Just starting the hobby, anything i need to know before buying my first laser?

[Displaser]

Laserchik,

You need a gearmotor, either AC or DC. PM me I have both...the bottom photo from Electrofreak is actually one of my glass lumia wheels that I build.

Greg

[Things]

Lowering the power to the motor will slow it down, but probably not slow enough for the effect you want. As you lower the power, you also loose torque.

With geared motors, they go very slow, but will keep turning.

[swamidog]

i bought one of displaser's lumia kits when dz was selling them. they're excellent, and make a really nice effect.

Laserchik,

You need a gearmotor, either AC or DC. PM me I have both...the bottom photo from Electrofreak is actually one of my glass lumia wheels that I build.

Greg

[beamann]

@ swamidog, nice effects very artfull! We Arizonians have a knack for that don't we?

@ laserchik, us anything you come acrossed, If it will pass a light good, give it a shot, become our next starr and show us what you can do, We will be watching, count on it, We love the laser and all of it's effects, you can't go wrong no matter what!

[Laserchik]

@Displaser-I am IM'ng u now with some questions.
@Beamann - I hope to bring something to the table for everyone! This is fun!

[megaton]

Hi I use this.(in my first lumina wheel)

Slow RPM Motor with just 1.5 Volt Bat.(with reduction gear box).
I find this cheap motors in All Electronics.
And the wheel is from a flash light clear plastic with 5 Min.Epoxy (this is little yellow) but wit 20 min. Epoxy it get more clear.
And I use two side sticker foam and some plastic.

Cheers,
Eduardo
PS. With 5 RPM or less is better
I find this
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a...-12VDC//1.html
And with less Volts run slower

[megaton]

Another good motor for this:
12VDC MIRROR ADJUSTER MECHANISM
From a broken car mirror or at AllElectronics:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a...HANISM//1.html
For $3.00 USD
And you can cut a piece of clear plastic, not round just a rectangle to put also a Grating.
Cheers.

[Laserchik]

All of your advice is gratefully accepted and appreciated! I just hooked up with a guy I know who has some of the motor options and/or pieces below.

I also wanted to ask. Do all of you buy your laser pointers or make them exclusively? I found a blue, red and orange one on another website for sale. What is your best advice for this?

[buffo]

We need Mixed-Gas to post in this thread. He's made some cool wave-lumia effects using hollow acrylic tubes and a blow-torch. Fantastic results! Also, I think he had a recipe for an epoxy-based lumia wheel, but I can't find the post where he explained it... (Steve, where are you?)

Protip: When shopping for glass samples to use for lumia, bring a green laser pointer with you. You can test it right in the store, and if a particular glass sample looks good, buy a bunch of it!

Adam

[swamidog]

here's some test footage of a lumia projector i'm building for an installation in a couple of weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzXU3pC1ttU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ_fTkcUnIU

and some quick and dirty footage from a lumia tube i made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_klMX_wEZoo