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I am pretty sure this rule already exists but if it does not, it would be simple to fix the above issue by making sure that there is a specific point where the laser goes in PERPENDICULARLY so that is will stay within the walls.

I have an invitational coming up this weekend so I took a shot at instructions to retrofit an LSS with a metal base to meet the recommendations in the 2018 rules.

Since I am a little out of my depth here I have posted a link to it with the intent of incorporating comments and suggestions, and then after review it can be posted to the Wiki if it is considered useful.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RyR ... sp=sharing

Feel free to send comments by PM if you don't feel that they need to go on the discussion board.

PHXcoach wrote:I have an invitational coming up this weekend so I took a shot at instructions to retrofit an LSS with a metal base to meet the recommendations in the 2018 rules.

Since I am a little out of my depth here I have posted a link to it with the intent of incorporating comments and suggestions, and then after review it can be posted to the Wiki if it is considered useful.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RyR ... sp=sharing

Feel free to send comments by PM if you don't feel that they need to go on the discussion board.

This is great! A few quick comments / questions:

1. I originally tried the drilling / embedding round magnets approach as well. After a bit of experimenting I found that getting bar magnets and just superglueing them to the backside (vs. the underside) of the mirror was way easier and worked just as well. Might want try that approach.

2. Painting black is optional. I personally don't see the need for it, but there was concern from some people that the metal surface could reflect the laser into someones eyes. Since we are requiring eye-safe lasers, I don't see the issue here.

3. The biggest challenge I've found (and hence the delay in producing an official document like this) is cutting the metal sheet. You can buy metal sheets at Lowes / Home Depot anywhere in the country, but cutting it down to size is challenging. You didn't really speak to that part, so I'm curious if you have any advice on it

4. Would you mind me using this document as the base for the official LSS retrofit document we need to post on the soinc.org website? The main changes I'd make relate to the previous 3 bullets.

chalker wrote:

PHXcoach wrote:I have an invitational coming up this weekend so I took a shot at instructions to retrofit an LSS with a metal base to meet the recommendations in the 2018 rules.

Since I am a little out of my depth here I have posted a link to it with the intent of incorporating comments and suggestions, and then after review it can be posted to the Wiki if it is considered useful.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RyR ... sp=sharing

Feel free to send comments by PM if you don't feel that they need to go on the discussion board.

This is great! A few quick comments / questions:

1. I originally tried the drilling / embedding round magnets approach as well. After a bit of experimenting I found that getting bar magnets and just superglueing them to the backside (vs. the underside) of the mirror was way easier and worked just as well. Might want try that approach.

2. Painting black is optional. I personally don't see the need for it, but there was concern from some people that the metal surface could reflect the laser into someones eyes. Since we are requiring eye-safe lasers, I don't see the issue here.

3. The biggest challenge I've found (and hence the delay in producing an official document like this) is cutting the metal sheet. You can buy metal sheets at Lowes / Home Depot anywhere in the country, but cutting it down to size is challenging. You didn't really speak to that part, so I'm curious if you have any advice on it

4. Would you mind me using this document as the base for the official LSS retrofit document we need to post on the soinc.org website? The main changes I'd make relate to the previous 3 bullets.

FWIW, re #3, we got a metal sheet from Lowes and cut it with a jigsaw with metal cutting blade.
Re #1, we had plain mirrors. so double-side taped a piece of 1/2" square dowel at bottom of mirror then applied 1/2" magnetic tape from Michael's on bottom of dowel.

Thank you for the suggestions.
Comments below:

3. The biggest challenge I've found (and hence the delay in producing an official document like this) is cutting the metal sheet. You can buy metal sheets at Lowes / Home Depot anywhere in the country, but cutting it down to size is challenging. You didn't really speak to that part, so I'm curious if you have any advice on it

I had the same concern about the metal sheet because I was worried that trying to cut it with a saw might bend it - When I put in the document text "Your local metal supplier is probably the best source for the sheet metal because they can also shear it to size, otherwise a local metal workshop may be able to oblige." I was thinking of a professional metal supplier like Industrial Metal Supply Co, rather than a home improvement store.

If you did decide to use a saw then using a plywood backing support on one or both sides of the metal sheet might help keep it flat.

4. Would you mind me using this document as the base for the official LSS retrofit document we need to post on the soinc.org website? The main changes I'd make relate to the previous 3 bullets.

Feel free - that is why I shared the document in a source format rather than as a PDF.

I will be interested to see what ideas and solutions other people have come up with.

Guys, do you think it would be easier building a brand new LSS or retrofitting an old one to fit the standards.

WhatScience? wrote:Guys, do you think it would be easier building a brand new LSS or retrofitting an old one to fit the standards.

It would probably be cheaper to fix up the old one, but I don't know how hard it will be.

Froggie wrote:

WhatScience? wrote:Guys, do you think it would be easier building a brand new LSS or retrofitting an old one to fit the standards.

It would probably be cheaper to fix up the old one, but I don't know how hard it will be.

Thanks dude

WhatScience? wrote:Guys, do you think it would be easier building a brand new LSS or retrofitting an old one to fit the standards.

My experience was that the work I did on the retrofit didn't really overlap with the work to make the original LSS, It was additional work, so I don't see how it would be less or even the same work to build a brand new LLS.

In Optics C, is there any requirement for whether the midline mirror is on the front (laser side) or back (target side) of the barrier? We are finding a solution if it is on the back is extremely difficult. Thanks!