Dr. Conjuror
Member
Sorry about that. I thought it might be a bit unclear. I was speaking of the distance from the top of the two legs to each other (the hypotenuse.)
Dr. Conjuror
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DIY: A new angle on light proof vents
- Thread starter ScrubNinja
- Start date
Sorry about that. I thought it might be a bit unclear. I was speaking of the distance from the top of the two legs to each other (the hypotenuse.)
Dr. Conjuror
Ah I thought you might have meant that. It's 17mm with the original dimensions.
messn'n'gommin' - Well that space between layers certainly explains the huge static pressure of the pre-made ones.
As far as spacers, I was thinking about using washers. Pardon my doodles...
Profile View....
Bird's eye view....
I figured one could set the fin between two things thaat would hold it in the "V" position and then glue the washers to the fin (4 per fin) and once that's is dry, fins could be stacked as normal.
What do you think about it? Seems like a cheap solution ( at least per washer) and there are many sizes of washers that would give you lots of spacing choices (distance between fins.)
Dr. Conjuror
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
At 12 per panel, the angle brackets were .50 cents apiece! I bought 1" X 1/2" and when I got home found that just one only gave me a 1/4" gap on the first row. Stacking two gave the first row a 3/8" gap and I was going to have to stack four just to maintain a 1/4" gap from the top row. At roughly a nickel each, the washers will help considerably!
But, I am beginning to realize that I am not going to get any more of gap bigger than 1/4". The 1" width of the angle just isn't going to be wide enough to block any light if spaced farther than that. I think 1-1/2" stock would easily get you a 3/8" separation all around. Still, because of the extra two openings, a 1/4" gap will be about the same open area as the louvers. I am going to finish it as is and seriously consider using 1-1/2" stock next time around.
Namaste, mess
Dr. Conjuror
Member
Thanks ScrubNinja. I am off to my handy metric conversion stuff. I cannot say how great it feels to be living in such a bass ackwards country.
Dr. Conjuror
Dr. Conjuror
disfunktional
Member
hey messn i bought the 1-1/2" angle just for this. i also bought some different size flat bars rangeing from 1/4"-1/2". im thinking that it would be possible to use the 1/2" and keep it light proof.
hey messn i bought the 1-1/2" angle just for this. i also bought some different size flat bars rangeing from 1/4"-1/2". im thinking that it would be possible to use the 1/2" and keep it light proof.
Disfunktional, please forgive my ignorance, but I'm not sure what you mean about the 1/2" bar making it light proof? The extra width of the 1-1/2" just might do the trick. I am looking forward to any pic's you might want to share.
Not being a physicist, I couldn't say for certain any of this will work without actually building it. But, for $30 or $40 it's worth a shot. Who knows, maybe it will work and even be cheaper than the manufactured variety.
Be that as it may, I have changed plans...again! It is a hybridized version of Hoosierdaddy's and ScrubNinja's designs. Don't know if aluminum tape will hold paint (probably not), otherwise I will have to come up with some sort of way to butt the angles together and maintain some sort of structural integrity. But if it can be painted, the only thing left is a support system for the bottom and top slats and assembly.
This is a mock-up of what I'm thinking. 1/2" slots X 7"wide X 11 slots for 38.5 square inches.
I may have to add a third angle to create another bend (a kind of M shape) if glare can't be controlled. That would reduce area to about 24.5 square inches, but that's still almost two and a half times the area the darkroom louvers provide.
Off to smoke a bowl, cipher, and hope for inspiration!
Namaste, mess
Smokeythbear
Member
Very nice, I bookmarked for future building
Messn, I have mylar tape and that can be painted over, I'm sure you'll be ok as it doesn't get touched by anything. IMO that's pretty much the perfect angle design if you can get it all shipshape and straight.
Cheers Smokey.
Cheers Smokey.
messin, the W shape is what commercial lightproof louvers are made from.
If you knew someone with a sheet metal break, you could make loads of fins out of aluminum siding or similar. Put them together with gaps, as you are in here, then box the four sides up.
If you knew someone with a sheet metal break, you could make loads of fins out of aluminum siding or similar. Put them together with gaps, as you are in here, then box the four sides up.
disfunktional
Member
hey messn the 1/2" bar im talking about is for the spacer between the angles. its the width of the 1-1/2" angle that you spoke of that would make it light proof, and with the 1/2" flat bar spacer the air should flow more freely. as soon as i get done with another build that iv got going il jump on the light trap and get some pics up.
