Sand Tables

These are all of the old posts from the first two years of the forum. They are locked.
Updated: 2005-03-28 by HoloM (the god)
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Michael Harrison

Sand Tables

Post by Michael Harrison »

I thought I'd start a new thread rather than continue this one:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/message? ... 1086548113


Sand is not a suitable material for the base of a holography system.

In what way is it not a suitable material? If it works and works well, doesn't that make it suitable?

You were successful learning on it, but why have you work now on metal for good reasons.

I think there was a question begun in there..
I moved to steel because it allows me to use magnets to hold the mounts in place with less time needed for settling. I moved away from sand (I could have used both) because since my first table I've been stuck on upper floors for my studio/lab spaces. I can't really afford to have a ton or more of sand off the ground floor.

My opinion regarding sand tables comes from the fact that many, many students have been introduced to holography on sand tables but very, very few ever continued on. I think there is something very basicly wrong with the way holography has been taught, and see the use of sand as a base material as a big part of the problem.

In what way though? I believe the bigger problem with holography is the myth that it takes a $4K - 10K table to even start. At least with a sand table you can get going at much lower cost as long as you fully understand the stability limitations. They aren't hard to get hold of but I'd agree that a lot of the "basic" books don't properly cover the need for stability and/or understanding the limitations of your space.






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If someone says it can't be done but they haven't tried it, don't believe them.
http://www.dragonseye.com/Holography

Are you going to the next PCG Gathering?
http://www.dragonseye.com/Holography/PCGGI.html
John Klayer

Sand Tables

Post by John Klayer »

I have had good results with sand tables on concrete floors.
I invite anyone who wants to try to set up a sand table on a wood floor to give a try, I never had the nerve to try it.
I'm still working on my "can table" idea.
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