my super simple, totaly ghetto lumia wheel

[IsaacT]

Not really. That glass piece can be bought for $1 at any hardware store that sells glass. Also you can get 1 RPM motors out of an old clock at any second hand shop. You just have to do a little leg work. And that star generator is nothing more than 2 diffraction gratings, 1 RPM motor, a low power laser, and a blue diode.

Total = under $30.

All the info is posted on this forum.

Thanks for that info about the 1 RPM motors being in old clocks. It is definitely common sense but I never would have thought of it. I would have repped you but the system thinks I give you too much rep apparently :/ lol

... certainly a cool thing to stare at when not partcularly sober

^THIS

 

[Tech_Junkie]

You can also use a RC servo box to step down the motor. You just have to cut off the "stop" on the top gear.

 

[Bionic-Badger]

Is there anywhere cheaper than that ebay listing to buy one? seems a bit harsh, $35 for a little motor with gear reduction and a glass disk.

Use a servo without the limiter and attach a disc. You can microcontrol it to what speed you want.

Edit: Well shit, I should've scrolled down to see what TJ said.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

Great minds think alike.

 

[Vaporizer]

It is a nice effect.
I sold my lathe many yrs ago.so dumb. Now I use the redneck version......
A drill or dermel tool......I do have a drill press for both. I had to modify the drill press because it was originally for a 3/8" B&D and now it wouldn't fit my 1/2". Ok..abt an hr to make it fit & check bi-directional squareness. Same with the dremel press.my new dremel dint fit and I didnt want to buy another. If I can make it work, thats $ for something do need.
The dad gets it before it goes to the garbage rule still applies in my house. Boxes in the barn & garage of striped electronics, clocks, phones....if it breaks....its mine.
You can take a 1rpm motor from a battery clock ( the second hand shaft). Ok..go through the gears and find a couple that pitch the same and ratio out close. Now, you find a piece of rod...plastic, metal and spin them on the redneck lathe to the right size and make the gear hole solid. Then drill it out to what you need and make a shaft for the other gear. Makes for a great inexpensive hobby that is very self satisfying knowing you did it yourself.

I've had a small laser light show in the back of my mind for a while now. I just need dots on a wall.no beams. I'd like to have 405nm fire with the basss & drums, green for vocals & 660nm for higher notes. Adding to it as I go along. Been looking at ways of different moments and using an old computer sound card for the frequency decoder. There is a red/green one on ebay for $29...roller skate style...They only thing really unique abt it is the sound unit and that shouldn't be that bad to replicate or even make better.

 

[oic0]

I didnt think of a clock. Thats a great idea. So about $5 for a clock then I just have to find some dimpled glass or plastic. Although I did find just the wheels from an online store for $7 if I cant find any good material.

"Here is a link to the eBay listing where I got the wheel/motor combo (no relation or affiliation to this guy"

- Then chill.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

$7 is not bad. You can find that glass in just about any hardware store. Its shower door replacement glass. They can cut it for you, and it does not need to be round. You can go online and find tons of different glass textures. What I did is mounted a magnate to the shaft of the motor, and used another magnate to hold the glass onto the magnate on the shaft. This way you can change out the glass easy, and no hole drilling. Just glue some felt onto both magnates so they dont crack the glass.

 

[MojoLA]

The problem with clock motors is all the ones I tried "step" from second to second - its not a smooth motion, but more like TICK (pause) TICK (pause) and you can SEE the stuttering in the laser effect. It's not desireable.

In any case, I personally think 1RPM is too fast anyway. If you're looking for a smooth, slow, "relaxing" lumia wheel effect, where one shape slowly transitions to the next, I'd say you don't want anything faster than 1/2 RPM (look at my video and decide for yourself). That's why I think the 1/3 RPM on eBay is perfect.

Someone asked me how to power this ebay motor since it ships with just 2 wires coming off it. I'm an electronics nubie too so this confused me, but the guy selling it told me what to do and it really was very simple...

All you need to do is splice the wires coming from the motor to any standard AC power cord, since the motor runs off standard 120 AV power.

I went to Target and bought a cheap extension cord for $5, chopped off the "female" part (sorry ladies), stripped the wire a half inch or so and twisted them together with the leads from the motor. Then I just wrapped it all up with electrical tape, plugged it in and it worked!

He also has a handy tightening screw on the wheel where it attaches to the motor so you can make sure the wheel is firmly attached to the motor (you'll need an allen wrench set, the hexagonal screw-type).

The whole thing is put together really well and I applaud the guy who sold it to me for an excellent product at (I think) a reasonable price.

I've been running it every night, all night for about 2 weeks now and it's still humming along nicely.

In my opinion, it's worth $35 so I don't have to do all the work of finding an appropriate motor, finding and cutting the glass, attaching a fastner & tightening screw to the glass, sizing it to the motor, etc.

But as TJ says, if you want to do all that work and save yourself maybe $10 or $15 (assuming you can find a motor and a place that will sell and cut the glass dirt cheap), be my guest!

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I could build one for under $5. $1 glass, $3 clock motor, $0.20 for glue to glue the glass on the second hand. The hardware store cuts the glass for you.

 

[MojoLA]

Like I said, most clock motors won't work.

And I'd love to see you do it. I'd be amazed if you could walk into a hardware store, choose a piece of glass you like and have them cut it to spec and walk out only paying $1.

Then again, you are the king of hyperbole. You oversimplify things to the point of glibness, for some reason trying to prove you can do everything better & cheaper than everyone else.

What's the point?

Please send me your $5 lumia wheel, I'll pay $10 for it! :crackup:

 

[hakzaw1]

Well there are many other diffusion glass sources other than hardware stores-- thrift shops- garage sales etc-- this 5 inch wheel is made from the glass lenses in a box style porch overhead light- old and rusty and free- 12 pieces of glass cut free by me. My motors come from free sources too(like toys and for gas lasers-& the motors that turn BBQ Spits) and there are clocks that do not 'tick' and 1or2 rpm or a little over is a fine effect. I glue my glass with JB Weld and attach a plastic gear from a toy. I have five lumia wheels with a total cost of less than 25$ total for all.

the areas where the JBWeld is makes a blanking effect. Lenses from flourescent light & although plastic can be used and found for free too. I will make a video soon.

 

[MojoLA]

By the way, here is an update (of sorts) - the device that projects the stars & blue cloud (known as the Laser Star Projector) has died.

The cloud works, but the laser (and therefore the stars) died. I'm actually surprised, it's only a 5mw green and there is a fan inside - how could it burn out??

If anyone wants to try fixing it, PM me I'll pay!