Homemade 24" scratch built & designed reflector

[LightSward]

Wow, I love that spot size. Most garage door pics around here are from 25 feet or so, so reading your text below the photo made me do a double-take.:huh:

Even with the 400 watt $25.oo, parking lot type light bulb with it's big 1.25 inch arc length, the beam only spreads out about 1.5 feet per hundred foot distance. Over all this was a successful project. (I'm designing a 36 inch and 48 inch reflector for eventual construction. I try to use common construction dimensions and materials and off the shelf parts found at Home Depot, Lowe's or any other large hardware store.)

The beam on the trees at 400 feet has expanded 6 feet from it's original 2 foot diameter for a total of 8 feet beam spot on the tree at 400 feet distance. The beam expands to around 79 feet in diameter at one mile. (A 400 watt parking light, of course, easily lights an area of this size.) When it hits the clouds, (which in Portland, Oregon are about one mile above ground level) the beam is still pretty bright shining on the cloud bottom.

I'm going to see about getting a cloud photo, with the 400 watt HID LightSward, here in about an hour or so.

 

[LightSward]

I took some cloud beam shots. They came out good, but not as they would have if I had gotten outside sooner...the clouds thinned out and raised in elevation. I'll post the photos later today.:thumbsup:

 

[PhantomPhoton]

I just noticed you're close by. I want to come see it some night. :naughty:
I can bring some of my puny (comparatively) lights to play with too.
That's an awesome setup you've got there. :twothumbs 400W HID and a home made reflector.
:bow:

 

[LightSward]

I just noticed you're close by. I want to come see it some night. :naughty:
I can bring some of my puny (comparatively) lights to play with too.
That's an awesome setup you've got there. :twothumbs 400W HID and a home made reflector.
:bow:

Thanks for the compliment. The light get together sounds like a plan.

Everyday I complete more of the searchlight. I want to make it at least weather resistant..it is getting there.

I'm on a limited budget (our whole office was laid off last fall...thus the low budget 400 watt searchlight project), so travel is limited. Let's set a day that works for us...my schedule (other than job searching, etc.,), is fairly open for now.

Let me know.:tinfoil:

Jared OKA LightSward

 

[LightSward]

I'd like to at sometime in the future, compare other big lights.... :naughty:...I have a feeling this 24 inch searchlight will work much like the smaller more high tech lights I've seen. This light was a fun, very low budget adventure, ...when funds allow, I'd like to go with a smaller brighter high tech small arc ($$$) bulb. I am amazed at how far and bright a a 'soup can' sized 40 watt CFL (Compact Florescent Light) made beam, is. Also, another low budget project is a 36 inch or 48 inch reflector with 1000 watt HID (3 inch arc length) warehouse bulb. I also will continue to refine the "mirroring" process.

I am setting up last nights photo now... Oh a....Computer glitch...

I apologize...a software issue won't let me download quality images...I have to use a lower quality program....Anyway...HERE are some cloud beam shots.


35 watt HID Cyclops gets first shine on clouds

It is easy and instant to set up the 35 watt HID Cyclops, so it got into a good photo shoot. Clouds started to lift a little before I fired up the 24 inch homemade 400 watt HID searchlight.


Cloud Shot Photo of 400 watt HID 24 inch searchlight and
35 watt HID 7 inch Cyclops from 1 block away

Clouds are at 1 mile altitude, (using basic geometry, I drove out away from the searchlights, until I was directly under beam spots on the cloud bottoms, and then measured direct distance measurement via GPS and Google and map. Searchlights are tilted 45 degrees above horizon. Beams travel about 1.4 miles at this angle to reach cloud bottom. This particular view is a block from the searchlights, so that it would photograph with my inexpensive (cheap) camera. Because of the way the beam spots on the clouds align themselves, the spot appear brightest when viewed near the beam source. As I walked under them, the spot appears to elongate and grow much dimmer. The beams are traveling overhead, the 400 HID watt LightSward to our left and the 35 HID watt Cyclops to our right.


Searchlights shining over next door neighbor

Beams shine over adjacent home





Photo of 400 watt HID 24 inch searchlight and 35 watt HID
7 inch Cyclops travel a 45 degree angle a light beam travel
distance of 1.4 miles to reach the clouds at 1 mile above ground level.

Beams are pointed both side ways and away from photographer, towards clouds at 1 mile altitude. Searchlights are tilted 45 degrees above horizon. Beams travel about 1.4 miles at this angle to reach cloud bottom. I am standing half a block away from searchlights.


