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Spirograph help

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Haz_622

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Hi, I would like to make a spirograph to use with my laser, Does anyone know any guides, or have any tips? I know i need 2 motor's, 2 mirrors, and a battery, But how can i control the speed of the motors to change the effects? I would like to make this as cheaply as possible
 





Check out my thread right below this. A potentiometer with a transistor will do it if they are small motors. You can brute force it with a rheostat. Pulse Width Modulation is an option. A lot of people use small computer fans that have a manual speed control. Make sure you wire at lease one of them so you can reverse the direction of rotation.

Jules
 
all you need is a simple potentiometer in series with each motor. 100ohm would be ok, but you wont be able to fully stop each motor. 1kohm should be able to stop the motor depending on your power supply, but would be more sensitive when you adjust it.

EDIT: FW00A from the link you provided should be fine. You'll need one for each motor. If you use three motors you will get a wider range of designs.

Also, I've found that motors from cd rom drives are great. The motor that pushes/pulls the cd holder in and out are the motors that I used. I used three of them powered by a 9v battery and it works great.
 
Haz_622 said:
Hi, I would like to make a spirograph to use with my laser, Does anyone know any guides, or have any tips? I know i need 2 motor's, 2 mirrors, and a battery, But how can i control the speed of the motors to change the effects? I would like to make this as cheaply as possible
Click to expand...

rog8811 did a nice job with a small build... It's not too easy to get it all in the small project box that he used though. But check out his thread....he even has a link to a video tutorial!
Jay
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1186862602/0
 
Ok would this setup work -

1 motor wire straight to the battery, The other wire to a potetionmeter, then that wire to the battery? And then rep[eat with other motor
 
If you use a 1K pot, wire one side to (+) 12 or a nine volt battery then wire the wiper (middle terminal) to the motor, then the other side of the motor to ground. To get a  little fancier, wire a DPST switch to allow you to reverse the motor. Try Type "H" form here:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2341&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=toggle switch&doy=6m7

You can use a 10K pot and a 2n3906 transistor too like this
motorvontrol.jpg



Jules
 
Here is how you wire the switch
 

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Yes, there needs to be a slight angle to the mirrors. I used Hot Glue on mine and guestimated the angle. Try and make them the same on both (or all three if you are doing three) My youtube video shows them in the opening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TDTlyhr3HU

Jules
 
Jules said:
Yes, there needs to be a slight angle to the mirrors.
Click to expand...

Make sure it is a "slight" angle. If the angle is too large the beam will go off the edge of the next mirror. When using three mirrors this angle is compounded.

Peace,
dave
 
Thanks for all the help, I have finished it =]

Just incase you were wondering, The motors are mounted on tin cans
 

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And here s a picture of the spirograph, sorry the picture isn't too great, that is in a well lighted room
 

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all right so what do you do with the 3rd leg of the pot? do you attach it to the negative end of the battrie or do you just leave it blank like he did?
 
f22warzone said:
all right so what do you do with the 3rd leg of the pot? do you attach it to the negative end of the battrie or do you just leave it blank like he did?
Click to expand...


As with all things magikal, it is best if you get as many of the elements involved as possible.

You have the hot lead wired to positive, so you have fire.

You have the negative lead wired to ground, so you have earth.

You should leave the third lead wired to the air, so you have wind.


It is NOT advisable to include the element of water to a spirograph.

I hope that clears things up for you

Peace,
dave
 
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