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ZKP1
Sept 23, 2023 1:05:52 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Sept 23, 2023 1:05:52 GMT -7
My soldering skills are not great but will do the job.
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ZKP1
Sept 23, 2023 9:31:11 GMT -7
Post by Ron Walker on Sept 23, 2023 9:31:11 GMT -7
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ZKP1
Oct 7, 2023 1:52:21 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Oct 7, 2023 1:52:21 GMT -7
Thanks Ron - yes I will clean those contacts up at some point. Here is a picture of the completed plug/socket. The steel circle is the beginnings of one of two adapter plates I am making which will allow latitude adjustment- again using the principle of making no irreversible changes.
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ZKP1
Oct 7, 2023 2:00:18 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Oct 7, 2023 2:00:18 GMT -7
I have started work on a control box for it. It is a work in progress. At the moment, only the left hand switch which controls the main star ball bulb and the motor controller on the right are actually wired in. The motor controller is very simple, it has a small clockwise button, anticlockwise button and speed dial. You can make limited changes to the way the controls work by a sequence of button pressing (such as acceleration delay to max speed etc). I will probably tape over the little lcd display screen so it does not cause light pollution.
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ZKP1
Oct 27, 2023 12:59:41 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Oct 27, 2023 12:59:41 GMT -7
The milky way, equator, ecliptic and vertical marker projectors were all fitted with little 6V flashlight type light bulbs with a MES10 screw fitting. However, only 3 of them were present and they were housed in little brass adapters to adapt the MES 10 bulb screw to the actual projector screw thread which is much finer (and I don't think it is metric). Not sure if the projector originally used an old type of bulb with very fine threads - I suspect the brass adapters are made by Zeiss rather than a retrofit because they are really high quality - they both hold the bulb with 3 of the tiniest grub screws I have ever seen and for good measure the base of the bulb has been soldered in too. A couple of them are missing so I need to replace. Suggestions gratefully received. As a temporary measure standard bulb holders can be loosely push fitted into the projector.
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ZKP1
Oct 28, 2023 10:01:44 GMT -7
Post by Ron Walker on Oct 28, 2023 10:01:44 GMT -7
I have started work on a control box for it. It is a work in progress. At the moment, only the left hand switch which controls the main star ball bulb and the motor controller on the right are actually wired in. The motor controller is very simple, it has a small clockwise button, anticlockwise button and speed dial. You can make limited changes to the way the controls work by a sequence of button pressing (such as acceleration delay to max speed etc). I will probably tape over the little lcd display screen so it does not cause light pollution. View AttachmentI have a few readouts for voltage and current draw as well as a clock that are much too bright for show time. You can get theatrical light gels in neutral density as well as dark blue, green, red etc. which will darken the readout but still be readable. Many of the gel makers offer a booklet of gels which are about 25mm by 75mm as examples of their products. www.stagelightingstore.com/Rosco-GAM-SwatchbookI also use them over readouts for my CD/DVD players as well as amplifiers. That way I can find a track on a CD without adding much extraneous light.
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ZKP1
Oct 28, 2023 11:18:39 GMT -7
Post by Ron Walker on Oct 28, 2023 11:18:39 GMT -7
The milky way, equator, ecliptic and vertical marker projectors were all fitted with little 6V flashlight type light bulbs with a MES10 screw fitting. However, only 3 of them were present and they were housed in little brass adapters to adapt the MES 10 bulb screw to the actual projector screw thread which is much finer (and I don't think it is metric). Not sure if the projector originally used an old type of bulb with very fine threads - I suspect the brass adapters are made by Zeiss rather than a retrofit because they are really high quality - they both hold the bulb with 3 of the tiniest grub screws I have ever seen and for good measure the base of the bulb has been soldered in too. A couple of them are missing so I need to replace. Suggestions gratefully received. As a temporary measure standard bulb holders can be loosely push fitted into the projector. View AttachmentAt first I wondered if it was some kind of candelabra adapter but then after considering it was designed and manufactured by Zeiss, it came to me. It is an adaptor designed to allow the adjustment of the bulb up or down so that the filament of the bulb is in the exact position required for proper projection. I believe the projectors you mentioned use no projection lenses and run via the "pin hole" light and shadow design. Thus moving the filament back and forth will move the projection on the dome. These type of flashlight bulbs have very little quality control for the placement of the filament within the bulb as use in a flashlight doesn't require such precision. I rather doubt that you would be able to find any spare parts so it might be best to make a sleeve www.finetubes.co.uk/products/size-range-tool or to save money make a sleeve on your 3D printer.
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ZKP1
Oct 29, 2023 0:36:52 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Oct 29, 2023 0:36:52 GMT -7
Thank you Ron - as always very wise advice. That makes perfect sense.
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ZKP1
Oct 29, 2023 10:16:12 GMT -7
Post by Ron Walker on Oct 29, 2023 10:16:12 GMT -7
Is there a number on the bulb? It looks like it has a very small coiled filament. If not, I would make an adaptor to use a Stinger bulb.
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ZKP1
Dec 17, 2023 11:56:45 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Dec 17, 2023 11:56:45 GMT -7
I have started to make some replacement planet projectors - sadly the original set were long lost. I decided to use kalart projector lenses from Surplus shed because they are cheap, smallish, I have five of them lying about and they project in a relatively narrow field. The projector lenses are fatter than the clipped holder supports so they will not look exactly like the originals should look. I turned to the trusty Fusion 360 to make the focussing mechanism and mirror holder. It is in several parts so that the light holder and projection lens can be independently moved - that way I could avoid having to do difficult calculations on spacing.
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ZKP1
Dec 17, 2023 12:03:27 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Dec 17, 2023 12:03:27 GMT -7
Here is a picture of the 3D printed components. The mirror is made from snapping off a section of a front surface mirror that I rescued from a photocopier I 'rescued' from the tip about 20 years ago when you were allowed to salvage stuff. I knew it would come in handy one day!! It is perfect for the job. It is pretty basic, the bottom piece has holes for the + and _ connectors - when the tube is clipped in position they simply contact a common supply. The piece top right is an adaptor because I can't work out what the screw thread is on the Kalart lens - it just saved time to use standard threads in Fusion 360.
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ZKP1
Dec 17, 2023 12:05:46 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Dec 17, 2023 12:05:46 GMT -7
And here is a picture of the assembled projector -forgot to mention it needs a little planet image to be mounted pretty much in contact with the LED. At the moment I am just using a hole.
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ZKP1
Dec 17, 2023 12:08:05 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Dec 17, 2023 12:08:05 GMT -7
and here is the first test fitting
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ZKP1
Dec 17, 2023 12:16:58 GMT -7
Post by scotttucker on Dec 17, 2023 12:16:58 GMT -7
I have reached quite an exciting point - my son is back for Christmas and I got him to help me lift it all into the attic (it is too heavy for one person and a ladder). It is finally sitting in pride of place under a dome (still loads of adjustment and fiddling to do but quite a milestone)
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ZKP1
Dec 18, 2023 9:52:03 GMT -7
Post by Ron Walker on Dec 18, 2023 9:52:03 GMT -7
I love this kind of thing and you excel at it. Beautiful work as usual. What is the focal length of those lenses? Looks like from an 8mm or 16mm projector. Should project a nice sharp image.
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