24 inch homemade 400 watt HID searchlight, streaks clouds

Several layers of clouds dance in the LightSward beam




Lightsward from 1/2 of a mile distance

Beam shines over a small nature park




Lightsward from 3/5 of a mile distance

LightSward is visible even with street light competition



Lightsward from 3/5 of a mile distance

Close up of beam




Photo of 400 watt HID 24 inch searchlight from 3/4 mile distance


Quiet neighborhood is silently guarded by the LightSward from 3/4 mile diatance





Photo of 400 watt HID 24 inch searchlight from over one mile distance

The best place to normally view the beam, is a small ball park, a mile from the searchlights. Because of building obstruction I am not able to aim the searchlight in the best viewers direction. I can only aim the searchlights in a couple different directions from home due to trees and neighbors, I have a balcony with two good directions and a garage and front door I can sometimes use. The cloud base frequently changes elevation, so it is hard to tell..seems to vary from a thousand feet sometimes to over two miles in a short amount of time. Often multiple layers and formations all randomly moving in what often looks like just a flat gray cloud...the searchlight reveals the complexities often hidden in cloud formations. Just in one shot sequence the beam spot on the cloud bottom appears to move sideways, or show on multiple layers, depending on the cloud's statistics, at any one moment. During this shot, the cloud came down, as the beam spot on the cloud bottom moved from directly overhead to a little closer to the searchlight location itself (my home), away from camera location.

When I get a better night camera, I'll be able to take better pictures and from further away and will show more of the beam.

 

[LightSward]

:twothumbs Light beams play in the sky.

Beams are pointed away from camera towards clouds at roughly 1 mile altitude. Searchlights are at a 45 degree angle from horizon


Cloud Shot 400 watt left 35 watt right

Cloud Shot Photo of 400 watt HID 24 inch searchlight and 35 watt HID Cyclops from block away. Light beams come over viewers head.



Cloud Shot Photo of 400 watt HID 24 inch searchlight and 35 watt HID Cyclops from block away

Beams are pointed away from camera towards clouds at 1 mile altitude. Searchlights are tilted 45 away from viewer, and hits several cloud layers.




Photo of 400 watt HID 24 inch searchlight photo from 2/3 mile distance from source



Beams are towards clouds at 1 mile altitude. Searchlights are tilted 45 degrees above horizon. Beams come over-head, hitting another lower layer of clouds on way to upper cover of clouds





Beams are pointed away from camera towards clouds at 1 mile altitude. Searchlights are tilted 45 degrees above horizon.




Beams are pointed away from camera towards clouds at 1 mile altitude. Searchlights are tilted 45 degrees from horizon



Beams are pointed side ways and opposite from camera towards clouds at 1 mile altitude. Heights may vary during photo shot from thousand feet to several miles but typically average 3/5 of a mile to about 1-1/2 miles.


Searchlight during warm up sequence

 

[LightSward]

Here are a few more shots of the layout and construction of the 24 inch reflector.

Basic Parabolic Curve Calculator. There are many ways to determine this shape. I use an easy geometric method...works very well.

Basic easy Parabolic Formula

This page came from a science web-site. It demonstrates a method I use. Soon I will transfer my own AutoCAD drawings...they are easier to understand.

(Need to edit)
Basically, one of the easiest and quickest methods use is the "model T method" After determining requirements and the light source characteristics, the overall size of reflector is determined. I draw an up side down "T" with the horizontal line length equal to the desired reflector diameter. The horizontal portion of the upside down "T" (or sideways), is called the 'base' line. I then draw 6 parallel lines to the base line, each parallel line distance from the base line, is a fraction of the depth of the eventual reflector.

The first parallel line is drawn half way between the focal point and the base line. This will be the closest part or bottom of the reflector. The top or furthest line from the base line is the top of the reflector or farthest part from the light source. Then I draw circles with the center at the focal point. The circle's radius is equal to the distance a chosen parallel line is from the "T" horizontal base line. As an example: if the top line is 10 inches from the base line, then draw a 10" radius (20" diameter) circle with the center at the focal point. The 10" radius circle will cross the #10" line at two points. place a dot at each of these two points. This is where the top of the reflector is.

Next if you drew a line 5" from base line, then draw a 5" radius circle with it's center at the focal point. Repeat for the other lines. You will see the basic shape of the parabola. If you need...draw more lines at more intervals. Eventually the points are connected with a french curve used to draw the parabolic shape. If using AutoCAD, the polyline or p-line function then converted to spline works very well. There are easy mathematical formulas as well. I use the above method, because for me, I can draw an accurate parabola in very little time!


Patterns and templates are made from AutoCAD drawings I made using basic calculations, and then transferred using a homemade compass


After the templates are drawn, I cut the foam layers with a zig saw at an average angle, sand to the parabolic profile, and assemble like a sandwich, using screws and glue. This makes a strong, lightweight, accurate and inexpensive base frame to build the rest of the reflector.

The rigid foam core frame ready for first protective treatment





fiberglass cures

The fiberglass is ready for final surfacing



Preparation for final surface application


A rotating screed is vital for a final surface application in order for the final mirror chrome surface to reflect the light properly.



