Well, time has come to build this bloody thing, too muchj thinking and not enough work is not good... OK been lurking in forums for ages and finally finished my last speaker project last week . If you are into speakerers they are a pair of vifa-based floorstanders based on a weems pipe (aka tapered quarter length transmission line). Of course when you get high quality audio gear, you need high quality video gear too. So here we go.

This panel was not listed in the forums and before I stripped it , I thought there was a chance I'd come across a nasty ffc issue, luckily this was not the case. The panel in question is an ACER aL 1722 17" panel. 1280x1024 resolution , £200 from ebuyer.com. 8ms and oops- 700 to 1 not 800 to 1 contrast ratio.

I've already built a few projects inc 3 telescopes, my speakers inc crossovers, so I feel "moderately" competent with a saw and chisel (I'll probably live to regret saying that), so I decided a vertical pro setup was what I wanted. I bought the new pro lens kit, fresnels, uv protector and e-ballast in January (got raped by the VAT man imporitng this stuff into the UK though!). I do still need to order some tempered glass from a local glas supplier, and find a cheap first-surface mirror from somewhere.
As I go I've been taking pics with my camera phone to illustrate my progress.

As for the panel stripping, it was a doddle, just took it slowly and had it totally stripped in 45 minutes this evening. Cut the panels for the frames in MDF yesterday. I've got a router, so I'll be cutting the interior of the panels later this week, time permitting.

Anyways less talking more pics......Click to view attachment

more pics- sory about the layout but new to all this posting type stuff.Click to view attachment

Here are some of my speakersClick to view attachment I'm gonna have to resize these pics as they take up way too much space on each post..

Crease,

Where did you get your triplet from? LL is out of stock and I need one badly......

Looking good!

Small world.

My last project was to design and build some full range Weems pipes with Tang Band drivers (no crossovers). Two are finished to the point that they sound good, but don't look good yet, and I have the wood for three more cut and ready to be glued and screwed to finish my surround system.

I've considered removing the mirrors from my 10" dobsonian telescope to build something more portable. I'd be interested in your telescope designs, maybe in the "Mad Science" forum.

... and now I'm waiting for parts to arrive to start building a vertical projector.

well swill, must have been lucky as I got the triplet ordered before they came into stock. Looking ove rthe forum for the last 6 months, the growth in posts has been just huge, I'm assuming the growth has outstripped supply. There are other sources for lenses, such as av forums and diy lcd projector company, but I have no personal experience dealing with them, so I'm unable to recommend any of them.

As for my telescopes,I did no desgin work, I'm much too incompetent with a calculator to design anything. My first was a 8.75" dobsonian and 2 inch finder scope. (I was on long term sick at the time) and the second a quick and dirty refractor with a 3" objective from surplus shack. Gave both of them away to local schools after I'd built them. I have a very high standard when it comes to wife acceptance factor. The only reason I got away with the projector is that she has final approval if it goes into the living room. If not, it stays in my domian.. the spare bedroom!!!!
As for a dob being more portable I have a great book by DavidKriege called "The Dobsonian Telescope" It has loads of suggestions for truss-tube designs etc...

Ok, well hopefuly I can upload the rest of the photo now. I have scaled them to 640x480. I t should therfore have enough detail for anyone contemplating this panel. Took the antiglare off last night using the rag soak method. 10 hours overnigh and the ag peled off no problems whatsoever. I cannot believe how easy this manle was to strip. As for mounting it, built the frame today, howevwer still need to give it a second coat of paint, will post pics when I've done it.

also had too use smaller photos 240 pixels wide. Just exceeded bandwidth so will have to wait 24 hrs for more pics. I have dozens of the damn things!!

Here are some more pics of the panel being stripped and a pic of the panel laid in the frame.Tis afternoon after work Ibuild the box, hopefully I'll have enoguh space to get all the gubbins in....
PS does anybody know where I can cget a cheap first surface mirror in the UK? This is a folded design with the pro lenses. Need to order tempered glass this week too!Click to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachmentClick to view attachment Hope this makes sense for those looking at the plog. Just starting mto get really excited about setting up my home theatre in the spare bedroom.!!

Been working this morning so just didn'y get time to take more pics. Additiona rear and front fresnel frames rough cut this mrning. Will neaten them tomorrow morning with my router. As for the tempred glass gonna order it from work tomorrow, should be ready middle of next week. Also need to find a first surface mirror. Still can't find anything for reasonal money, so let me know if anyone knows somewhere that will do it cheap. Specialist telescope mirors are far too expensive and the surfaces dont have to anything like as flat (by optical standards of course!)
If I can't source one I will just have to make it horizontal, luckily I haven't yet cut the holes for the focus. I think the trick here is to little bits all the tiome rahter lots all in one go. I 've spent too much money to break something or cut something too short. I 'm just so giddy I want to post my screenshots like everyone else. I've even been daft enought o gom out and buy a load of dvd's which I refuse to watch until I get the thing built.

Will post more pictures of my progress tomorrow...

Hey,my crease!
I think you are in the UK??
I got my FS mirror from a place called Knight optical. I got a 11" x 12" for £30.
It weighed a ton,6mm thick I think.I am looking around for something thinner for Ver 2.
Performs grest though.They have a web site,are based in london,but dont take paypal or credit cards,I had to post them a cheque.
Happy hunting!
Cheers P

thanx punisher, have been closely following your plogs. Yes I'm situated in sunny Wakefield... as for fs mirros I contacted a place called oldham opticals, they were gonna quote me something like £600 for a mirror, a little steep. I'll try and find knight optical this week.
I think your pj logs are fantastic. I'm not usually a sycophanr, but this forum revolves around knowlegable and friendly memebrs like you... Thanks again

Cheers,my crease.
I double checked,and I got mine from Vacuum Coatings Ltd.
Here is a link to their fs mirror pricing page...Autocue mirrors

Good luck!
Cheers P

Hi my crease,
I ordered an fs mirror from here Delphi glass
They're in the US, but it only took about a week, came really well packaged and a good price too.
Didn't have to pay any customs either
Very thin and lightweight

Odd

Thanks punisher, I'll have a look at them, they do look a lot cheaper on than oldham optical!!
As for the US oddski, I have been spanked a few times by uk customs charges when buying from the states, so prefer to avoid them unless i have nowhere else to go. Thanks any way though...

Yeah I know what you mean, my Lumenlab stuff came to $87 (About £50). Had to pay charges to the carrier for VAT - £11.74 and Carrier handling charges - £13.50 Total £25.24 extra. OUCH!!!

Odd

Been to Cityglass in Bradford and ordered the tempered glass £10.50 +vat for 370 x 310mm piece......Will update thursday when I collect it.

are the FFC connections only along the top edge of the acer LCD panel? or is there a side PCB too?