Comments on: Opaque Projector

By: dave

dave — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:15:16 +0000

great construction, i really love it. just been looking into picking one of these projectors up i didnt even know they exited . i need one quite soon so might buy but think i will try to build this also in the future . love the paint finish also .
many thanks :)

By: Steve Lodefink

Steve Lodefink — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:06:24 +0000

Hey Paul,

No, I dont have this projector for sale.

If I were you, I would attempt to retrofit your current projector with a different lamp and lamp base. Something that has been for sale more recently than your old one. Maybe something from a junk rear-projection television would work

good luck,

steve

By: Paul Jones

Paul Jones — Sat, 29 May 2010 03:44:34 +0000

Sir:

I’m looking at what appears to be a self made (but extremely well done job) Bel-Air #2 Opaque Projector.

Is this item for sale? If so, how much and can parts (lenses and bulbs) be easily obtained?

I am a professional artist and lost the bulb for my old projector and, naturally, it isn’t made any longer. I got one from the same art shop but it does not provide a focussed image (???)

I need a projector that will take an 8 x 10 photo and project a sharp image on a canvas perpendicularly placed on an easel 30 x 40 inches in size. Projection distance would need to be sharp out to about 10 feet.

If you don’t sell your item, can you recommend a reasonably priced ($250 + -) opaque projector? If you are at all interested in military aviation, current USAF, WWII or Vietnam, I have published numerous prints of F-15s, F-16s and collages honoring WWII and Vietnam. I’d be happy to send you a complimentary signed copy of anything I have for your help.

Thanks,

Paul Jones
Lt Col, USA (Ret)

By: Kenneth Davis

Kenneth Davis — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:04:43 +0000

I built an opaque project about 35 years ago that I have just recently set up again. Because of changing needs I would like to increase the magnification of the final image. I am wondering how to do the calculations to determine what lens to look for. Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

By: Teacher Mary

Teacher Mary — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:47:15 +0000

THANK YOU so much for this! My budget will not cover the expense of an opaque projector and I really want one. I teach kids with learning disabilities and research shows that an opaque projector, used with other strategies, helps develop skills in reading. I can’t wait to make it and get it to my classroom!

By: Herb Klug

Herb Klug — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:22:45 +0000

Hi, I just stumbled onto you web site and I like how you built your opaque projector. I recently bought a high end opaque projector for almost nothing because it didn’t work. Turned out it was just a loose wire! . I plan to use the projecter for tracing photos to canvass so I can do some oil paintings. I would rather have the projector overhead projecting an image downwards on a flat table rather than projecting it onto a wall. I was thinking about building some sort of wooden framework to hold the opaque projector up in the air and then using a mirror to cast the image downward. I am afraid that if I just mount the projector facing downwards that it might build up too much heat because it isn’t designed to function like that. Any thoughts on this? Is there a better way? Thanks. Herb

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:02:30 +0000

Hey Jim,

Well, I checked my source and they are sold out. Just search the web for “surplus copy lens”.

steve

By: JIM D.

JIM D. — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:41:31 +0000

HELLO, I’VE HAD THIS OPAQUE PROJECTOR PROJECT IN THE
BACK OF MY MIND FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND I CAME ACROSS
YOUR VERSION. CAN YOU GIVE ME A CLUE ABOUT HOW TO
GET THE LENS. IM IN PUERTO RICO AND THERE ARE NO JUNK
SHOPS HERE LIKE I USE TO HAUNT WHEN I LIVED IN CHICAGO.
THE LARGER 91/2″ X 12″ IS REALLY A GREAT ADVANTAGE.
THANKS MUCH, RETIRED TOOL MAKER
JIM D.

By: rich

rich — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 04:35:19 +0000

I don’t see the lens everyone is talking about. Any idea if it’s the same as the ones showing now?
(http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm/subsection/21/category/188)
ie., 27379 F:4 LENS 28mm F:4
I’d love to try this, but I’m unsure where these lenses went.

By: charles

charles — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:48:21 +0000

it did helped me a lot with our science fair.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:22:00 +0000

Hello!
I am constructing one for myself and I wondered if you could give me the measurements of your box? I am trying to figure out at what angle to put the mirror.

Thanks a ton!

By: Nathan

Nathan — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:21:22 +0000

Hello!
I am constructing one for myself and I wondered if you could give me the measurements of your box? I am trying to figure out at what angle to put the mirror.

Thanks a ton!

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 06:45:35 +0000

Aw hell… I’m on a posting spree so I’ll throw this out there. I had the idea of using black felt (as opposed to yarn, like you did) and it happens that if you give the lens a few turns of black felt it fits nicely into a piece of 4″ black PVC from any “home improvement” store. I liked this becaue I could glue/tape it down instead of having to tie it down (and I hadn’t thought of using yarn).

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 06:36:05 +0000

P.S. your CAPTCHA is effectively worthless against real SPAMmers… you should check out reCAPTCHA.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 06:33:51 +0000

I purchased one of these lenses because I troll AS&S and, frankly, the lenses are just plain awesome (I plan to buy several more if money allows). I then came across your site because I also had the idea to build an opaque projector and Google (via Make) told me about your project. I was really happy to see the PDF link you gave us, but I think it has caused me more problems than I had trying to work it out on my own.

I built a little proof-of-concept projector out of the lens, a fluorescent light (with work-light-type reflector), and an old cardboard box. It worked beautifully (though since there was no mirror everything was backwards/upside down). I decided to build a for-real box based on my stunning success. This was about the time I found your article, so I dug through the PDF you recommended and decided to go with the plans on page 14 (though it claims pg 12). I had to scale them up a little because our lens was much larger and my mirror was a good bit larger as well (8″ x 8″). Lo and behold it was worthless. I can do the math and the focal length of the lens lines up pretty well with the “document” being shown, the light from the lamps isn’t directly hitting the lens (because of blocking), and AT LEAST as much light is hitting the surface of the “document” as in my PoC. However, most of the light was lost inside the box and what light DID come through the lens was impossible to focus into an image (note: I haven’t painted my box yet).

I guess what I’m asking is what the dimensions of your box are? I’m not sure what’s different from yours to mine (in terms of focal-length, etc), but I’d love to know (even rough) dimensions. Also, what did you use for reflectors?

Thanks for your time and great article,
-Jeremy

By: Simon Park

Simon Park — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:35:36 +0000

Great work! This has inspired me to build one, too. For my purposes, the commercial ones require too much fiddling around (making sure the picture is reduced to such a tiny size and all), and they all seem to be made of plastic. I want something large and sturdy, without having to spend megadollars.

Many thanks!

By: eli

eli — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 03:36:48 +0000

Hi I am a teacher and I need make one for my class, you can send me the messures thaks

By: curt

curt — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 06:06:56 +0000

great! that’s right by my workshop, so I’ll swing in this weekend and grab some! thanks!

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:00:46 +0000

Hey Curt,

You can find the wrinkle paint at auto parts stores. I got mine a Autosport on Aurora, just north of Greenlake.

cheers,

steve

By: curt thompson

curt thompson — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:53:38 +0000

hey! I really like the look of this project! I have a project I’m working on and i’m trying to find the same wrinkle coat finish… can you tell me where you found it? I tried home depot, lowes, and ace hardware… no dice.

by the way, I’m in seattle too, one of these days maybe we’ll meet up, I have a bunch of projects I think you’d appriciate based on what’s here on your blog.