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Green Laser Vortex
Written by Mever   
Tuesday, 03 October 2006

10/10/2006 Update:

Part one of the  laser vortex has been posted!

10/18/2006 Update:

Part two of the  laser vortex has been posted!
 

10/24/2006 Update:

Tweaking the Laser Vortex, tips, tricks, video of the green and  red Laser Vortex combined!


greenlaservortex0  greenlaservortex1
greenlaservortex2

The green Laser Vortex is turning out spectacular this year. This test was done using the same reflector module from the last 3 years; only the laser was exchanged from a red to a green and separated from the main unit. This affect is similar to the one used at “Halloween Horror Nights” and other outdoor Halloween events.


 Total parts for this cost less than $25 considering the power supply for the motor, the motor itself and housing were built from scrap parts. The laser was around $20 on eBay , the mirror was about $2 from the craft store and any screws or adhesive were less than $3. If you need a fog machine, expect to pay around $25 or so for one.
 
laserpointer2The laser pointer itself is rated at around 5mW power output and a wavelength of 532mn. This is a standard laser pointer that takes AAA batteries and they have lasted for over an estimated hour of testing so far.

There will be instructions on how to make the laser vortex soon but to make sure you have all the major parts you may want to order some things now. Here is a list of all the major parts to look for and where to find them at the best prices I have seen.

Green Laser Pointer

 


 

Parts:

Laser pointer: You can use most any laser pointer but it is recommended you get one that takes AA or AAA batteries because they last longer. If you can find one with a constant on switch rather than a button to hold down it will make things a little easer but either will work. Power output of around 5mW is sufficient.
Green is most visible but more expensive. You can usually get a green 5mW laser pointer on eBay for around $20 to $30 shipped from these eBay
stores.
I do not expect you to find these in your local stores and you will likely need to buy it online.
 
OR 
Red is less visible but will work fine. You can find them in an office supply store and most department stores if you buy one locally. These are some stores that carry them online for reasonable prices.
Small Round Craft Mirror: Best place to find these are in a craft store or craft section of your local department store. They need to be between one to two inches in diameter and as reflective as possible. You can usually get a small bag with several mirrors of this size for less than $2.
 
dcmotor Small DC motor: Look for battery operated toys or other electronic devices to salvage these from. You can get them at radio shack if you need to buy one new but if you look around you can find them all over. Check your local dollar store if you want to save some cash, they usually sell personal battery operated fans that can be taken apart. We wont worry about power or voltage ratings for these, using a small power supply or batteries will work out fine for this.
 
dctransformer Power supply (transformer) between 9 and 1.5 volts: The power supply you will need to use depends on the motor it will run. If you have any old power supplies laying around, don’t toss them out! They come in handy for things like this and as long as the output says “DC” we can likely use them. All power supplies in the US are required to list the input and output of the device so all you need to do is look. If you need to buy one, you can get a universal adapter at most department stores or radio shack that allow you to select the voltage you need. Don’t worry about current output, we won’t need much current. (current is usually shown as “mA” on the transformer).
 
Fog Machine: A small one that uses regular fog juice. A large fog machine might produce too much fog so a smaller one is usually better.  
 
That’s a majority of the parts you will need. Ill get a list of the smaller odds and ends together wren I make the instructions.
 




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