Willistein
Active member
There's got to be someone local...
DIY lumen___ reflectors
- Thread starter Willistein
- Start date
Willistein
Active member
I called the hydroponic places and none of them stock it. They could order it, but it was $157 vs the $140 shipped from Aquarium Specialty. I'm going to keep looking for a local source... So Kat, what reflectors do you have going right now? - I noticed you have your halides on in your build thread.
Willistein
Active member
So Home Dept sells a "sky tunnel" 24" x 10"dia extension kit which is made of .020" Miro-silver for $34. It will make one reflector up to about 15" square. It's 2x the price of the pebbled stuff, but I want to try it first. I will try to knock one out and see how it goes before committing to more of them. I'll take pics as I go!
Steve Canyon
New member
95% reflective, textured material is about $5 per square foot. That means 24"x24" blank is $20. With me so far? Delivery to Rochester is going to be amortized across however much is purchased. I know of no way around that folks. If someone can find it locally, let me know. That is a key variable in selling price.
80% reflective, is substancially less costly.
Laser time is about $1 per minute. Burn time is going to be about 60 inches per minute. It varies based on gauge, reflectivity, heat loss, etc.
The drawing I recieved is about 300 inches of cutting. Still with me?
Set up time on the laser would be amortized across however many parts are made.
Okay. Let's do a little math.
10 set of parts:
5 sheets of 2x4 95% reflective material = $200 approx.
Delivery to Rochester = $100 approx.
Laser eng/setup = $100
Approx. 1 hour Laser time = $90
Total = $490 / 10 sets = $49.00 per set approx.
Just so we're clear lets do 100 sets.
50 sheets of 2x4 95% reflective material = $2000 approx.
Delivery to Rochester = $250 approx.
Laser eng/setup = $100
Approx. 10 hour Laser time = $900
Total = $3,250 / 100 sets = $32.50 per set approx.
Questions?
How about less expensive material?
How much to bend them?
How about holes to align them for pop rivets?
How about welding instead?
What about incorporating a feature to mount a mogul?
How about features to mount or hang the beast?
How about knock-off batwings?
How about ballasts? Bulbs? Packaging?
How much are the OEM versions?
.
.
.
80% reflective, is substancially less costly.
Laser time is about $1 per minute. Burn time is going to be about 60 inches per minute. It varies based on gauge, reflectivity, heat loss, etc.
The drawing I recieved is about 300 inches of cutting. Still with me?
Set up time on the laser would be amortized across however many parts are made.
Okay. Let's do a little math.
10 set of parts:
5 sheets of 2x4 95% reflective material = $200 approx.
Delivery to Rochester = $100 approx.
Laser eng/setup = $100
Approx. 1 hour Laser time = $90
Total = $490 / 10 sets = $49.00 per set approx.
Just so we're clear lets do 100 sets.
50 sheets of 2x4 95% reflective material = $2000 approx.
Delivery to Rochester = $250 approx.
Laser eng/setup = $100
Approx. 10 hour Laser time = $900
Total = $3,250 / 100 sets = $32.50 per set approx.
Questions?
How about less expensive material?
How much to bend them?
How about holes to align them for pop rivets?
How about welding instead?
What about incorporating a feature to mount a mogul?
How about features to mount or hang the beast?
How about knock-off batwings?
How about ballasts? Bulbs? Packaging?
How much are the OEM versions?
.
.
.
Last edited:
Steve Canyon
New member
Jeff,
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Willistein
Active member
Thanks Steve, I figured small runs would not be economically feasible... I found the sun tunnel material at lowes for $44 which is enough to make two 16" square/octagonal reflectors. I'll cut it out by hand and rivet it together by hand. The socket only needs a simple bracket. Not including my time I figure it will cost $50 each, which is 1/3 the cost of a real one. I'll save $200 by making them. Also, I've come up with a different reflector design that may work better for me than anything out there. I'll post pictures when I'm done. It will have real parabolic sections.
Willistein
Active member
OK, so here's the first one. I gotta say these are pretty easy to do but they do take a little time - maybe 2 or 3 hours to make one of them to cut out, bend and rivet together. This one is about 14.5" square. I'm going to make an aluminum frame to make the bottom of it more rigid.
I don't think I'll be going into production....ha ha!
I don't think I'll be going into production....ha ha!
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dreaminmel
New member
Came out great Dan! I have the Lumenarc Mini's over my tank and that is definately the spitting image of 'em. :thumbsup: Only difference I can see is they used a slightly thicker material on theirs.
Willistein
Active member
I think if you can find used ones for under $100 it's worth just buying them that way. This was kinda fun though. It's actually pretty rigid once it's riveted together.
So at 10:00 last night I'm holding a lit 250W bulb and socket in my hand in front of this shining it out the window to see the reflection. Pretty sure the neighbors think I'm crazy... and they're right of course.
So at 10:00 last night I'm holding a lit 250W bulb and socket in my hand in front of this shining it out the window to see the reflection. Pretty sure the neighbors think I'm crazy... and they're right of course.
solRNY
New member
wanted to say that is a pretty awesome DIY! ...still have to try, i could use some for my frag tank
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