[SculptorM]

Many thanks to my friend Lee for opening my eyes to this whole thing....

I have embarked on this adventure and buried myself to get it done as quick as I could. Nights & weekends taken to obsession.

Not quite done, but running, I'll try to give what details I can.

Basics:

LCD- Mag Innovision LT565 - $50 ebay
Bulb - Ushio-S400DD - Atlanta Light Bulbs - $38
Ballast - 400w HPS Quad Tap - HiDirect - $53
S15 Lens Kit - LL - $65
120V Wiring Kit - LL- $25
AC Adaptor - LL- $10
2 - 12VDC 120mm Fans - LL - $16
Pro Reflector - LL - $15
FS Mirror - LL - $34
20 pin ffc extension - LL - $15
80 mm Fan guards - $2
1- 110v 120mm Fan - Mcmaster.com - $22
Fan cordset & filter guard - Mcmaster.com - $4
Aluminum channel for case- 2 pc @ 8 ft - Mcmaster.com - $33
Set screw shaft collars -Mcmaster.com - $3
Tempered Glass - $12
XL10 Lexan - $12

Total - $409 (not including shippping)

As for the rest. I have a studio and happen to have most of the hardware, aluminum, acrylic, and birch plywood in stock or scrap. More details on that later.

After some time looking over blogs, I decided on a folded design (most thanks to Pun15her) and dug in with Rhino. I use it for most work and the precision would be helpful with this project.

First round:


After finding the fans too loud on the front I worked the design over to include a box at the bottom, with airflow to baffle the sound.

Second round (after fabrication work & analysis):


more in next post.....

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 07 November 2006 - 04:22 AM

[SculptorM]

After the frames are built:

Ripped down 1"x1"x1/8" aluminum channel on the table saw (negative rake blade set high) to proper dimensions and cut the angles with a chop saw. Cleaned the messy cut edges up with a Dynafile using scotch-brite belts, chamfered & welded with spool gun. Added strap to edges for the mounts. sanded edges down.

The base plate has some channel added for a heat sink under the bulb.

Pieces are:

Reflector mount
Tempered glass mount/Iris
Fresnel - with XL10 Lexan
LCD - No Circuit board mounts yet, get welded on later
Fresnel
Mirror mount & triangle supports
Mirror frame
4 sides

I drilled 1/2" holes in the reflector mount plate and plug-welded the heat sink channels on from the top, then ground it all down with a sanding disc on a 4" grinder. I decided after that to grind all the surfaces so the high-temp paint would bond well to the aluminum.

The smaller parts were cut on a bandsaw and edge-finished with a disc sander. Heat sink channel was cut with a chop saw and cleaned up with the dynafile (a hand-held belt polisher).

I welded 1/4"x1/2" strap to two of the walls, drilled and tapped them for 10-24 bolts. This was done with the plates clamped arounf the stack to insure a tight air flow.

pics of the parts:



The Reflector mount top:



The reflector mount bottom with heat sinks (1/2" base 3/4" leg channel):




More in the next post....

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 25 September 2006 - 01:37 AM

[SculptorM]

Frame Stack with the first generation Base Box.

Decided to stick with manual focus for the first round. Using the ol' shower drain.

Did put a height adjustment in with a pivot point. To be ammended several times later.

Saw Lemony Snicket's lately and liked the eye form. just had to do it.

These shots show the LCD board mounts. Cut with the band saw, aluminum as well, with 4-40 screws & plastic washers to mount the boards.

Fan guard & springs for reflector mount. Great thanks to bloggers for that one.

without walls:





Walls mounted:





more in the next....

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 21 September 2006 - 05:35 AM

[tameone]

Aiyyyeee!! Thats badass.. can't wait to see the image

[SculptorM]

Fired up for the first test.



Cued by seeing pun15hers test sheet, I drew some lines on a piece of acrylic and shot on the wall...



I kept feeling like I was in danger of blindness testing the system with the acrylic, I had to get the box wrapped with something. I had some 1/2" birch plywood at the studio, and the aluminum channel from mcmaster (originally planned for the frames, abandoned the idea of trapping the materials).

After some more Rhino to get dimensions, I cut two sides with the bandsaw and bent the channel to fit the edges (by hand with 3/4" plywood circles, have a bunch for just this purpose). Then used some translucent white acrylic I had left over from projects to slip a case over the works.... Cut with the table saw and drilled with hole saws from Lowe's


Tested the rig (no LCD yet) with a paper screen thrown together with poplar and painters tape. Finally got some $8 tempertaure gauges mounted inside to check temp. With the small front hole it was running hot, mostly kept the front panel off at first.




more in the next....

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 25 September 2006 - 01:17 AM

[SculptorM]

Thanks tameone!

