DIY Lumenarc III Reflectors
 

So i found the plans and i had to try these. I think they turned out pretty good. I used alum flashing for material as it is cheap and easy to work with. If i make more i may spend the extra $$ and get more reflective material. For now these kick butt over my old reflectors
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net/dan/reflectors/full2.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net/dan/reflectors/full3.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
The inside
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net/dan/reflectors/full1.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
A full size and a mini
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net/dan/reflectors/mini_full.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
The Mini (14 inch for a friend)
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net/dan/reflectors/14_2.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
The Mini - Inside
[IMG]http://techbs.net/dan/reflectors/14_1.jpg[/IMG]

I will add more detail (with pics) tomorrow. These are rather easy to move if you have the patience. Took about 2 hours each once i got the pattern down

Looks good. Saved a good bit of money i'm sure.

Looks good. I just got some solar tubing from Home Depot that I will be building a couple from as well.

Any chance you have the plans available to share?

Very nice - do you have any pics with the bulbs mounted?

nice job exept for your corner pices are not supposed to be bent in unless thats what you wanted

do you have a picture of the aluminum flashing with the light reflecting down? i bought some aluminum flashing and i am in the process of making some spider reflectors for now and wanted to see how well they do with the halides

FWIW if you use solar tubing instead, it will be the same as the real Luminarc

Solar tubings are made from mirror polished aluminum with a reflective index of 95% or greater

or call a metal or lighting supplier and ask if they can get specular aluminum.

you can get (4) 2' x 4' sheets of hammertone from sunlight supply for $150 shipped.

a 48" long 14" diameter solar tube from Home Depot was $45

That should give you plenty of material to work with I should think

seems the reflection rate is not too high

Here are my DIY

[url]http://www.rioshk.com/main/DIY/index.htm#17D[/url]
[url]http://www.rioshk.com/main/DIY/index.htm#17D2[/url]
[url]http://www.rioshk.com/main/DIY/index.htm#miniD[/url]

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11268594#post11268594 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhnguyen [/i]
[B]a 48" long 14" diameter solar tube from Home Depot was $45

That should give you plenty of material to work with I should think [/B][/QUOTE]

If your making one reflector that is a very valid option, I actually shopped those many times before settling on the actual hammertone. If your making a couple then you are much better off ordering the material from sunlight supply.

Hmmm I think there is enough material here in this tube for 2 reflectors easily. Granted they will be the smaller ones but still...

Unfolded this will give me a 44" by 48" sheet

This stuff is 95% reflective...

[url]http://www.specialty-lights.com/reflective-sun-sheets.html[/url]

The net price for four sheets is $4.70/SQFT (shipping is free)

You could make 8 mini or 4 mediums

That's really not much more of a saving than buying a solar tube from Home Depot IMO

the 48" long 10" diameter tube costs about $33 at Home Depot and will give you a 48" X 31.5" sheet

Multiply that by 4 and you end up paying for less than those 4 sheets.

A 48" x 10" dia solatube is $64 at HD in Denver.

damn ! I guess I got a deal :D

the bent corners on my first one was cause i really didn't know what i was doing. if someone wants the plans PM me. i am not gonna post them. I have the plans for the large ones and the mini's

I looked for the solar tube but i didn't want to spend $50 for a test run. I spent $35 on a 50' roll of flashing and after making those two, i still have enough to make like 10 more i think :)

The second one (the mini) came out way better then the first. I didn't get a chance to mess with this last night, hopefully tonight. I will take some more pics of the HOW TO as i go.


I havent mounted the bulbs yet. But i have a idea on how i am doing that, with a sliding mount so you can put any bulb in it and get it centered.

I will update more later. I hope to have these over the tank this weekend and see how they look. If i like them i will look for the solar tubing and make more.

I'm thinking I'm going to give this a shot, too, using the aluminum flashing. Home Depot has enough to make 2 14" reflectors for less than $8. I can spend extra on getting polishing materials (wet/dry sandpaper, polishing compound, etc.). I just can't justify $100+ for Lumenarc's.

How to make them (or how i do it anyway)
 

Ok, so i here is the build pics
i made wood templates so all the pieces come out pretty straight and use a rotozip to cut them with a diamond cut wheel. I have that cutter from some tile work i did, i would not have spent $40 on a that cutter for this.

Well here goes.
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/1.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/2.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/3.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/4.jpg[/IMG]

<br>Tape it down and cut away. <br>

[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/5.jpg[/IMG]

<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/6.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/7.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/8.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
<br>
About 30 minutes later, All the pieces cut out<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/9.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/10.jpg[/IMG]

Yes that is my little girl drawing on my templates. Cute kids
<br>
<br>Bending the side pieces
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/11.jpg[/IMG]
<br>Bends in the corner caps<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/12.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
<br> After you make the bends in the corner caps, turn them over and slightly bend them back the other way as shown here
The tool i use for making my bends is a welding crimper. Got it at Harbor Freight for $6
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/13.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
<br>All the pieces bend. Back outside to drill holes and rivot it together<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/14.jpg[/IMG]
<br><br> My cheapo harbor freight rivot gun and alum rivots.
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/15.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
<br> about half way done<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/16.jpg[/IMG]
<br><br> about half way done - another angle<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/17.jpg[/IMG]

By the way. When you rivot these start with the center cap and work your way down to the edges.
Yes that is my little girl drawing on my templates. Cute kids
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/18.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
<br> And a couple hours later - here it is. This is a full size one. I have the plans for both the fill and the mini. This weekend i will be working on mounting the lights. If anyone wants the plans PM me your email address and i will email them to you.
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/19.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/20.jpg[/IMG]
<br>
[IMG]http://techbs.net//dan/reflectors/build/21.jpg[/IMG]

why what a difference using a camera is instead of my blackberry camera.....lol.. I have a couple of PM's to get these plans out to. I have the 14" one saved. i need to find the full size plans again