Here are some tips for saving money on ‘lab’ equipment. It is surprising how many
everyday objects can be used effectively in holography. These are just suggestions.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to pay attention to safety, and use
common sense.
- Heating pads used with three or more settings can be used as adjustable
heaters for processing trays. Simply put the heating pad under the tray
and turn the pad on to the desired setting.
- Black foam board can be used for blocking stray light. The type that is
black throughout is best as the edges stay black even when they are cut.
This material can also be used for making an iris.
- A shutter can be made from most old 8 mm movie cameras. They have
a low voltage electric shutter. Remove this unit and set up a circuit with
the original voltage of the camera, and a switch.
- A thick piece of glass, 1/4′′ or thicker, can be used as a beam splitter.
Using the thick piece of glass allows a small piece of electric tape to be
placed over the glass to block the secondary reflection off the back.
- Sandwich boxes can be use as processing trays and also as storage for
the chemistry without having to pour the liquids back into bottles after
each session. They come in many sizes and shapes with airtight lids. Store
sealed containers with chemicals in a dark, dry, cool place when not being
used.
- Rubber inner tubes can be used as the dampening mechanism between a
holographic table and the support legs.
- A slab of granite can be used as a holographic table.
- Most old overhead projectors contain large front surface mirrors and large
Fresnel lenses. They can be purchased at yard sales and flee markets for
just a few dollars.
- Most photocopiers and fax machines contain front surface mirrors.
- New Jefferson Nickels have a weight of 5 grams and new Lincoln Pennies
have a weight of 2.5 grams. Standard paper clips have a weight of 1 gram.
To verify the weight of the paper clips put a nickel on one side of the
balance and find 5 paper clips of the same size that equals the nickel.
These can be used on a balance for measuring out chemicals.
- A hair dryer can be used to dry a piece of holographic film or plate after
processing. Drying intensity and heat is variable with very inexpensive
dryers.
- Polarizers can be found in polarizing sun glasses. These can be used
to slightly modify the intensity of throughput laser light by inserting it
into the beam path and rotating. They can also be used to compare the
polarization of light at different locations in an optical set-up.
- Two pieces of window pane glass and binder clips can be used to sandwich
a piece of holographic film. This will hold the film rigid and flat.
- A microwave can be used to heat the deionized or distilled water
needed for mixing up processing chemistry. But please be careful to keep
chemical-contaminated containers separate and secure. One method is to
heat the water in a clean container in the microwave and then pour it into
the chemical container for mixing, always keeping the clean container free
of any chemicals.
- Two-part, fast-hardening epoxy is great for securing two pieces of metal
without the need for drilling and tapping. This also allows the disassembly
with just a small sharp blow to one of the pieces.
- A pinhole can be made by sandwiching 5 or 10 pieces of aluminum foil
together and poking with a pin while the pile is on a hard piece of rubber.
Each piece of foil will have a slightly different size of pinhole.
- Automobile windshield wiper blades can be used as a squeegee. If you
epoxy two blades to a pair of scissors then, when the scissors are closed
3/4 of the way, you can squeegee both sides of the film at the same time.
For plates this is not necessary as you can do one side at a time with a
single blade.
- Clothes pegs on a line can be used to hang up films to dry. After clamping
the film at two corners with the pegs, clamp two more at the bottom
corners to keep the film straight while drying.
- Dishwasher drying agent can be in place of PhotofloTM in the final rinsing
bath. Use an agent that does not have fragrance and, preferably, that is
clear.
- Sodium carbonate can be purchased cheaply as a chemical for increasing
the pH of swimming pools and spas.
- Sodium bisulfate can be purchased cheaply as a chemical for decreasing
the pH of swimming pools and spas.
- Sulfuric acid can be purchased as car battery acid. Most formulas call for
concentrations that are lower than that sold as auto battery acid.
- Black Sanford Sharpie markers, which come in different sizes, are ideal
for blackening optics, mounts and anything small you want to reduce
reflections on. They are permanent markers that write on almost anything.
- Paper MateTM liquid paper correction is great for painting objects for
holography. It dries to a flat white and diffuses the light very well.
