reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Discussions on optics for laser cutter/engravers

Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby twehr » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:17 pm

canadianavenger wrote:Nice write-up. I'd suggest using some thin double-sided tape [carpet tape] to adhere the masking tape covered disc to the wood, this will help prevent it from slipping/spinning and being scratched as the drill cuts through.


I use carpet tape like rednecks use duct tape :o , so I am surprised I did not think of that. I had not considered the spinning until after I saw the first piece cut. That would have better protected the disk surface and reduced the burring a lot, I suspect. Thanks!
tim
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Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby artwood_decor » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:54 pm

Great idea Walt.
Thanks for documenting so well your method Tim.

My first attempt was unsuccessful, but I will keep trying...

It could be like this,
[url]http://gismonda.pagesperso-orange.fr/hd2.jpg[/url]

or like this,
[url]http://www.microcenter.com/images/email/random_access/2008/0408/shattered.jpg[/url]


In my case it was made of some kind of glass or ceramic. Will have to try another one.
Maybe it can it be cut in squares and have the mirror holder modified to accommodate.

The idea with double sided tape is good, but when you have to remove it off the support you could bend the freshly cut mirror.
Maybe using some acetone or other solvents to melt the glue on the tape can save it.
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Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby a542002 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:42 pm

He hey you are lucky to found a disc from actually silicon or ceramic I looked all my drives not one had this kind of disc
they are the most perfect. you just take a diamond hole saw and you are all set thats waht I try first till I realized that the base of the disc was a kind of aluminum alloy and my diamond hole saw needed a verry time consuming cleaning.
the I dea with the double sided tape is very good but I had a hard time to get the mirror off from the wood that why i thoght one good side is good enough for me because its free and I have lots of old HD laying around
greetings
walt

artwood_decor wrote:Great idea Walt.
Thanks for documenting so well your method Tim.

My first attempt was unsuccessful, but I will keep trying...

It could be like this,
http://gismonda.pagesperso-orange.fr/hd2.jpg

or like this,
http://www.microcenter.com/images/email/random_access/2008/0408/shattered.jpg


In my case it was made of some kind of glass or ceramic. Will have to try another one.
Maybe it can it be cut in squares and have the mirror holder modified to accommodate.

The idea with double sided tape is good, but when you have to remove it off the support you could bend the freshly cut mirror.
Maybe using some acetone or other solvents to melt the glue on the tape can save it.
a542002
 
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:37 am

Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby twehr » Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:19 pm

artwood_decor wrote:Great idea Walt.
Thanks for documenting so well your method Tim.

My first attempt was unsuccessful, but I will keep trying...

It could be like this,
http://gismonda.pagesperso-orange.fr/hd2.jpg

or like this,
http://www.microcenter.com/images/email/random_access/2008/0408/shattered.jpg


In my case it was made of some kind of glass or ceramic. Will have to try another one.
Maybe it can it be cut in squares and have the mirror holder modified to accommodate.

The idea with double sided tape is good, but when you have to remove it off the support you could bend the freshly cut mirror.
Maybe using some acetone or other solvents to melt the glue on the tape can save it.


Even using carpet tape, it is sticking to the masking tape which you should still be using. So all you have to clean up is the minimal adhesive of the masking tape. I just used denatured alcohol to clean the mirrors.

I tried Goof Off, which is a great adhesive remover, but it left a film on the surface that then had to be cleaned.
tim
--
"The answer is usually easy and obvious once you know what it is." tw

DIYLaser Blog
SemiHomemadeTools.com
twehr
 
Posts: 439
Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 4:49 pm

Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby a542002 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:24 pm

Hi tim
yes denature alkohol or isopropyl rubbing alkohol is the best to remove the sticky stuff.
greetings
walt



twehr wrote:
artwood_decor wrote:Great idea Walt.
Thanks for documenting so well your method Tim.

My first attempt was unsuccessful, but I will keep trying...

It could be like this,
http://gismonda.pagesperso-orange.fr/hd2.jpg

or like this,
http://www.microcenter.com/images/email/random_access/2008/0408/shattered.jpg


In my case it was made of some kind of glass or ceramic. Will have to try another one.
Maybe it can it be cut in squares and have the mirror holder modified to accommodate.

The idea with double sided tape is good, but when you have to remove it off the support you could bend the freshly cut mirror.
Maybe using some acetone or other solvents to melt the glue on the tape can save it.


Even using carpet tape, it is sticking to the masking tape which you should still be using. So all you have to clean up is the minimal adhesive of the masking tape. I just used denatured alcohol to clean the mirrors.

I tried Goof Off, which is a great adhesive remover, but it left a film on the surface that then had to be cleaned.
a542002
 
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:37 am

Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby Robert Williams » Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:36 am

THANK YOU twehr
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Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby lasersafe1 » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:42 pm

I received Walts mirrors yesterday and performed my test with a power meter. I could not measure a difference between the gold mirrors and the hard drive mirrors. Partially this is because my power meter is not very repeatable from measurement to measurement unless it is given time to cool down before resetting the zero. It is a powerwizard sold by Synrad and uses the thermopile method. Anyway I could see no difference at my 30W power level after averaging many measurements.

My laser is a rebuilt ULS-25 and it has a front surface mounting scheme for the mirrors. This made it very easy for me to remove the back plate and then simply press the new mirror against the front surface with my finger. This way it would still be in the unit at 45 degrees, but I could feel any heat buildup with my finger. There was none. I held my laser at 30W for about one minute and could feel no heat buildup from the back side. Given the low thermal mass of the mirror, if it had absorbed any light, I would have felt it.

Great discovery Walt! Thanks for the Blog Tim! This is indeed a significant advancement for all of us trying to keep costs low.

Tim, can you make this thread a "Sticky" under the Optics related section?
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Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby twehr » Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:50 pm

lasersafe1 wrote:
Tim, can you make this thread a "Sticky" under the Optics related section?


John,

I am only moderator of this forum (DSP), so I can't move it to another one. I also don't seem to have ability to make it a sticky. Maybe Bart can move/sticky it or change my permissions.

Sorry!

EDIT: I managed to get it moved, leaving a shadow copy in place. I don't moderate the Optics category, so I can't do anything else with it, at this point.
tim
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"The answer is usually easy and obvious once you know what it is." tw

DIYLaser Blog
SemiHomemadeTools.com
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Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby Robert Williams » Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:01 pm

Walt/Tim...

I cut 8 mirrors Using Ace hardware 1 inch/25mm hole saw, 20 mm slug.
I used rino grip carpet tape to hold mirror/slug, painters tape on the other side.
Filed burrs off each side.
Cleaned with denatured alcohol and cotton balls, scraches on one side of one.

Thanks
Robert
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Location: Moreno Valley, CA

Re: reflection mirror from a old Hardrive disc

Postby a542002 » Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:28 pm

congratulation you just saved $ 240
greetings
walt


Robert Williams wrote:Walt/Tim...

I cut 8 mirrors Using Ace hardware 1 inch/25mm hole saw, 20 mm slug.
I used rino grip carpet tape to hold mirror/slug, painters tape on the other side.
Filed burrs off each side.
Cleaned with denatured alcohol and cotton balls, scraches on one side of one.

Thanks
Robert
a542002
 
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:37 am

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