New Build (FINALLY!!!)

[absolom7691]

After collecting bits here and there and kinda-of starting for about 5 years, I am finally getting around to knocking together my lumia projector. The whole projector will be queued via DMX; the speed of the motors, the rotary solenoids that will divert the beams to different effects, and the brightness of each laser. This is going to have four RGB sources, some with different wavelengths for variety... e.g. 445nm and 462nm, 520nm and 532nm... Even though they are running through dichros, it's only to conserve space. Each color will have it's own path. The only RGB source that will have a nearly aligned path will be feeding some torture tubes for some good color mixing seen here:



So, nothing special here. Same W.D. sample pattern glass that everyone is using with a hobnail bowl on a 3d printed turntable for the top tier.


The bottom tier will have a few torture tubes and a three-layer cut crystal effect, each crystal glass will be (optionally) rotated on different axes.


All the motors are 0.6 RPM but they'll be on a speed controller that can get them down to 0.2 RPM when needed. Those will be controlled via a DMX LED dimmer. Each motor has a fast quenching diode to counter the back EMF. Still a ton to do but the hardest part (or so I have been told) is getting started. I don't believe that but regardless, I have broken ground.

[clickamouse]

Excellent, congrats!

You can use a diamond holesaw to turn your square glass into circles.

Please keep posting.

See you at SELEM?

...Mike

[kecked]

Try adds liquids of different index. If you are careful you can pour a stepped gradient liquid like mgcl2

[TheHermit]

After collecting bits here and there and kinda-of starting for about 5 years, I am finally getting around to knocking together my lumia projector.

Very cool! Mine is still rolling around in my head. Any progress update?

The whole projector will be queued via DMX; the speed of the motors, the rotary solenoids that will divert the beams to different effects, and the brightness of each laser. This is going to have four RGB sources, some with different wavelengths for variety... e.g. 445nm and 462nm, 520nm and 532nm...

Sweet! Didn't think about DMX for controlling lumia projectors. I've still got unused GPIO pins on the Teensy 4.1 for PWM of RGB & a 6th unused DAC channel for DC motor speed control.
I'm repurposing the RGB LDs from a pair of 3 watt el cheapo modules. Three assignable beams will be RG, GB, BR, which will be arranged 120 degrees around the lumia glass. That will produce 3 different clouds of the same type, but in 3 color ranges, while rotating in 3 different directions.
The pick-off mirrors could direct all 3 clouds towards the central scanned image or around it's perimeter. 🤩

The only RGB source that will have a nearly aligned path will be feeding some torture tubes for some good color mixing seen here:

Didn't have 'torture tubes' back in the day. Looks like old amp tubes, but distorted with a blow torch? So... you're rotating the tube from it's base, while passing the beam through both sides, I presume?

So, nothing special here. Same W.D. sample pattern glass that everyone is using with a hobnail bowl on a 3d printed turntable for the top tier.

The bottom tier will have a few torture tubes and a three-layer cut crystal effect, each crystal glass will be (optionally) rotated on different axes.

Actually, that crystal ball has a special memory for me. I purchased one exactly like it from a duty free shop on a ferry to Ireland. A few years later, Cliff Richards used it during his European Tour. I stuck a beam out to center stage and Cliff passed the crystal ball in front of it, like a mirror ball coming from the palm of his hand.
Funny ole world, ain't it?
😎

[clickamouse]

Excellent! Can’t wait to see pix!

…Mike

[absolom7691]

Very cool! Mine is still rolling around in my head. Any progress update?

I can't wait to see what you come up with!! Thanks! I forgot all about this post over the years, lol! I have some pics at the bottom!

Sweet! Didn't think about DMX for controlling lumia projectors. I've still got unused GPIO pins on the Teensy 4.1 for PWM of RGB & a 6th unused DAC channel for DC motor speed control.
I'm repurposing the RGB LDs from a pair of 3 watt el cheapo modules. Three assignable beams will be RG, GB, BR, which will be arranged 120 degrees around the lumia glass. That will produce 3 different clouds of the same type, but in 3 color ranges, while rotating in 3 different directions.
The pick-off mirrors could direct all 3 clouds towards the central scanned image or around it's perimeter. 🤩

When I thought about all the different variables involved with my lumia, e.g. motor speeds, RGB brightness, multiple turrets; I started to realize how many controls would need to be wired up. It would require it's own console. DMX seemed like the obvious choice. I could run it manually from a DMX console and/or program DMX queues using Beyond. By queuing the lumia based on a timeline, that would free me up to "play" my abstracts that have midi assigned attributes for live manipulation. The only thing that would be canned here is the lumia and the base harmonically balanced abstracts.

