If you only want to do single beam work almost anything will work. I used to use my dinner table. I would wait until night time so no light was coming in through the windows.
Jeff Weil
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
I've never used hot melt glue with optics or holography setups. It's a big mess, requires a wire trailing to where the glueing is happening, drools glue as it awaits use, drools glue while being used, pulls spider webs of glue after being used, and doesn't hold very well because it hardens on contact with cold steel. Just an unnecessarily big hassle in my opinion. A better alternative is one (or five) minute epoxy. Mixed in very small doses on old business cards with round toothpicks (or a small ball driver that's cleaned immediately by a wipe with acetone); it's easy to control, easy to use only the tiny amount needed, doesn't require a wire laying across the setup, easy to get into small tight places, dries brittle and so is more stable, it's cheap, and it's readily available. Also, the toothpick never drools glue on my expensive optics or big mirrors.
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Johnfp
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Now, if you want to stablize something and not permenantly fasten it, try some beeswax. If you ply it in your fingers it gets soft and hardens up when at room temperature. It's also reusable.
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John Sonley
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Arturo - I have been using a sand table for the past 20 years and I find it excellent once I learned the discipline of keeping the sand in the box and not around the fine threads of the spatial filter etc.
The 2nd lesson I learned was to keep my holography lab. door shut as during one extended period of time the two cats my Wife adores enjoyed the comfort of clean dry sand rather than performing in the garden - not a nice job cleaning it out!
A major advantage of sand is its stability, once settled, which may take 24 hours if you've had major geometry changes on the table. Another advantage is that it's movable using multiple poly bags whereas a steel table the size of my sand table would weigh tonnes. For additional stability the sand box sits on 6 semi inflated scooter tyres all on a Dexion framework all on 10 layers of carpet tiles. The whole is in the basement of the house, on concrete and the house is in the countryside
The sand is important and I used 2 tonnes of washed river sand, which is finer and much cleaner than building sands, although much more expensive
All my optical elements/components are mounted on about 2 foot lengths of 1 - 2 inch plastic water pipe
Have a look at my sandbox on www.johnsonley.myzen.co.uk and please ask any questions. All the holograms you see on my web site were prepared on the sand table
BRgds
John
The 2nd lesson I learned was to keep my holography lab. door shut as during one extended period of time the two cats my Wife adores enjoyed the comfort of clean dry sand rather than performing in the garden - not a nice job cleaning it out!
A major advantage of sand is its stability, once settled, which may take 24 hours if you've had major geometry changes on the table. Another advantage is that it's movable using multiple poly bags whereas a steel table the size of my sand table would weigh tonnes. For additional stability the sand box sits on 6 semi inflated scooter tyres all on a Dexion framework all on 10 layers of carpet tiles. The whole is in the basement of the house, on concrete and the house is in the countryside
The sand is important and I used 2 tonnes of washed river sand, which is finer and much cleaner than building sands, although much more expensive
All my optical elements/components are mounted on about 2 foot lengths of 1 - 2 inch plastic water pipe
Have a look at my sandbox on www.johnsonley.myzen.co.uk and please ask any questions. All the holograms you see on my web site were prepared on the sand table
BRgds
John
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Thanks everyone for your comments/suggestions and knowledge. I will let you know how it goes!
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Thanks everyone for your comments/suggestions and knowledge. I will let you know how it goes!
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Hi,
just for the record, and since I have often asked about tables, I finally got around to build my 'table', and the results (yes, I know, no interferometer yet) have proven great: given that I live in a fifth floor downtown Madrid with lots of traffic around I have managed to get nice holograms with 7 minutes exposure (litiholo plates).
I am using an inner tube, a granite slab and 2 iron slabs for a total surface of 80x80 cm and weight of about 140 kg. You can see some photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theotocopu ... 737682907/
Cheers, and thanks to everyone who ever advised me about this topic!
just for the record, and since I have often asked about tables, I finally got around to build my 'table', and the results (yes, I know, no interferometer yet) have proven great: given that I live in a fifth floor downtown Madrid with lots of traffic around I have managed to get nice holograms with 7 minutes exposure (litiholo plates).
I am using an inner tube, a granite slab and 2 iron slabs for a total surface of 80x80 cm and weight of about 140 kg. You can see some photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theotocopu ... 737682907/
Cheers, and thanks to everyone who ever advised me about this topic!
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Looks very nice! With all that mass, you should be able to do some neat stuff!
Just remember to build an enclosure to keep the effects of air currents down to a minimum!
We need more people around the world doing what you have done!
Just remember to build an enclosure to keep the effects of air currents down to a minimum!
We need more people around the world doing what you have done!
"We're the flowers in the dustbin" Sex Pistols
Question about sand table and magnetic bases
Coming up next!Ed Wesly wrote:Just remember to build an enclosure to keep the effects of air currents down to a minimum!
It's easy if you guys keep being so kind and sharing your knowledge with newbies! I would have never got so far without your help, guys!We need more people around the world doing what you have done!