Another newbie starts down RGB path

[CDBEAM]

Hello ALL,

I have been " lurking " long enough to now post that I have started down the path toward an RGB proj. I have been in contact with Aiiji, Marconi and MixedGas and I very much appreciate their help and patience !!
I currently have a Lasever 400mw@532UL series and have coming the Maxyz dual reds. I will start with a RGY set up...and then evolve to a RGB.
I have selected the EO (3) adjustment Kinematic Dichroic 1" mirror holders. I have no access to a machine shop ...except Cut-off saw, drill press.....so.....there will be limited machining done.
I have also selected the 30K scanner from Lasershowparts. For software...the LAFreak seems to fit my needs and budget.
I have an optical breadboard...1' x 2'. This is from past projects but hopefully will have enough footprint when put into double-decker configuration to house all.
I still have a great great deal to learn....so....please be patient !! I would love to come to SELEM....but have family commitments !!!!!!! I am sure I would learn alot !!!! That being said.....please take pictures !!!! You can be sure I will pour over them with great interest !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have not ordered anything other than the Maxyz unit as of now.....so...
if you have other suggestions....I would TRULY value them !!!!!!!
I should note that I have not yet decided if I want this unit to be CDRH
approved. I think I understand the requirements. Not sure I want to spend the money to even build as to make upgradable for CDRH. It just depends on what the eventual usage will be ??????
Question one: What are your thoughts on the use of additional exterior TE cooling of the laser units ???? or if forced air enough ??
Question two: Is an enclosure for the optics area needed, desireable, sometimes nice....or some where in between ???

Well...enough ...for now...Have a Great time at SELEM !!!!

And....CDBEAM

Bob/ Monroe, Michigan

[stanwax]

Hi Bob
Welcome aboard.
It sounds like you are going about things the standard way - starting the fun with Red and Green and moving up to blue at a later time.
If you are using a decent optical breadboard that I assume is Aluminium then the thermal properties of this will help your cooling and as long as you can get rid of the heat from this then extra TE cooling shouldn't be needed. If you are doing a 2 tier system then try and keep the fans in the part that has the electronics so you are not blowing dirty air around your optics as you will have to go back in to clean them very frequently. - which sort of answers your second question an enclosure for optics is good - just dont seal it up so you cant get in there, seal it so grime cant get in but you can when you need, as it there will always be some dirt gets on the optics so you will want to be able to get in there when needed - hopefully not very often

hope this helps

good luck, keep us informed and let us see some piccies

Rob

[MechEng3]

Coming to SELEM? It would be a great time and get to see some nice setups and not to mention...some great people. I can't wait ! This will be a blast.

[CDBEAM]

Stan/Mech,
Thanx for the reply!! Have a great time at SELEM
BoB

[buffo]

Hi Bob!

Welcome to PhotonLexicon! Sounds like you're off to a great start. I like your thinking re: your projector design. The 1 ft by 2 ft layout should be plenty of room. My RGB setup is on a 9 inch by 14 inch board, and with the relatively large MM2 mounts I'm using it makes for a *very* tight fit. Your larger layout should be much easier to work with.

I recently upgraded to a pair of Maxyz modules, and I absolutely love them. I'm sure you'll be pleased with them as well.

I agree with Rob (Stanwax, above) in that you shouldn't need any TEC's for active cooling. A fan or two blowing beneath the optical table is normally enough. Likewise, it's nice to shield the optical path from the air that is moved by the fans using some sort of air dam, but it's not absolutely required. It does help to keep the optics cleaner though. (My projector doesn't have an air dam yet.)

As far as the optical mounts - if you can't make them (very few people have the skills needed to do that) then your best bet is to buy good ones. A good set of mounts will save you a BUNCH of work when it comes time to align everything.

Case in point: I went with some really huge MM2 mounts in my projector. Since space was rather tight to begin with, this really created a problem. I almost got rid of the mounts in favor of something smaller, but I didn't want to spend more money, and I knew that if I did get smaller mounts I would be forced to buy cheaper ones that probably wouldn't be nearly as robust as these monster MM2's. So I stuck with the big ones, and boy did it pay off!

I aligned my projector in my backyard just 2 days before SELEM. Then I loaded it into the back of my beat-up '93 Jeep Grand Cherokee and drove over 300 miles to SELEM. You must understand that my Jeep rides like a tank to begin with, and some of the roads near the event were pretty rough. The projector got bounced around pretty baddly. But when I set my projector on the table at SELEM and fired it up, the alignment was PERFECT! I didn't have to adjust anything! I was shocked... So good mounts can make a big difference!

Re: CDRH requirements... I would at least build it with room to add some things later on. Things like a shutter, a keyswitch, an emission indicator, and a case interlock if you plan to have user-removable panels. But if you've got the time (and the budget) to include those things in the initial build, so much the better. (It's always easier to add things during the build than to retrofit them later on.) If you build it with the CDRH requirements in mind, you can always file the paperwork later...

It's too bad you couldn't attend SELEM this past weekend. (Would you believe we had another new member that *did* drive down from Michigan? His name is Bill, though his handle escapes me at the moment...) We had several projectors on hand there; you could have talked with the guys that built them and gotten a good feel for various design ideas. Hopefully we can at least get some pictures posted here so you can get some idea... (Maybe you can make it to the next one.?.)

Adam

[CDBEAM]

Adam,

Sorry I missed your post. Thanx for the words of encouragement. I would like also thank ALL the members who post here. Every time I check in…I always learn. I will build robust…while also attempting to keep it as lite as possible…with CDRH in mind.

It seems we are ALL on the same path here…down the same road. While many of you are much, much further ahead…we all share the same unexplainable …consuming interest in ….well…coherent light. Although PL is for the “hobbyist “… I am very much in amazement of the great wealth of knowledge here. I am sure that I will not be able to add much to the technical end…but….I think …that’s OK too !! That will not stop me from building a projector and learning and enjoying the hobby. Thankfully….” The Quantum well is deep “ and there is room for both the beginner and the experienced
individual.

I will go down the path of building very slowly….very much enjoying the trip. I will take some pics….and post them. This is important because there will be others that will go down the same path. PL is great a site for exchange between the experienced members…( High Octane for sure )…but...I think the newbie also needs encouragement This is an expensive and technically challenging hobby. I think to maximize the number of those involved …PL needs to foster those starting out…and it DOES !!! And I appreciate it !! Although the learning curve is a hoot, and a lot of fun….it is also a PITA. because….well….ya just don’t want to be a burden to people….but…there is a great desire to learn and join in.

Well…enough for now !!! More pics…and video from SELEM…We want CEC !!!
“ Coherent Eye Candy “ Thanx !

BoB