Final surface almost complete and ready for mirroring

The roundness and parabolic shape are critical. Any surface preparation, such as protective paint, prior to mirroring, must maintain the critical roundness and parabolic shape.


Let me know if I can help with construction or if anyone is interested in a kit form or completed reflector or searchlight.
LightSward

 

[gratewhitehuntr]

stunning

simply stunning

when will the 96 inch model be available ??


it's all downhill from here buddy :welcome:

 

[LightSward]

stunning

simply stunning

when will the 96 inch model be available ??


it's all downhill from here buddy :welcome:

Thanks.

I have considered building the 8 foot size, I'll have to build up some pre-production capital, for now I'll probably refine the 24 inch and eventually work up to a :naughty:48 inch sized reflector, :twothumbs(will still store easily, it will hopefully be less than 30 inches deep, the 24 inch reflector with light bulb assembly is about 15 inches deep and actually stores well on a large book shelf...minus small fan):tinfoil:

I have considered building reflector do it yourself "kits", plan sets, and finished searchlights as well as tutorials. If anyone is interested give me some feed back.

 

[LightSward]

The LightSward almost ready for the downtown Portland Night-Life. The homemade panning 360 degree left right rotation gives much visibility to the beam, acts like beam is many times brighter just by the movement of the beam across the night sky.

© All rights reserved.




I have finally got an okay beam shot photo, of the 24 inch 400 watt searchlight, shining on a set of trees about 400 yards (about 369 meters) away. The closer trees are lit from the side wash light, making the distant hot spot harder to discern. To the naked eye, the hot spot on the distant tree was more obvious than the photos show. Hopefully the downtown area will provide some good targets...legal...I had it cleared with the city father's blessings.

The beam spot was very bright from the 24 inch 400 watt HID, compared to the 35 watt HID Cyclops. But since the 400 watt HID bulb has such a large arc area, (about 1.25 inches), the spot on the tree is bigger than the 35 watt small arc HID of just a couple millimeters. The 35 watt HID Cyclops beam spot was about 10 feet in diameter and the LightSward 400 watt HID is about 20 feet in diameter..though much brighter than Cyclops. The reflector is not perfect (close but...) and the large arc area...but hey...I'm having fun with this monster.:twothumbs With the 100 watt small arc HID in the 24 inch reflector, I got a beam spot on the same trees about the size as the Cyclops. I did not take a photo though. ... Some day....



24 inch 400 watt HID Light turned to distant 50 foot tall trees, 1200 feet distance from camera. Hot spot about a third the tree height...hard to tell in this photo. I'll try and get better shots. It's much more impressive in real life. You can definitely see the hot spot move across the distant trees and ones further back!


comparison of no light beam. The tree is 1200 feet away and front tree is about 45 feet tall.


400 watt HID. Main beam spot a little less than half the height of the tree shown (about 20 feet), trees in background are about a mile back.



:twothumbs


The 24 inch 400 watt HID searchlight (LightSward) will be downtown Portland, Oregon Saturday night 10 pm the 6th of June at 318 SW and 11th just off Burnside and Stark to announce an M-T.V. video type V.J. group (my brother amongst others...)...at the FEZ, co-ed dance club for adults. I will try and get some live crowd, lit buildings and beam shots. All this is just for demonstration and feasibility study

Did a demonstration last night with the 35 watt HID Home renovated Cyclops, and the manager was impressed.

I have built from scratch a 360 degree automatic motorized pan mechanism from old bike parts. Looks good, and hopefully professional, on show day. I'll post some photos of it in action, downtown, shining on the owners buildings and skyline. The city planning, zoning, etc., like the idea of the Hollywood style searchlight(s) to liven things up during the economic droop.:thumbsup:

I saw a solar powered 2000 watt several hour battery pack for a reasonable price. That would be way cool. Has multi-voltage 12 vdc and true sine wave 120 vac and several other voltages. I'll do more research.

Homemade partially completed 360 degree panning left and right 24 inch reflector 400

Video of homemade 24 inch 400 watt HID 360 degree panning searchlight


Video of homemade partially completed 360 degree panning left and right 24 inch reflector 400 watt...

 

[LightSward]

The bug has bit. Now when I get some more money, I would like to install a 400 watt or higher wattage even 1000 watt small arc light source to get a much thinner farther throwing beam! :thumbsup:

I am doing a gig this coming weekend (June 6th: 10 p.m. until after midnight) downtown Portland (318 SW 11th 'The FEZ'),:welcome: with the existing, 'budget 400 watt, large arc', 'HID'. A chance to see a budget searchlight that cost less than half a cent an hour to operate plus half a kilowatt an hour or about 5 cents an hour. It does make a good, fairly bright beam that spreads out kind of like a mix between an airport beacon and a regular searchlight...about 1.5 degrees or so spread...almost collimated...

