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Posted: Tue Aug 11th, 2009 03:20 pm |
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1st Post |
Timberline
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My mother had a fiber optics lamp she had gotten as a Christmas gift from back in the 70's. I still see these for sale occasionally.
I've often wanted to model the interior of a black smith's shop complete with movement....ie....the black smith's arm moving up and down simulating him hammering on an anvil and each whack of the hammer sends out a shower of sparks.. Or, a bellows blowing air into the furnace and the embers glow brighter and more sparks flying.
I've pondered how to model this over several years. The arm and billows movement would be simple. The embers glowing brighter is a matter of timing with a lighted tinted plastic ...embedded behind the furnace all driven by a geared motor. The first lense would give you a constant glow...maybe two shades of orange. to simulated simmering, undulating heat. A second lens that comes up infront of the first lens...timed with the billows blowing...to simulate glowing brighter...ie...orange to light orange/yellowish color. this second lens would be tinted (torwards the direction of rotation) from orange...to...orange/yellow..too yellow...back to orange/yellow then orange..again. This second lens could be mounted on a hollow rim. This will allow a large area of no lens...or when the billows isn't moving..per rotation.
Have I lost anyone yet? I think I lost my self in my own description! I can see it in my head though! LOL
...now...ok...for the sparks, this is where the fiber optics comes in.
Let me explain a little about what fiber optics is. It's a glass, hollow tube that is mirrored on the inside. The tubing is quite flexable..though not right angles! You can shine a light in one end, even if the tube is of great length, and the light comes out the other end.
...ok...back to the sparks. Several lengths of this tubing all tied at one end and cut squarely....this is the light source end. The other end (ends at varying lengths) are facing the viewer. I'ld paint the outside of the tubing a dark background color to hide it from view.
I'ld have this hidden from view..resting on a catcher of some sort.....a simple flat piece for the fiber optics (sparks) to land on. This platfrom (catcher) would have a center pivot and some sort of spring tensioner on it. Also needed would be some sort of cam that would roatate around and knock the spring loaded catcher plate. Catapulting the fiber optics (sparks upwards into view) then they'ld drop back down into the catcher plate. This could be timed with the hammer hitting the anvil, or another set-up of sparks timed with the billows blowing into the furnace.
This is rather hard to explain clearly without a drawing to enhance the concept.
Loren
____________________ I'ld give my right hand to be ambedextrous!
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Posted: Tue Sep 8th, 2009 10:54 pm |
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2nd Post |
Russell Geare
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This is a really cool idea! You could do it in any scale. Lots of possibilities. Take lots of photos of your progress and put 'em up.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10th, 2009 06:40 pm |
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3rd Post |
pibull63
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Joined: | Mon Jun 22nd, 2009 |
Location: | Pennsylvania USA |
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timberline, any progress on the shower of sparks yet? i'm waiting to see this and give it a try......steve
____________________ "come ride the little train that is rollin' down the track to the junction....."
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Posted: Sun Jun 12th, 2011 11:55 pm |
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4th Post |
Tate
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I'd LOVE to seet, but I this, and, if it works, I will also do I need to see yours first, I plan to have animations for so much stuff on my line,
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