Looking for metalwork help

Metal Shop
#1

Hi all!

I’m hoping to find someone willing/able to manufacture a couple of metal gobos for me. (I’m a photographer, and have lost the set of gobo patterns I got with a spot projector. I can’t add another link to show the product, but perhaps I can in a follow-up post…?

The gobos are 58mm wide, not sure of the height, and they are very thin metal – perhaps 1-2mm in thickness? Although I’d probably never use the fancy patterns, the main ones I’m hoping to recreate are the (small) circle and the slit.
rosco-gam-steel-gobo-pin-spot-c-3-4.jpg

2020-new-style-Gobos-Optical-Spot-Conical-Snoot-Slider-Graphics-Universal-DIY-Background-Light-Effect-Pattern.jpg_960x960.jpg

Is anyone able to help me create these?

Thanks so much, and Merry Christmas!
William

#2

The projector spot system with the original rectangular gobos is pictured here: https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB11TnPXIrrK1RjSspaq6AREXXa2/AMBITFUL-AL-16-Focalize-Conical-Snoot-Optical-Condenser-Art-Special-Effects-Shaped-Beam-Light-Cylinder-with.jpg_q50.jpg.
Hopefully that helps…?

#3

I would thing that using a laser printed photo resist and etching these out of thin brass plate with ferric chloride might work. This is a technique used for circuit board layout.

If just wanting a straight slit or square you could cold chisel them out of flat stock or use a thin coping/jewelry saw and then file/sand to a clean edge. The small metals/jewelry area might be of more help than Metal shop.

The fine details are probably too finicky for the plasma or other tools in Metal Shop.

2 Likes
#4

Much appreciated. I’ll look for the other forum.

#5

The fine details may be engravable in a thin material with a sacrificial support using the Haas or a shapeoko.

@Team_Machine_Shop

@MortonVisuals what type of metal are they made out of?

(also P.S: be careful posting a lot of links. Since you’re a new user you tripped the forum’s spam system. I’ve unhidden them since it’s a legitimate post but be aware until you’ve been on the board for a few days that may happen from time to time)

#6

Thanks! I didn’t know how else to illustrate what I was seeking. The ones that I’m missing were a thin light metal – perhaps tin, or aluminum? I really don’t know how to tell. The whole thing is from China, and fairly inexpensive (for the projector spot), so I know it’s probably the cheapest metal they could use. These were only about 1mm thick I think.

#7

How about heavy gauge aluminum (like from a disposable roasting pan or metal takeout box) cut with a sharp Xacto blade (with wood backup for the cuts)?

#8

I don’t know. That might be sturdy enough - hard to guess. Cutting a clean circle with an Xacto would definitely be a challenge for someone like me. And a cookie cutter wouldn’t be small enough

#9

Dynatorch fine cut stainless has a kerf width of .014", would that do?

#10

Try sendcutsend.com
They can laser cut which is a much sharper edge than plasma

3 Likes
#11

I have no clue what a kerf width is, sorry! :smiley:

#12

The “kerf” is the part of the material “missing” (which is to say, no longer part of the parent material, and no longer part of the cut material) once cut. The width of the material that is “missing” is the kerf width. A reasonably concrete example of this is when using a saw to cut wood, the width of the saw blade will be approximately the kerf width, with a wider blade making for a wider kerf and more “missing” material. Though harder to put your hands on physically, other cutting technologies generally produce a similar phenomenon, and plasma cutting is one such technique. Charles’ point is that a fine cut plasma tip is theoretically capable of producing a cut where the “missing material” is .014". Thus, in the case of, say, the slit, the narrowest slit it could produce is .014".

3 Likes
#13

Thank you @jast! My needs are not that precise. The slit in the gobo is about ½" or so (if memory serves). I’m sure the originals from China were very basic.