This light is good, but with a high wattage small arc light source...this light will be awesome!:twothumbs

 

[LightSward]

The Saturday night Searchlight 'gig' was successful. I contacted the FAA and City Offices about my searchlight and was given a thumbs up! The searchlight drew a large crowd that patronized the club, others posed for photos and 'mock' interviews on digital cameras with their peers and some guys explaining, to their girls, the mechanics of the rotating mechanism.

All positive comments about the searchlight, the beam had some competition from city lights, but at times the clouds were lit up and several high rises had a tiny bit of beam light them up. The beam went out over the Fremont Bridge, during each rotation, and several individuals said they were 'lured' because of these sightings. Several people commented how they like the hypnotic effect of the 360 degree pan rotation, many offered the club should also put loudspeakers, tables and serve outside...to watch the light...amazing! The searchlight ran from just after 10 p.m., when it finally was dark, until after 2 in the morning, 'last call' and closing.

Dance club numbers were up. Many individuals took really nice photos and said they will email me the photos this week, (with all the activities associated with a 'partying' sidewalk crowd, I temporarily misplaced my camera and am thus relying on one off these individuals to email photos to: [email protected]). Hopefully some good photos to show up soon!......I'm still hopeful....

I do have another 'gig' in a month and will get photos for sure. For now I have some pictures I took of the searchlight in preparation for the gig downtown. I will post these in the next few days if no one sends me their photos of the gig.

 

[Norm]

Love the bicycle panning unit Rube Goldberg eat your heart out.
Norm

 

[LightSward]

Love the bicycle panning unit Rube Goldberg eat your heart out.
Norm

I had a lot of fun building this. It is amazing how much interest this bicycle panning unit generated at the dance club 'gig'. Eventually I will modify the panning system to about half the current size for easier transport. I think it will be very interesting to watch it operate when complete.:twothumbs I'm still working on getting photos from the June 6th 'gig' searchlight performance. I hope one of the photographers comes through.:thinking: Hill Billy Lite...LightSward Searchlight ready for 'gig'


VIDEO of LightSward searchlight is given a final mechanical checkout



This is a late afternoon readiness test just prior to the downtown Portland, Oregon "FEZ"...



Video


You get a good look at the panning mechanism, made from recycled bike parts. This is a late...

I'll have to be more vigilant, capturing photos of future searchlight gigs, perhaps the first Saturday of August.

I've found a 27 mm arc 1000 watt HID for around a $100.00. I am working on a reflector design that will act somewhat like a 45 - 60 inch searchlight. I need more ballast info...

I'm working on several 48" reflector designs now. I have several ideas and types I want to try.

 

[LightSward]

I am designing several lights, and hope to build these soon, ....money permitting....

There is a very, easy, way, of course to make the reflector. Just make a Parabolic "mound" from clay dirt or other semi-soft form-able material. Use the rotating screed parabolic profile to make this 'mound'. Then cover with plastic wrap or other suitable coating and then just pour your 'Resin" on this. I did this method years ago to make a 60 inch reflector. There is an online video someone made on this topic ...Google "make your own fiberglass solar concentrator".

At present, I am also rebuilding the panning mechanism of the 24 inch 400 watt HID LightSward, to fit in a smaller gear box for easier transport!:thumbsup:

I'm still debating on continuing the "FEZ" searchlight night. Because of the ambiguous nature of the club scene, I am not sure the club will pay enough for my troubles. Instead, a small new diner near here, may need my light services. I'll get some cool beam shots one of these days!

 

[giorgos18]

I just found this thread now and I am blown away.

 

[LightSward]

I just found this thread now and I am blown away.

:naughty:It was a lot of fun. :twothumbs I am perfecting the 'smoothness' of the reflector. I might try a 48 inch reflector soon.

 

[DM51]

I might try a 48 inch reflector soon

Excellent - I look forward to seeing that!

 

[LightSward]

Excellent - I look forward to seeing that!

I am working out the final design of the 48 inch Grand Reflector. It will probably come out to be around 50 inches. :twothumbs

Should I start a new thread for this 50 inch Monster?:thinking:

The basic manufacturing process is simple enough, but in order for this to work well, a high degree of precision and accuracy, is required. Again the basic driving force of this project is low costs, off the hardware store shelf, ease of manufacturing.:thumbsup:

I will be making a "mold" of the Monster Reflector, and will produce reflectors if any one is interested.

 

[DM51]

Should I start a new thread for this 50 inch Monster?

Good idea!

I will be making a "mold" of the Monster Reflector, and will produce reflectors if any one is interested.

I expect there would be a lot of interest in these from hard-core throw addicts. You may even get enquiries about pocket-clips for them, lol.