Guys,
Thanks for all your responses. I think I will go the Aluminum route. It is much easier to turn and bring to high luster and it transfers heat much better than stainless.
I guess I could use something like 4340 chromium alloy steel but since aluminum is cheaper.
Trev,
When I said polish I meant lapping the metal. Sorry if I wasn't clear. Ya, all of the stainless steel mill stock that I have seen is black on the outside but is shiny as soon as you turn or mill it. I always thought the color was a residue from the mill process.
I might be a while though because I want to model a parabolic reflector.
Hezz
Thanks for all your responses. I think I will go the Aluminum route. It is much easier to turn and bring to high luster and it transfers heat much better than stainless.
I guess I could use something like 4340 chromium alloy steel but since aluminum is cheaper.
Trev,
When I said polish I meant lapping the metal. Sorry if I wasn't clear. Ya, all of the stainless steel mill stock that I have seen is black on the outside but is shiny as soon as you turn or mill it. I always thought the color was a residue from the mill process.
I might be a while though because I want to model a parabolic reflector.
Hezz
Heya hezz, yeah lapping certainly is the way to go, its a diff process but its the best choice for surface perfection and shinyness, lapping alloy isnt hard compared to chromium alloy steel lol, why did you think in using that anyway? thats super tough steel mainly used for speed controllers and heater elements, its also not cheap, has very diff properties for our needs, not to forget its hard as.
Trev
Trev
Say you had an aluminum reflector, soup ladle or what have you. One idea to combat excessive heating of it would be to solder some thin aluminum fins to the rear of it, making a sort of heatsink out of it, which could then be cooled by a small fan. If you can dissipate the heat from the reflector, it shouldn't discolour. Might be worth a shot anyway.
Why make a reflector when you can use a ready made ? This is the reflector from a PAR36 spotlight, it´s a perfect parabolic reflector and the surface is just as reflexive as a mirror and not heat sensitive. Just cut away the frontglass from the PAR36 and you get this perfect reflector. I just wanna show you before I throw away mine because I smashed mine with a hammer, not a good idea.
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Mathias,
thanks for ur suggestion. I am contemplating on buying that one also. It cost about $10 here. Maybe I will try it also.
And for the chrome reflector, after using it for 4 hours, it cause bubbles about 5-10 mm in size.but its still very shiny. I will bring it back to plater to see if there is still anything that they can do to improve their process. I think its alot cheaper if this will work. Its look like some moisture is trapped between the chrome and reflector. Unfortunately i don't have a camera right now to show it to you.
Can anybody tell why my other stainless reflector is not affected by heat? My problem may be solved if I can find a smaller stainless steel reflector of this kind. It is shinier and thicker. This reflector cost only $3.
thanks for ur suggestion. I am contemplating on buying that one also. It cost about $10 here. Maybe I will try it also.
And for the chrome reflector, after using it for 4 hours, it cause bubbles about 5-10 mm in size.but its still very shiny. I will bring it back to plater to see if there is still anything that they can do to improve their process. I think its alot cheaper if this will work. Its look like some moisture is trapped between the chrome and reflector. Unfortunately i don't have a camera right now to show it to you.
Can anybody tell why my other stainless reflector is not affected by heat? My problem may be solved if I can find a smaller stainless steel reflector of this kind. It is shinier and thicker. This reflector cost only $3.
Use a silver one and you wont have a problem.
As for your chroming, i presume they acid dipped the laddel first for the chrome to stick? ( it could be gasses coming from the polish undeneith), if not its gas thats trapped undeneith the chrome thats causing so much presure from the heat that its causing it to lift.
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Also chrome and stainless dont mix well together and it could be your very reason why its bubbling, chrome is meant to coat mild steel for show or as a protectant. chrome also chips very easily and it dont stick too well to anything.
If you want to use a soup laddel, get a sterling silver plated one.
Other stainless steal reflectors may not degrade with colour because of either the polish being used, the grade of the material upto the distance the lamp is being placed in the laddel.
Trev
"Also chrome and stainless dont mix well together and it could be your very reason why its bubbling, chrome is meant to coat mild steel for show or as a protectant. chrome also chips very easily and it dont stick too well to anything."
I recall that i showed the plater two of my reflector for chroming and he chose the smaller one which he thought is just made of mild steel (I sanded it already because of too much yellowing). i insists that it is a stainless steel but he thought otherwise. He does'nt want to chrome the other stainless one( the one that is slightly yellowed and still shiny) and i did not ask him why. I thought since its for trial, he want to try it in a smaller reflector.
Hard chrome maybe the answer if want want to stick it hard to metal surface, but it will not be mirror finished. I am wondering why can it not be made mirror finished.
I will talk it over to him later.
Thanks Trev.
I recall that i showed the plater two of my reflector for chroming and he chose the smaller one which he thought is just made of mild steel (I sanded it already because of too much yellowing). i insists that it is a stainless steel but he thought otherwise. He does'nt want to chrome the other stainless one( the one that is slightly yellowed and still shiny) and i did not ask him why. I thought since its for trial, he want to try it in a smaller reflector.
Hard chrome maybe the answer if want want to stick it hard to metal surface, but it will not be mirror finished. I am wondering why can it not be made mirror finished.
I will talk it over to him later.
Thanks Trev.
More then likley because it has zinc in it, it may also crack rather then bubble this time. Try it and give it a buff, you will be suprised how shinny you can make anything, yess even zinc.
