Static Lumia pics

[lasermaster1977]

Thanks! The dimple tube I made is my favorite. I have one more beam deflecting Ledex to install and my Lumia projector will be done. I have another build thread going but i haven't updated it in ages. I have some good color blending going on that I am proud of. I'll post here when completed (should be this weekend). I never knew how much trouble mis-aligning beams was going to be to get the creamy color blending like what Polishedball has in his.

I have never had very good luck with acrylic diffuser sheets. The throw is wide and the patterns always seem... harsh? That's the best way I can describe it. If anyone in the US has a Hobby Lobby near them, I found 1/8" Cracked Ice glass there. 12" sheet. That is one of my favorite patterns. I have found the difference between the cracked ice glass vs acrylic is that the texture is inverted. On the glass, the textured bumps are "Convex" and on the acrylic, they are "concave". It's pretty interesting.

Very nice collection! Love the white you're getting off that Ar/Kr. DZ uses a mixed gas, as well. Sexy lasers. I would love to own one as they are pretty cheap now but water cooling and hefty power requirements make it less attractive not to mention the PCAOM needed for scanning.

Do you have any pics of your hardware? If it's a trade secret, I totally understand.

I love the dimpled glass tube the best as well. It tends to make voluptuous, sweeping, curling arms of "diffracted light of delight". (that's my term).

You guys are lucky (as am I...now) to have LED RGB lasers that can be readily aligned co-linearly. But to some degree, we who used ion gas lasers back in the day, benefited a lot by taking "the right kind of prism" to pass the Krypton or Krypton/Argon white beam through to diverge the many discrete colored laser beams. The advertised 1W lasers from Coherent Radiation was a guaranteed minimum output power. It was the quality of the front and rear mirror coatings that has the biggest effect on true output power. New mirrors almost always resulted in higher output powers. I experienced as high as a 3W output after several laser mirror replacements. Now the output power would gradually come down plus or minus1W level over time due to the internal beam energy being so high. The front mirror coating was partially transmissive in that only about 2% of the tubes internal output power passed through the front mirror as usable coherent laser beam. 98 % of the internal beam power was reflected back to the rear mirror (which was close to 100% reflective).

Sorry for my long windedness. All this said, with a 2W output it was nice to use a 50/50 beam splitter to provide two 1W beams. In my projectors, both went through their own prism to split out the colored beams. The prism used for scanning spread the beams further in a shorter distance than the one used for lumia. I usually had 4-6 discrete beam colors for lumia, R,Y,G,light B, med B and dark B. Any four could be targeted through different or the same lumia disks. My lumia disk arrangement was in two rows that allowed one disk to shoot into a disk in front of it, providing more lumia cloud variations.

My projectors had 4 discrete scanner outputs that were aimed so they were collinear at the projection screen or target surface. I had two rows of different rotating and/or stationary diffraction gratings that could be used separately or in tandem as well. Each grating could be slide in front of one of four pair of scanners or two gratings could be slide in front of two different scanners. Some projectors used two rows containing a row of rotating diffraction lenses and a row of rotating lumia disks.

It made for quite a complex optical beam path in any given projector, but having three to four pair of high speed galvos with diffraction effect options, plus numerous lumia cloud effects provided some nice presentation options.

The video demos I did in this thread uses the only acrylic plexiglass disk I have from the old days that has dimpled and smooth curve bumps, much like a glass tube has, but slight more densely populated bumps. I notice that today, most acrylic plexiglass like "cracked ice" are more angular/prismatic in shape, which is too bad.

With flat disks, however, they are more easily arranged to be "ganged" together or used separately, where one smaller diameter disk can be moved to shoot into another larger stationary disk.

I do have some photos of some of my later 4-color scanning projectors I can put my hands on readily, but will have to dig to find pics of my early projector that used what I'm describing in this thread. Unfortunately, most all pics I took of my first 4-color scanning,6 color lumia projector used in my initial planetarium shows were in undeveloped rolls in my camera bag. My 35mm Ftb Canon camera, assorted lenses along with my 1st 1W Coherent mixed-gas laser were stolen, the night following the opening evening of planetarium laser shows.

I'll post these projector pics in a different thread, but some of them I may have posted a few years ago here. (something else to check on)

[absolom7691]

I love the dimpled glass tube the best as well. It tends to make voluptuous, sweeping, curling arms of "diffracted light of delight". (that's my term).

I like it! The term definitely fits! My next post I'll have a short video of my dimple glass.

