Automatic light orb making machine. How...

mickledore

mickledore

Suspended / Banned
Messages
9,372
Edit My Images
Yes
Long story, so I won't bore you, but I need to know if anything like this exists, or how to cobble one together.

We want what is effectively a machine for making light orbs. A turntable of some sorts with a cenral pillar on top of which is a light that moves vertically up and down as the turntable cirles round. Gears, pulleys and the like.

I could probably cobble one togeteher with a Mecanno No 10 box, but I ain't got one anymore. Anyone seen anything like this?
 
Short answer is no I've not seen anything off the shelf, the main art of orbs away from the actual photo is the spinning, as to get the best results the primary goal has to be rotating round a single access...

In theory if your concerned about being able to maintain the size position of a standard spinner you could attach it to a pole/stick etc but frankly it's going to be cumbersome...

For a start I'd look at some battery powered LED sets...IMO it's the best place to start if your not used to making up stuff from electronic components
 
Thanks. We've looked at using an old record turntable and fixing a central pole onto which we could fix some sort of horizontal strut to hold a light. But we want the light to go up and down as well as round and round.

The light bit itself is not the problem; we've plenty of LEDs and other bits that will do what we want. The difficult bit is the mechanical side. We're thinking that gears and a reciprocating arm of some sorts will be needed. (An idea there - an old windscreen wiper setup!)

We certainly expect it to be either cumbersome or so finely machined that it will cost far more than we want to pay - less than a tenner if possible!!!
 
mickledore said:
Long story, so I won't bore you, but I need to know if anything like this exists, or how to cobble one together.

We want what is effectively a machine for making light orbs. A turntable of some sorts with a cenral pillar on top of which is a light that moves vertically up and down as the turntable cirles round. Gears, pulleys and the like.

I could probably cobble one togeteher with a Mecanno No 10 box, but I ain't got one anymore. Anyone seen anything like this?
Click to expand...

I have seen a machine that makes orbs, but it was all hand built and was designed to keep spinning for hours as part of a time-lapse. It worked well, I'll try and find the video.
 
Wowee! That is a brilliant video. The orb machine they used is exactly what we want, but it looked very home made. Not sure we have the engineering skills to make one of those.

Thanks for your trouble.
 
It looks simple but complicated at the same time, if that's possible lol. The way the base spins round if you have a close look keeps the lights on the same axis. If you don't have the engineering skills it could be a fun challenge!
 
Yesw, well we don't have the skills. Looking at all the gear those guys have they must have access to serious machine tools and the knowledge and experience to build those things. Very clever, but way beyond anything we could do!
 
I don't know how it was done because I didn't go to the session, but I do know it involved a cycle wheel with a piece of broom handle through the centre.

Then a light (or lights) (probably led) was attached to the rim of the wheel, which was rotated around the end of the broom handle.

This produced small spheres (half-orbs) which were photographed, and sometimes photoshopped into other images. This method produced very even patterns.

HTH
 
david357 said:
I don't know how it was done because I didn't go to the session, but I do know it involved a cycle wheel with a piece of broom handle through the centre.

Then a light (or lights) (probably led) was attached to the rim of the wheel, which was rotated around the end of the broom handle.

This produced small spheres (half-orbs) which were photographed, and sometimes photoshopped into other images. This method produced very even patterns.

HTH
Click to expand...

That would be a dome rather than an orb...:thumbs: our own AndWhyNot was really the father of the dome and you've pretty much covered the essence of the dome tool, a couple of additional points

The lights need to be equally placed around the wheel and the axle needs to be as long as the radius of the wheel used
 
That's a pretty cool orb tool in that video:)
I've always done the usual - battery pack in hand with bunch of LED lights on the end of a cable a spin around like a loon! Had varying results with that and find it really hard to form a tidy orb as I cant seem to keep spinning over the same spot (used a coin as a marker and it still goes wrong)
Might have to have a rummage in the garage and see if I can build anything like that one:thumbs:
 
Looking at the video makes me wonder if you could modify an oscillating pedestal fan as a cheap alternative?
 
jason7579 said:
Looking at the video makes me wonder if you could modify an oscillating pedestal fan as a cheap alternative?
Click to expand...
I don't think that would work with a fan because the blades actually rotate around the axis of the shaft on the fan. You need it the other way round, the blades would have to stay on the same axis whilst the body/shaft of the fan rotated round the blades.

If that makes sense, I found it hard to explain lol. If you just tied some lights onto a fan blade it would look like someone who walked round on the same spot rather than walking round the lights.
 
Last edited:
JulesP said:
That's a pretty cool orb tool in that video:)
I've always done the usual - battery pack in hand with bunch of LED lights on the end of a cable a spin around like a loon! Had varying results with that and find it really hard to form a tidy orb as I cant seem to keep spinning over the same spot (used a coin as a marker and it still goes wrong)
Might have to have a rummage in the garage and see if I can build anything like that one(y)
Click to expand...