When chroming anything or even painting anything that is made out of steel, you should always sand blast it and acid dip it, also a etching primer helps too. This etchant is a very strong mix of chemicals that actually eats into the metal and helps the paint/chrome or what have you bond to the material, powder coating uses this also though only on those items that require it. The more exspensive computer cases has this done hence the price and the paint on those dont come off nor chip.
Trev
Thanks Trev for that information.
I am really serious about getting the best reflector at a cheaper cost because I am really impressed with the results of a better reflector. I almost jump for joy when I saw the great improvement. It is still good right now but its much better in a few hours i used the chrome reflector.
I am really serious about getting the best reflector at a cheaper cost because I am really impressed with the results of a better reflector. I almost jump for joy when I saw the great improvement. It is still good right now but its much better in a few hours i used the chrome reflector.
Trev,
At school they have a scrap metal bin full of stainless steel chunks. It's easier to convince them to let me use that than to cut a new piece of aluminum stock. It seemed easier even though aluminum seems to be the material of choice.
Mathias,
Thanks for the idea, but what I want to do is model a custom reflector for the bulb element that I will be using. Also, I may want to make a reflector with the sides continuing on to a more developed parabola.
Also I want it to be part of a heat sink IR filter assembly.
I don't know. For a long time I thought that a spherical reflector was the way to go because it is so good in theory. Unfortunately, when I saw a simulation of how little variation from the perfect condition of a point source of light is required
to make it all fall apart I was blown away. Moving the light source as little as 1 mm completely negates the effect of the spherical reflector. And if you do have a perfect system then the reflected light rays move right into the light element itself much of the light is lost from the light consuming itself.
Hezz
At school they have a scrap metal bin full of stainless steel chunks. It's easier to convince them to let me use that than to cut a new piece of aluminum stock. It seemed easier even though aluminum seems to be the material of choice.
Mathias,
Thanks for the idea, but what I want to do is model a custom reflector for the bulb element that I will be using. Also, I may want to make a reflector with the sides continuing on to a more developed parabola.
Also I want it to be part of a heat sink IR filter assembly.
I don't know. For a long time I thought that a spherical reflector was the way to go because it is so good in theory. Unfortunately, when I saw a simulation of how little variation from the perfect condition of a point source of light is required
to make it all fall apart I was blown away. Moving the light source as little as 1 mm completely negates the effect of the spherical reflector. And if you do have a perfect system then the reflected light rays move right into the light element itself much of the light is lost from the light consuming itself.
Hezz
Trev,
you mean i will bake it on, how? in the kithcen oven? its the only oven i have.
Do you also mean that if I apply this slick 50 to my chrome reflector it may possibly last a long time with no bubbling?
My chrome reflector is very encouraging because i don't see any discoloration and the surface is still shiny and smooth. The outer surface is perfectly A-OK with no bubbling at all.
Your opinion is highly appreciated.
you mean i will bake it on, how? in the kithcen oven? its the only oven i have.
Do you also mean that if I apply this slick 50 to my chrome reflector it may possibly last a long time with no bubbling?
My chrome reflector is very encouraging because i don't see any discoloration and the surface is still shiny and smooth. The outer surface is perfectly A-OK with no bubbling at all.
Your opinion is highly appreciated.
Yess you could use that aslong as its not a flame oven and if you dont plan to eat out of it again due to poisons lol, bake it on with the bulb, its hot enough.
The teflon wont stop the bubbling, the bubbling is a problem under the chrome and thats why the reflector should be sand blasted and etched first, (so the chrome sticks). The teflon is an idea to coat uncoated surfaces like raw aluminium or stainless steel to stop the yellowing and discoulourisation.
Trev
Hezz said:
Yeah your right hezz, the little thing ive made works realy well, if you get on msn one of these days i can explain it to ya abit better in person, its not perfected yet ( why i havnt posted it) but i can tell ya it surley works well. its not hard at all to get a image even and as bright as the 250w ( in a standard spherical config)with the 150w cdm-t. the 250w is as bright if not brighter then beforcades 400w, but we have extra heat.
I have also another idea on a reflector, ill be hunting around this weekend to find the materials.
Trev
ey sir im from prque,
i really admire your work, very well done sir
tanong ko lang magkano usually un projector lens sa hmr? or is it a whole projector ang kelangan ko bilin? wla din ako mbilan ng fresnel d2 sa manila san po b meron? yun mura lang po ha poor guy lang sir
im interested of doing a pj since i saw ur work
will this work sa lcd car monitor? may mga mura lan kc nun, medyo tight on budjet eh
thanks a lot in advance thank you sir
i really admire your work, very well done sir
tanong ko lang magkano usually un projector lens sa hmr? or is it a whole projector ang kelangan ko bilin? wla din ako mbilan ng fresnel d2 sa manila san po b meron? yun mura lang po ha poor guy lang sir
im interested of doing a pj since i saw ur work
will this work sa lcd car monitor? may mga mura lan kc nun, medyo tight on budjet eh
thanks a lot in advance thank you sir
is the reason why you guys tore ldc apart is for lighting? i mean is this the main principle of this diy pj? is it not possible focussing the ligh upfront? nanghihinayang lang magsira ng LCD bka dna gumana. please help me on this i cant wait to have one
thank you sir god bless u guys
keep up the good work
i mean very very good work
thank you sir god bless u guys
keep up the good work
i mean very very good work
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