Since I am running each lumia "turrent" with individual RGB modules, I don't have to worry about pickoff flags/mirrors. I love the complexity of the old-school projectors but for ease and convenience, I am just going with the RGB modules until I have the room to expand in the future.

Didn't have 'torture tubes' back in the day. Looks like old amp tubes, but distorted with a blow torch? So... you're rotating the tube from it's base, while passing the beam through both sides, I presume?

That is exactly what I am doing. I absolutely love torture tubes (dimple glass) for you old pros ! The ultra creamy, almost smoke like movement gets me every time. It is one of my favorite lumia effects.

Actually, that crystal ball has a special memory for me. I purchased one exactly like it from a duty free shop on a ferry to Ireland. A few years later, Cliff Richards used it during his European Tour. I stuck a beam out to center stage and Cliff passed the crystal ball in front of it, like a mirror ball coming from the palm of his hand.
Funny ole world, ain't it?
😎

When I first saw a laser hit one of my wife's Swarofski Christmas ornaments, I knew I needed something like that in my lumia. For the time being, I don't have my crystal assembly install. It isn't ready yet. Work and other projects have slowed my progress here. For now though, the lumia is in working order. I don't have many pictures of it naked but here it is with all the clothes on and a sample of one of the torture tubes with an, ever-so-slight misaligned, RGB beam passing through it.

[TheHermit]

When I thought about all the different variables involved with my lumia, e.g. motor speeds, RGB brightness, multiple turrets; I started to realize how many controls would need to be wired up. It would require it's own console.

Yes, that's the part still rolling around in my mind, especially controlling 3 pairs of colors for each lumia wheel. 🤔
I'm using a PureData Midi virtual synth GUI, with 15" & 10" touchscreens to extend Midi controls beyond the limits of the primary APC40 desk.
PureData provides a great dev environment for Midi. No hardware expense and easily mod the GUI controls to your hearts content.

DMX seemed like the obvious choice. I could run it manually from a DMX console and/or program DMX queues using Beyond. By queuing the lumia based on a timeline, that would free me up to "play" my abstracts that have midi assigned attributes for live manipulation. The only thing that would be canned here is the lumia and the base harmonically balanced abstracts.

DMX is a great solution for extending Beyond's reach. Cakewalk's DAW is my 16 channel Midi recordable timeline. The lumia signals are software function generated, then queued and routed via Midi from either the DAW or desk, all will be integrated into the existing code (if I can ever settle my mind on how. Just waiting for that epitomal momentto strike).

Since I am running each lumia "turrent" with individual RGB modules, I don't have to worry about pickoff flags/mirrors. I love the complexity of the old-school projectors but for ease and convenience, I am just going with the RGB modules until I have the room to expand in the future.

(Hmm... Yes, there is wisdom in these words, Hermit.&#128064

That is exactly what I am doing. I absolutely love torture tubes (dimple glass) for you old pros ! The ultra creamy, almost smoke like movement gets me every time. It is one of my favorite lumia effects.

Yes, Laserium had a very similar 'krypton cloud' lumia effect. My favorite, as well. That's why I want to have single RGB beams hitting one spot of the lumia wheel, so that each cloud's color can be controlled, instead of having separate clouds for each color. Of course you're doing the same with an RGB module, but with a simpler build. KISS is good.

I don't have many pictures of it naked but here it is with all the clothes on and a sample of one of the torture tubes with an, ever-so-slight misaligned, RGB beam passing through it.

Looks great! Thanks for sharing you thoughts and pics. "A picture says a thousand words."
Just completed the 2nd T4 laser synth prototype, with my own ILDA conversion circuit. Version 3 will have that circuit + a different 8 channel audio DAC on a PCB. Need to flush out the software, drop a project video, upload everything to github, and grow the project into a 3 projector control system... with the lumia projector.
BR
😎

[Cassy0110]

Wow, looks great!