Still trying to get the images up. more tonight!

M

[tameone]

stop I want to go to bed

[Votey]

SculptorM, on Sep 20 2006, 11:18 PM, said:

Ripped down 1"x1"x1/8" aluminum channel on the table saw (negative rake blade set high) to proper dimensions and cut the angles with a chop saw. Cleaned the messy cut edges up with a Dynafile using scotch-brite belts, chamfered & welded with spool gun. Added strap to edges for the mounts. sanded edges down.

Uhhh, yeah. Sounds good. I have no idea what those words mean. lol

tameone, on Sep 20 2006, 11:45 PM, said:

stop I want to go to bed

Woo! I am loving this so far. "Sculptor," if anyone else used that screen name, it would be pretentious. For you, it's a perfect fit. Keep up the good work, man. Wow.

This post has been edited by Votey: 21 September 2006 - 03:57 AM

[SculptorM]

So here I have it together.

Had some ffc difficulty. The extension was a little thick for the circuit board mount and the clasp wouldn't close. And I lost that little brown clip for the extension connector (spent a half hour with a flashlight crawling around the floor in my office, damn!) never did find it.

Anyway, go it working.

Also had to add full universal control to the Triplet mount (lord bless tig welding) using shaft collars from mcmaster and 1/4" stainless (true round) I pieced together a system that allows tilt in all directions, as well as vertical and horizontal movment. Obviously struggling with focus issues.

Added a fan under the Ballast to vent heat, since the circuit board is directly above and I feared destruction. I used a Lowe's rheostat to take the fan down (less noise). All wired into the LL switch along with the 12VDC fans for the light box. Put a hole the back case, slips right over the fan cover, worked well.

The wires running into the side are for the fan temp control, above the tempered glass, just below the fresnel/XL10. Gets to about 98 up there. Have it set to shut off at 80-85.

Used "solder'n'seal" connectors to extend the LCD controls (sitting on top in the first image) and heat shrink to wrap them up nice. Such a beautiful invention the s'n's are.

Bought terminal blocks, but haven't figured out where I want them yet. That'll happen a little later.

more pics....





Triplet adjustment:



More soon...

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 25 September 2006 - 01:18 AM

[SculptorM]

Thanks Votey. The sculptor part is my day job. I own a small company that creates custom craziness with steel, concrete, fiberglass, wood, and other stuff at large scale (and small).

Might have to find a way to make art with lenses now. A lot of my work is lit, just a different kind of lit, more decorative than functional. This project has opened a whole new world. So cool!

I can't be more grateful for the community of people here sharing experience with such a complex series of technical issues.

Sorry to go techie with shop talk. I figure I can explain, if anyone needs to know what these things are. I'm fortunate to have access to a variety of tools I wouldn't expect most to have. I play shop geek too much.

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 21 September 2006 - 06:01 AM

[SculptorM]

So it comes to this...

I opened up the hole in the front. and will not be keeping it, I think. I need the volume, but it looks too much like a cyclops with an open mouth I think. It does keep air flowing though. And provides a nice spot to store the cables until I can get a proper panel mount HD15 for the side. One of my emps suggested a some scattered smaller holes, might try it for fun.

I used the sledge and a vise to bend a piece of aluminum and cut out a hole for the switch with a jigsaw, cleaned up with a file. drilled a hole for the breaker. will probably replace this with something that will hold the LCD connection and a temp gauge. Not done yet.

Not happy with the front of the top cap. Sides are cool, but front needs work. I used the table saw to slot 1/2" birch and fit it to the channel. drilled and countersunk the channel to mount it. Back side is more 1" angle hacked down and polished. Screwed to the top cap, lucky I got the cut angle right on the wood top.

Cut the top plate out for the lcd control with a jigsaw and routed out the back side to flush it out (sort of). Luckily it fits tight with friction, no need to screw it in right now.

Pics of piece now..

LCD control


Case sides. No Back/Front

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 25 September 2006 - 01:18 AM

[SculptorM]

some screen shots.

Found a Da Lite 100" Tripod screen at the local university surplus for $25. Not sure what the fabric or gain is, probably 1.0.

Waiting for my High Power model B to arrive...

Anyway, test shots.

Pirates of course


Godfather (wife's all-time fav movie)

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 25 September 2006 - 01:41 AM

[pun15her]

HOLY **** !!
Wow,Sculptor.
I can't believe how far the bar has been raised with this PJ!
Excellent work,she looks amazing.Well done.
Great effect with the materials you used.
Cheers P

[blake]

I don't even know what to say... that thing is absolutely AMAZING!! Are you TESCORP's brother or something...? Damn.

