New! Laserlux lens system for Luxeon Solitiare

tonyb

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Here is my new lens system for a Luxeon Solitaire Mod I call the Laserlux because the beam stays about as tight as you can get it. Beam spot is 8 inches at 6 feet distance. Cyan emitter Solitaire.
laserlux1.JPG

laserlux2.JPG

laserlux4.JPG
 

tonyb

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The lens system measures like a cylinder 1/2 of an inch radius and 1/2 of and inch height.
 

tonyb

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Basically it's a 2 lens collimator with an extra lens added to my original Solitaire lens to really get a tight beam!
laserlux3.JPG

laserlux5.JPG
 

tonyb

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Try Edmund Scientifics they have a 10 lens kit and a 20 lens kit you could experiment with, they are fairly cheap as I recall. I make my lenses myself they are tailored to work with what I'm doing, stock lenses didn't work. I will try to find a source of lens that might work but I haven't had success yet. You need two Plano convex lenses one a little larger than the first one in front of the led. The one in front of the led should exhibit alot of magnification and be as small a diameter to collect the light from the led. Cut off the top of a jumbo 10mm led and thats the type of lens you want in front of your led.
 

AilSnail

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The kit sounds interesting. So far the binocular hasn't been a success. How do you manufacture your lenses?
 

tonyb

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The lenses are made by first making die from a peice of copper flashing and a ball bearing of correct diameter for the lens,lets say 9.5 mm for the lens I use. I heat the 1/2 inch diameter disk with a torch in order to aneal it (make it soft) I then place the disk on a rubber block placing the ball bearing in the middle of the disk I proceed to hammer the ballbearing evenly into the disk until it makes a cup shape into the disk. I then glue a rod onto the back of the disk and chuck that into a 1/4 hp DC speed controlled motor. Varing grits of sandpaper from 100 grit 360 grit to 600 grit to 1200 grit to 3000 grit to 50,000 finish grit are inserted in the cup and water is dripped on the work peice to cool and flush away cuttings . But first you must machine a blank disk to the correct diameter it's very labor intensive proccess to produce one lens. My secret is out! Get ready to spend some time but after its all done it very satisfying feeling to know you have made a optical component you can use for years. After a lens is developed though one may have them injection molded en mass at a fairly reasonable price.
 

AilSnail

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Very clever, indeed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

Just two more (for now): What's a copper flashing?

What material do you pour in the copper to make the lens?
 

tonyb

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Thin copper sheet 1/32 of and inch or so is copper flashing and nothing is poured sandpaper is pressed between the copper cup shape and the right diameter blank of acrylic is pressed into the cup while its spinning and the sanpaper grinds in the shape of the lens.
 

Wylie

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AilSnail,
Oh you posted before I did Tony. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif Flashing is that copper stuff you see construction workers putting into the low points or Vs of a roof lines that rathers and removes water after the the water has run off the shingles. This before the water reaches the gutter and the spout.
That's my $0.02 but I think the material for the lens itself got me.
The way I understood it he has the prototype in hand and would outsource the manufacturing.
If it may be of any help Tony look for a material that matches the spectrums emitted from the LEDs. This would be the hard part as far as I can see it.
 

tonyb

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No retooling one cup is made and different grits of waterproof sandpaper are inserted into the cup.
cup.JPG
 

AilSnail

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Okay I think I understand now. But is it not difficult to bend a sandpaper sheet in two directions simultaneously?
Would it be easier if you glued it to the inside of half a ring?
 

tonyb

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Water and lots of pressure on the sandpaper between the acrylic blank and the copper cup makes the sandpaper conform to the cups shape the heavier grits get changed often so I wouldn't use glue.
 

Wylie

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Holy cow was I out in left field. I thought the grit was going directly into the cup you made from the flashing. Funny how my fingers want to type flashlight when I am typing flashing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif
I guess some things are meant to be.
I see your beam shot above has the hot spot off to the side a little and the tube on the outside of the lenses has more of an arc on one side then the other side.
It may be tough but a reflective cylinder may give you a higher lux reading. I tried something similar but my brass tubing made the beam yellow. I think you have something good going here Tony.
On secound look it is not your clear cylinder it is the reflection of light making it look as though it is bent. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif Isn't that what optics are all about. Sorry! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif
I think I got it although you may have already seen this so I will just ask, its the original lens making the beam jump off center? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
That cylinder isn't Lexan tubing is it?
 
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