But to some degree, we who used ion gas lasers back in the day, benefited a lot by taking "the right kind of prism" to pass the Krypton or Krypton/Argon white beam through to diverge the many discrete colored laser beams.

Ions are still king when it comes to uniform divergence, beam quality, and of course, there is no mucking about trying to get your beams lined up to get a good white. Also, the range of wavelengths available. Until we get a multi-wavelength solid state laser, ions will always be the best for those reasons. The space saving aspect of diodes is nice plus the cooling and power management. If I had the space and what-all available, I would be going ion! Back in the day, I used to have a 115mW 60x argon and a 14mW HeNe. No AOM though. Still, to get a pseudo white beam back then was a holy grail moment for me! Such great memories.

Sorry for my long windedness. ...

Please don't ever apologize for imparting your knowledge and experience, especially from one of the old-school masters! Planetarium-style shows is what bit me in the first place. I was 12 years old, trying to figure out how to get my 1mW HeNe (that I saved up for, for months) to do what I saw at the planetarium! It's awesome to see behind the veil!

My projectors had 4 discrete scanner outputs that were aimed so they were collinear at the projection screen or target surface. I had two rows of different rotating and/or stationary diffraction gratings that could be used separately or in tandem as well. Each grating could be slide in front of one of four pair of scanners or two gratings could be slide in front of two different scanners. Some projectors used two rows containing a row of rotating diffraction lenses and a row of rotating lumia disks.

It made for quite a complex optical beam path in any given projector, but having three to four pair of high speed galvos with diffraction effect options, plus numerous lumia cloud effects provided some nice presentation options.

Very cool! I'm assuming G-120s? The optical paths in those projectors sound like a work of art, in iteself!! Each effect added plus the almost uncountable variations in abstract generation sounds like it makes for almost unlimited options. I always find that each time I go to create abstracts, they are so different based on my mood, time of day, the music that is playing (on speaker or in my head)... I'm sure it's the same for you, especially with so many effects available!

I currently have 4 projectors that I'm using for a "planetarium" style configuration and now my newly finished lumia projector. I am using Beyond to generate the abstracts/simple graphics. The base abstracts are canned but they have live-controllable modulators attributed to them that I can manipulate with a midi console. That way I can maintain the base harmonic but change the abstract drastically as the music calls for, live. I have a few drop in effects that are scanned through. 4 and 8 point star filters, starburst diffraction gratings, some bullseye glass, and some acrylic pieces that have been rubbed with paper (a tip shared by one of the other pros on here)

With flat disks, however, they are more easily arranged to be "ganged" together or used separately, where one smaller diameter disk can be moved to shoot into another larger stationary disk.

Yes! I have two on my small projector that are in an "egg-beater" configuration. At slow speed, nebulous clouds that evolve and at high speed, it looks like water refraction at the bottom of a busy pool.

My 35mm Ftb Canon camera, assorted lenses along with my 1st 1W Coherent mixed-gas laser were stolen, the night following the opening evening of planetarium laser shows.

That's terrible. I really hope karma caught up with the thieves!

[absolom7691]

Here are a few projections from my lumia. In person, the colors are super vivid and bright. Best I could do with my cell phone...




A video of the dimple tube. It looks soft because I could not get my phone to focus. I may have to get out the dSLR for better results
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Gt...fmwR8w-GrnPA-m

Here it is, it still needs side and front panels put on and major cable cleanup but yep...

[buffo]

Wow! Now *that* is a big lumia rig! Nice work Brian.

PolishedBall has a custom lumia rig that has several different outputs that are somewhat similar to yours, but that huge crystal bowl on the turntable in your build is certainly unique. I don't think I've ever seen another build with such a large element before.

Interesting Lumia story: Back when Ryan Waters was running the Paramount Pink Floyd Laser Extravaganza he invited a bunch of PL members backstage at the show in Kissimmee, Florida so we could geek out over all the equipment. Sure enough, inside one of the laser projection boxes on stage we saw what had to be a 100 year old crystal doorknob mounted on a turntable. When we watched the show later that night, the "tornado lumia" effect was easy to spot, and Ryan admitted later that it was coming from the doorknob. Guessing that those old doorknobs are hard to come by these days...

Adam

[lasermaster1977]

Very cool! I'm assuming G-120s?

That's terrible. I really hope karma caught up with the thieves!

Unfortunately, starting out I had G-115's. Later on these were changed to G-120PDs.

