Aluminum Can Tables - what's new?

eric343 · Post by **eric343** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 2:44 am

If I remember correctly, a friend of mine used to make holograms in high school using a table suspended from the ceiling by bungee cords...

John Klayer · Post by **John Klayer** » Sat Nov 27, 2004 4:15 am

Here I am setting up a 2 beam reflection hologram to test the hexcan idea because Colin said it is a more stringent test than the 2 beam transmission test.

I'm thinking about a what Dinesh asked me at the PCGG-II, something like: "how do you scale the results?" or something like that that.

This is a good question. How would one know that a small prototype table would scale up to a larger table?

John Klayer · Post by **John Klayer** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 5:45 pm

Grey was asking about the hexcans so I brought the thread back to the top.

Also I'm in the process of buying some 10 ga steel to build a bigger table.

MichaelH · Post by **MichaelH** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 5:53 pm

John Klayer wrote:I'm thinking about a what Dinesh asked me at the PCGG-II, something like: "how do you scale the results?" or something like that that.

This is a good question. How would one know that a small prototype table would scale up to a larger table?

It seems to me that one way would be to use an interferometer and actually measure the deflection of your small table and extrapolate loosely from there using the LEOT formulas. If you don't have those handy, I can supply them.

Grey · Post by **Grey** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 4:47 pm

John Klayer wrote:Grey was asking about the hexcans so I brought the thread back to the top.

Also I'm in the process of buying some 10 ga steel to build a bigger table.

Thanks, John.

John Klayer · Post by **John Klayer** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:51 am

I'm still at it. I'm getting close to finishing a 30 by 66 inch can table.

John Klayer · Post by **John Klayer** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:11 am

My wife and I finished epoxing the top skin on the 30 X 66 inch table a couple of hours ago. The epoxy needs to cure for 24 hours. I'll give it a day or two more to be safe.

John Klayer · Post by **John Klayer** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:33 am

Some pictures of the last few stages of building the 30 X66 inch can table. Click the thumbnails for larger pictures.

Using JB Weld to attach the cans to the bottom 10 gage steel plate. There is a 1/4 inch plass pane under it for flatness.

<a href="http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=table19my.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6461 ... 9my.th.jpg" border="0" /></a>

Almost done with cans, started adding foam between on a suggestion from Colin Kaminski.

<a href="http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=table28fw.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/9014 ... 8fw.th.jpg" border="0" /></a>

More foam.

Excess foam trimmed off.

This shows the foam and some extra aluminum pipes added for a little extra strength.

U channels added to fill in the spaces at the end s of the rows and to provide attachment for side boards.

These items are for attaching an end board.

Rolling on the Hysol E-120HP epoxy on top the cans. we also put it on the top steel plate.

Putting the E-120HP on.

Rolling the E-120HP. We used about 25 tubes.

Putting down some wax paper so that any epoxy that squeezes upward doesn't stick to the glass pane that will be put on top to ensure flatness.

After the top steel plate was placed we laid a 1/4 inch glass pane on top it to ensure flatness. On top of the glass we put a piece of cardboard and a sheet of plywood to protect the glass and then every concrete block and brick I could find.

Since this table was being built on the front porch and the weather was heading into the 20s and the Hysol requires a curing temperture above 77 F, we built this tent over it with a space heater in it.

Colin Kaminski · Post by **Colin Kaminski** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 6:25 am

Very Nice! I like the heat curing. That will help a lot. I never liked the epoxy bonds I made a little cold. I always had better luck with them warmer than spec.

I would love to hear what the total stiffness when you get a chance to measure it.

John Klayer · Post by **John Klayer** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:50 am

I finally got the table finished and placed yesterday. I thought I'd never get done with it. I set up an interferometer and am very pleased with the steady pattern. I'll try to post some pictures.