My most successful orb attempt was when I taped some fairy light onto the end of a long paint roller. It was a lot easier to spin. I got a lot of funny looks walking around with a camera and paint roller in the dead of night though.
 
dexter35yrs said:
i made a tool to make these
Click to expand...
That's on the way to what we're after. Any tips on how you made this?

We've thought of a battery operated record player for the base, but we can't work out how to do the other axis.
 
CaveDweller said:
I don't think that would work with a fan because the blades actually rotate around the axis of the shaft on the fan. You need it the other way round, the blades would have to stay on the same axis whilst the body/shaft of the fan rotated round the blades.

If that makes sense, I found it hard to explain lol. If you just tied some lights onto a fan blade it would look like someone who walked round on the same spot rather than walking round the lights.
Click to expand...

My head hurts... I think I can see where you are coming from.
 
Just decided I'll make a mini one out of my Lego technic and see if it works lol. Nice rainy night ahead of me now
 
mickledore said:
That's on the way to what we're after. Any tips on how you made this?

We've thought of a battery operated record player for the base, but we can't work out how to do the other axis.
Click to expand...
The record player could work because if you figure out how to do the other axis you could get them to spin over the middle.
 
CaveDweller said:
The record player could work because if you figure out how to do the other axis you could get them to spin over the middle.
Click to expand...
We thought of an electric motor atop a pole, turning a second pole with a light on the end. We'd have to put the batteries on the turntable but we then wondered if the combined weight would be too much for a battery operated turntable to cope with. We could use a mains powered turntable - they are ten a penny in junk shops - but that would restrict where we could use it: we were aiming for the coast!!!
 
CaveDweller said:
The record player could work because if you figure out how to do the other axis you could get them to spin over the middle.
Click to expand...

Variable speed battery drill, light bit of aluminium tube, hole drilled in one end with 6mm threaded bolt, bolted through it to go in drill chuck, small battery powered light taped to other end, battery drill fastened to turntable, positioned so that the light is directly over the centre.............would work in theory :thinking:

I think that the turntable would need gearing down so as not to turn as fast............and don't forget, this would only make a small version :)
 
Last edited:
Wouldn't that have too much weight atop the central shaft? Battery on turntable, but the motor would be higher up, and would weigh quite a bit, or have I got it wrong? Could introduce lots of vibration induced oscillations as well.

If we got an old electric TT we would be looking at one that did 16 1/3 RPM - and they are really old.
 
mickledore said:
Wouldn't that have too much weight atop the central shaft? Battery on turntable, but the motor would be higher up, and would weigh quite a bit, or have I got it wrong? Could introduce lots of vibration induced oscillations as well.

If we got an old electric TT we would be looking at one that did 16 1/3 RPM - and they are really old.
Click to expand...

Yes, you could be right, it would be trail and error. Most battery drills are fairly bottom heavy. It would certainly need attaching to the turntable well. I was thinking ali tube, say 10mm for lightness. Both the drill and turntable only want to be rotating slow, possibly slow enough not to cause 'vibration induced oscillations' ........great phrase :D
 
Actually, I'm finding harder to try explain it, than I think I would be to build it! :LOL:
 
When Derek (dexter35yrs) originally post the images above, possibly 12 months ago now, I was intrigued and came up with this, used a basket ball hoop and battery operated fairy lights


orb by Phil D 245, on Flickr
 
Ally tube is no problem. I have several 3 foot lengths. I think it would support a small motor like the one in the video^^^. If we could find one we'd need a battery that could sit on the TT. Sounds easy saying it like that!
 
mickledore said:
You know you're going to have to post pictures!
Click to expand...
Done it! I just have to laugh watching this video lol, sat here for the last half hour making a wobbly orb tool out of Lego. The wife looked at my half empty bottle of whisky and though it was down to that.

The orb it makes is wobbly because I didn't make it very well. I mainly made it to show my point of what I was trying to explain earlier about the "orb tool" rotating around the light so it stays on axis. If you notice in my video you will when the whole thing rotates that the light actually stays over the same spot.

If I was to put more time and effort into it then I could get it perfect and not wobbly, but I'm just going to stick with doing orbs by hand for now:rolleyes: unless I work out how to make something like in the video I posted before but won't be able to make a big one out of Lego sturdy enough.


LOL!!! by Peanut651, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Wow, that's superb. Must buy a Lego kit and have a practice, then make a "real" one out of something more rigid.
 
Phil-D said:
I think that the turntable would need gearing down so as not to turn as fast............and don't forget, this would only make a small version :)
Click to expand...

Instead of playing with gearing could you use a variable resistor?
I'm not great with things like this so there could be an obvious reason it wouldn't work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top