The thieves not only stole the CR ion laser (the projector was too big and inconvenient to get to and it was left, thank goodness), but they stole the planetarium's Teac Model 5 Audio Mixer and 3440 4-track tape deck. We were so trashed after the opening night (after staying up for days getting the show ready to open), we forgot to turn off the water that cooled the laser. The fools cut the water hoses at the back of the laser power supply causing the 40 ft. planetarium floor carpet to saturate throughout. It was quite a mess and it took about a month to get the carpet and equipment replaced of mine and the college's.

About 3 years later the police found the laser. It was in an abandoned house and completely disassembled for some reason. The parts an pieces were returned by the police to Coherent since it was a lease purchase item.

I don't think they every found the people that did this.


Wow, very nice optical jig for your lumia effects. Are those Greartisan DC motors and gear boxes?

[kecked]

Wow! Now *that* is a big lumia rig! Nice work Brian.

PolishedBall has a custom lumia rig that has several different outputs that are somewhat similar to yours, but that huge crystal bowl on the turntable in your build is certainly unique. I don't think I've ever seen another build with such a large element before.

Interesting Lumia story: Back when Ryan Waters was running the Paramount Pink Floyd Laser Extravaganza he invited a bunch of PL members backstage at the show in Kissimmee, Florida so we could geek out over all the equipment. Sure enough, inside one of the laser projection boxes on stage we saw what had to be a 100 year old crystal doorknob mounted on a turntable. When we watched the show later that night, the "tornado lumia" effect was easy to spot, and Ryan admitted later that it was coming from the doorknob. Guessing that those old doorknobs are hard to come by these days...

Adam

expensive but available https://www.build.com/baldwin-ps-cry...71?uid=2920873

[polishedball]

Wow! Now *that* is a big lumia rig! Nice work Brian.

PolishedBall has a custom lumia rig that has several different outputs that are somewhat similar to yours, but that huge crystal bowl on the turntable in your build is certainly unique.

Adam

That is a great build!

I still have my 16 position double decker that runs off a single laser and 20 GM20's (it is in my basement setup). Here is my newest build, cause everyone needs lasers in there kitchen cabinets. (part of my 5 head system concealed on the main floor).

I am using a old DZ shutter control with DMX to TTL converter to select the wheel or both.

[lasermaster1977]

expensive but available https://www.build.com/baldwin-ps-cry...71?uid=2920873

I see these crystal glass door knobs occasionally at home salvage/reclamation businesses where they have doors, windows and lumber from old homes torn down.
True, the salvage of old homes is not as ubiquitous as in the past...

[absolom7691]

Wow! Now *that* is a big lumia rig! Nice work Brian.

Thanks, Adam! I have been collecting parts for this thing for years and finally got around to building the damn thing!

That is a great build!

Thank you! I got a few of my ideas from one of your builds (You had posted a pic in a thread somewhere).

I still have my 16 position double decker that runs off a single laser and 20 GM20's (it is in my basement setup). Here is my newest build, cause everyone needs lasers in there kitchen cabinets. (part of my 5 head system concealed on the main floor).

I am using a old DZ shutter control with DMX to TTL converter to select the wheel or both.

Nice. That 16 effect build is most likely the one I saw that inspired parts of my build.

Your builds are amazing! I wanted to go with one or possibly two RGB engines but I found the lasers and cheapy $20 3ch PWM drivers were way more cost effective than actuators, kinematics and an actuator controller. So, I just went with 4 RGB engines and called it a day.

I love that gorgeous color blending you're getting!

Hahahaha, my wife would kill me if I put any of my "laser junk" in her kitchen!!

[polishedball]

Your builds are amazing! I wanted to go with one or possibly two RGB engines but I found the lasers and cheapy $20 3ch PWM drivers were way more cost effective than actuators, kinematics and an actuator controller. So, I just went with 4 RGB engines and called it a day.

Hahahaha, my wife would kill me if I put any of my "laser junk" in her kitchen!!

Thanks, I would have liked to see more yellow, my other rig has it and also the sister build to this one, but it has better diodes. Think I am short on green in this build.

I noticed that also think I was paid $40 for RGB units with drivers, I have two lumia rigs in the kitchen another with torture tubes in the cabinets above the fridge with 2 projectors as well.

The wife is pretty great and these are really in not used cupboards. I built two more projectors opposite into the barn wood wall that blend in and look like birdhouses. especially with the window hole for the scanners. it is so nice for entertaining not having to take people to the basement / workshop/ rock room/ catch all too see a show.