This post has been edited by blake: 21 September 2006 - 07:52 AM

[SculptorM]

Thanks P! Great to hear you approve! Many thanks to you, as I spent some time wandering through your vertical PJ blog and it helped me get excited enough to execute this plan. It was the reference for me.

I'll probably aspire to motorize a couple elements in the future, which was one of the most enjoyable creative aspects of the vertical P build. That will happen later, as the fever pace I set must abate (my lady wants me back).

I have much enjoyed watching unique solutions emerge in this group.


Thanks blake! Wish I could say that... too much of a newbie.. just got lucky I guess. more to do yet. still working out details...

[SculptorM]

I briefly tried out a precondenser I have lying around, but looks like a big change in settings for my time right now, so maybe in a bit I'll get to play with that. Odd that I have had that double lens set for years and never knew what I might use it for. May be wrong for this, but I'll give it a shot.

I'll post pictures of the rig soon. pretty simple. Based on (and thanks to) Simul8r's condenser mount, but with legs to hold it over the bulb. just a test at first.

Oh, also... week and a half ago, a short time before I get the LCD running... my Dvd surround rig (sony not-dream right now) dies and will take two-three weeks to fix (IF they have the right parts). tough luck. will have to find some other sound for a little bit. Still have the computer to run things, though, just very small speaker on a laptop. The Dvd was our stereo.

Looking forward to the boom of surround with some big movie. And the 120" high power, of course.

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 21 September 2006 - 01:32 PM

[sensibull]

Funny how such stellar work can depress me ("I can't possibly match THAT.") and inspire me ("How easy he made it look!") at the same time. Kudos on your workmanship, Sculptor! Instant hall of fame inductee, by my reckoning.

This post has been edited by sensibull: 21 September 2006 - 12:16 PM

[Votey]

sensibull, on Sep 21 2006, 08:12 AM, said:

Funny how such stellar work can depress me ("I can't possibly match THAT.") and inspire me ("How easy he made it look!") at the same time. Kudos on your workmanship, Sculptor! Instant hall of fame inductee, by my reckoning.

Seconded, this definitely belongs in the HoF.

Godfather is my wife's favorite movie, too.

[samuraijack]

Votey, on Sep 21 2006, 08:47 AM, said:

Seconded, this definitely belongs in the HoF.

Godfather is my wife's favorite movie, too.

Very sweet. I like the rounding on the back, and anything with wood grain in it is an automatic plus for me!
Cant wait to see it with the Dalite HP...

SamuraiJack

[tameone]

this pic makes me sad.. I realize how badly I suck at wood and metal working.

This post has been edited by tameone: 21 September 2006 - 02:18 PM

[SculptorM]

tameone, on Sep 21 2006, 10:17 AM, said:

this pic makes me sad.. I realize how badly I suck at wood and metal working.

thanks! I think I got lucky on that corner. I always try to get pictures of the parts that turn out. The other side is not quite so clean (note no detail shot of the front)

The trick with the mount hole was to cut it just a hair small and sand out the sides with the sandpaper wrapped around a really square block. Can't add material back, so making it small helped... That and the plastic flexed just enough to squeeze it in....

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 21 September 2006 - 02:28 PM

[KevinTheCake]

Where are the smileys for drool, eye pop, envy, steam coming off of head,
and lust?

That is a work of art! I now feel inadequate.

[BoomerBrian]

That is very nice craftsmenship. I am impressed.

[DarkMeat]

Well it's been said before but damn good job so far. Looks like it's almost done and it's great the way you used everything from wood to plexi and metal for the enclosure deffinately looks like a professional job.

DM

[SculptorM]

Thanks to everyone for the comments. I'm happy the jaunt into this hobby has worked out so far.
I've left out a lot of details, the AG strip and other stuff, no lack of frustrating moments in the evolution. Most fun was losing that teeny ffc connector clip. Found a couple lost things looking for it. taped the big half of the connector on and holding my breath.

Looking forward to the first official use. Still a few details to work out. Should have my 2.8 screen tomorrow. Putting up some hardware to hang it tonight. Now just waiting for the sound to come back from the shop.

Hoping to find a HD 15 f-to-f to mount the cable into the side. May get it tonight if the shopping trip succeeds. Need to get the cable tongue out of the front.

Mounting that and the temp monitor will be fun. A few other details to clean up. probably playing with the front hole(s) and thinking about an intake filter (dust bad). should have enough scrap plex to play. That and cleaning up the top plate a little...

still want to play with the precondenser idea. must tend yard first, and tackle some less technical art & lighting.

Will start thinking about gear motor focus as well, though I love the adjustment in the current setup. That'll come later.

This post has been edited by SculptorM: 22 September 2006 - 12:09 AM