HD: Metal/vinyl siding was one of the first things I considered using! For the amount of bending I would be doing I can make something out of plywood. But, I was a not sure that any good amount of air-flow would cause any harmonics and create a "buzzing" as it passed over the thin metal edges. So, I went to a local home improvement place and got the aluminum stock specifically because of its thickness. Even then, because of increases in demensions and your suggestion, I am seriously considering replacing the cornerbead with a stretch of aluminum siding for a framework, and probably will! It already has about a half inch lip to start and I was going to cut the cornerbead to a half inch width anyway. Thanks for playing the muse!
Disfunktional: Know what you mean, man. I was just about to start setting up myself when I came across this thread. So, the timing worked out well. I just need to get up off my lazy ass and put this thing together. Yeah! Would really like to see what you do with this project.
Namaste, mess
Disfunktional: Know what you mean, man. I was just about to start setting up myself when I came across this thread. So, the timing worked out well. I just need to get up off my lazy ass and put this thing together. Yeah! Would really like to see what you do with this project.
Namaste, mess
Here's where I'm at, right now.
The aluminum angles were cut (I suggest anyone else be a bit more deliberate than I was!), washed, taped, sanded, washed again, and painted.
I had a white, blank wall plate and taped it across the middle with a piece of metal tape and painted it. The tape took the paint (flat black Rust-oleum) without sanding and when I pulled some of it off the plate then crunched it up pretty well it didn't crack or flake off. The "blue" area's are where I used my fingernail to scratch some of the paint off the tape and the white specks are where i used my fingernail to realy dig into the paint. You can see where I peeled the tape off a bit and you might just be able to see where I crushed/wrinkled it. So sanding can be eliminated as a step. Although, I would still wash the angle pieces before taping.
I seriously considered using Dr. Conjuror's washer idea, but for any of them to have any thickness to them would slightly narrow the effective width of the air flow path and if not, I was going to have to use so many of them it would become a little to "fiddley." I went with the felt because it's compressablilty offered a small bit of flexibility, yet maintain some stiffness.
I cut the cornerbead 32-1/2" long, trimmed off one side to a half inch width (to widen the final opening) I then made four cuts 8" apart and used the 1/2" to serve as a place to secure it secure it all together, then folded the cuts in on themselves to form a square. The mounting bracket I left untrimmed and opened up the cuts. There is about a half inch of separation between the two frames and I will have to come up with a way to light proof it. I quickly discounted metallic tape because of the whiteness of the sticky side. I am considering black duct tape, but it is white too (just not quite as bad). I cut a half inch thick peice off of a 1" X 12" board (it was on hand) so I could use three finished sides to serve as a "riser" for the bottom front and top rear baffles. I will glue/caulk the wood to the frame sides after painting.
The mounting bracket, frame sides and the two wood peices will be painted black and I will try to figure out some way to light proof around the frame.
Any and all suggestions will be appreciated!
Namaste, mess
The aluminum angles were cut (I suggest anyone else be a bit more deliberate than I was!), washed, taped, sanded, washed again, and painted.
I had a white, blank wall plate and taped it across the middle with a piece of metal tape and painted it. The tape took the paint (flat black Rust-oleum) without sanding and when I pulled some of it off the plate then crunched it up pretty well it didn't crack or flake off. The "blue" area's are where I used my fingernail to scratch some of the paint off the tape and the white specks are where i used my fingernail to realy dig into the paint. You can see where I peeled the tape off a bit and you might just be able to see where I crushed/wrinkled it. So sanding can be eliminated as a step. Although, I would still wash the angle pieces before taping.
I seriously considered using Dr. Conjuror's washer idea, but for any of them to have any thickness to them would slightly narrow the effective width of the air flow path and if not, I was going to have to use so many of them it would become a little to "fiddley." I went with the felt because it's compressablilty offered a small bit of flexibility, yet maintain some stiffness.
I cut the cornerbead 32-1/2" long, trimmed off one side to a half inch width (to widen the final opening) I then made four cuts 8" apart and used the 1/2" to serve as a place to secure it secure it all together, then folded the cuts in on themselves to form a square. The mounting bracket I left untrimmed and opened up the cuts. There is about a half inch of separation between the two frames and I will have to come up with a way to light proof it. I quickly discounted metallic tape because of the whiteness of the sticky side. I am considering black duct tape, but it is white too (just not quite as bad). I cut a half inch thick peice off of a 1" X 12" board (it was on hand) so I could use three finished sides to serve as a "riser" for the bottom front and top rear baffles. I will glue/caulk the wood to the frame sides after painting.
