirrors :-/

surface mirrors?

i googled it but didnt understand. what, do they keep the angle at which the beam goes in and the one of its reflection the same? (i thought common mirrors maintained the reflecting angle)

if u can help me improve my spirograph i would appreciate it.
i can change the mirrors

and i did the whole project so i could dismount the fans and the sub-base...also the potentiometers box...almost everything



EDIT: i love air-hockey too, maybe next-gen spirographs will be portable hockey discs....imagine a green scanner on a disc while playing air-hockey!!)

 

[Switch]

Well surface mirrors are mirrors with the reflective coating on the front of the glass(or whatever they're made of).From your pics it appeared to me that you have regular mirrors where the reflective metal coating is on the back of the glass.This is not well suited for laser use because it causes more reflections (from the glass) and loss in power and maybe even beam quality.
Besides , surface mirrors could be lighter (if you get the right kind) and maybe would boost your speed even more :-/

 

[nikokapo]

THATS WHY I SAW 3 BEAMS IN MY DADS CAR MIRROR!!!!!!!

thanks for that pic so much (i even laughed), really helpful.

i will try to look for some of these around here in argentina....hope they even EXIST here
if i modify it i will tell you.


thx again.

 

[Switch]

Hey , don't mention it I don't know, I can't find any of them here either.They can be found on ebay though.I think I saw some on some laser company's website but can't quite remember which one. :-/ There was a guy on youtube with a video showing how to make them from an acrylic sheet using acetone and paint thiner or something, they turned out really well.He has an instructable about it too, and I think he is a member here aswell.

 

[nikokapo]

these mirrors sound too expensive!!...i have to save money for the next project

 

[rog8811]

hope u like it!!

I do indeed...
For the mirrors I use plastic craft mirror from ebay, cost a couple of dollars for a sheet that will last for ever. It is super lightweight and as good as front surface as it uses a thin reflective film.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3MM-MIRROR-AC...ryZ26258QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Regards rog8811

 

[nikokapo]

ohh..that should be really light!!!

thank you everybody, but i dont think i will modify the spirograph, it is good as it is (and at £2.10 = 4.20 dollars = 14 pesos, it will cost me more than all the wood + mini-saw + potentiometers i bought )

thx again, but i'll look around here in argentina to see if i can get some plexiglass mirror

 

[Tallaxo]

Well done Niko. That is a great spiro setup, very well done. and I do forgive you for using my avatar

Jase

 

[nikokapo]

....and I do forgive you for using my avatar  

hhahahahahaa hey sorry, i just HAD to add them (every episode.....i hope they do more)


thanks, glad you liked it ;D ;D

 

[AP_Digital_light]

Nice work, nikokapo!

There was a guy on youtube with a video showing how to make them from an acrylic sheet using acetone and paint thiner or something, they turned out really well.He has an instructable about it too, and I think he is a member here aswell.

In my first version I've used blank DVD as mirrors.
It's possible to split DVD and get acceptable front surface reflective material.
After I've discovered acrylic mirror, developed method to work with and perfectly balance round mirrors, and I'm very happy with results.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-show-for-poor-man/

 

[nikokapo]

nice!!

yeah i've seen that instructable, thx though.


i should start researching on how to build a liquid sky....is it really that simple? one motor and a piece of a cd?