The mounting bracket, frame sides and the two wood peices will be painted black and I will try to figure out some way to light proof around the frame.
Any and all suggestions will be appreciated!
Namaste, mess
That's awfully impressive bro! You took it to the next level! Well done. How about weather stripping for around the frame?
disfunktional
Member
nice clean work well done bro!!! do you have any pics of the cab that it will be getting mounted in? i think that iv got an idea for light proofing around the light trap itself. it would fit between two walls, the width of the light trap, with holes big enough for the light trap to fit in snuggly. for mounting it, shape a piece of MDF the same shape of the light trap and let the trap rest on it. maybe evn another on top, and in betweeen the walls a verticle piece on each sid of the trap connecting the top and bottom mounting pieces. i hope my description isnt to confuseing.
Very nice job, m&g!
There is a wall stud in the middle of the two off-the-shelf units and they are screwed to that. My DIY version will go just above the one on the right.
Your idea got me to thinking. Rather than building a housing for the trap, how about attaching thin, rigid "boards" just around the unit itself. They could be painted black on one side and placed painted side down. A few self-tapping screws to hold the frames together and the "boards" to that and the mounting bracket to that!
I will have to give this serious consideration! Thanks Disfunktional, I was frettin' that one!
Namaste, mess
I have some plants I have got to get in the closet, so, I went with quick and convenient. I used duct tape to close off the separation around the frame, attached the mounting bracket, cut the hole, mounted the "device," and taped it up. It stands an inch proud of the wall. Since the intakes are below the new baffles, I made sure that the side with the angles that were pointing up was inserted into the wall cavity.
2 1/16" X 1" X 8' aluminum angle $12.50 ea.
2 1/2" X 60" felt $ 4.00 ea.
1 10" cornerbead $ 1.50
1 can flat black paint $ 6.00(ish)
Total $41.00 (Your mileage may vary.)
I had the wood for the 3/4" "risers," self-tapping screws, and duct tape on hand. If you can't find 10' cornerbead, you will have to use two eight footers, an extra $1.50
Final measurements: 3/8" openings X 7" slots X 11 slots = 28.875 square inches. I got almost three times the area for less than twice the cost over the manufactured vents. A viable alternative!
As far as difficulty, I would put this project at an advanced beginner stage. If you have had any kind of experience with sheetmetal/siding work, this should be fairly easy to do. The hardest part was waiting for the paint to dry.
Still, I like ScrubNinja's design. The addition of a cornerbead framework would make mounting easier, but, it doesn't get much easier and cheaper than just stacking them.
This was fun! Thanks, to ScrubNinja, Hoosierdaddy, and Disfunktional for the inspiration!
Namaste, mess
2 1/16" X 1" X 8' aluminum angle $12.50 ea.
2 1/2" X 60" felt $ 4.00 ea.
1 10" cornerbead $ 1.50
1 can flat black paint $ 6.00(ish)
Total $41.00 (Your mileage may vary.)
I had the wood for the 3/4" "risers," self-tapping screws, and duct tape on hand. If you can't find 10' cornerbead, you will have to use two eight footers, an extra $1.50
Final measurements: 3/8" openings X 7" slots X 11 slots = 28.875 square inches. I got almost three times the area for less than twice the cost over the manufactured vents. A viable alternative!
As far as difficulty, I would put this project at an advanced beginner stage. If you have had any kind of experience with sheetmetal/siding work, this should be fairly easy to do. The hardest part was waiting for the paint to dry.
Still, I like ScrubNinja's design. The addition of a cornerbead framework would make mounting easier, but, it doesn't get much easier and cheaper than just stacking them.
This was fun! Thanks, to ScrubNinja, Hoosierdaddy, and Disfunktional for the inspiration!
Namaste, mess
M
MicroDude
So after reading through I am still not sure of the design... Does the V work for this project or is it the Z. I can get away with a slight glow that can only be seen in the dark. From the original photos it looked like some corner leakage that could be fixed with tape. If this works as good as im hoping it does I could recoup a lot of space in my micro cab. And add back my mother chamber!
I would say that either way will work. As for the way I put it together I was in a hurry to get it done and my plants under lights, so I didn't test mine. also, because of the big hurry, I didn't show how to make the frame work. It is a simple process and I can work up a little tutorial if you like. It made mounting the unit to the wall quick and simple.
Namaste, mess
