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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Hi Chris,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I made such a beast about 10 years ago, at Cornell University.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Dick Archer, you may be able to find them (ask Fritz if he’s seen them).
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Basically, we took two CD Drawer mechanisms, and attached them to a piece of wood. They were wired with a three position switch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Position 1 closed the drawers (pulled them to a position where they were out of the past of light… so opened the shutter)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Center position killed the power<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Position 3 reversed the polarity and opened the drawers (closed the shutter).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">There is a trick to making this look good:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">In order to not see a WIPE of the Projected Black, you need to make the fadeout happen over the whole beam.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">The easiest way to accomplish this is by adding long pointy pieces of poster-board, or cardstock to the front edge of the doors. This needs to be cut in a zig-zag pattern with long fingers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">As the fingers overlap, the light is blocked more uniformly than if the shutters simply close in from both sides.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">For example… hold your hands up in front of your face, with the fingers spread slightly, and in slightly different planes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Slide them together so that they overlap, and block your vision.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Now, imagine that your fingers are ling, pointy triangles (point at the fingertips, narrow base at your hand).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">The more acute the angle, the longer the pointy strips are.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Depending on how closely they overlap, the image will be blocked in multiple planes, and your fadeout can look a lot more smooth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">It’s difficult to explain, but if Dick can find these to send a picture, you will see it very easily.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I hope this wasn’t too confusing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">-Ford<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft-bounces@theatrical.net]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Chris Clarke via Stagecraft<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 06, 2017 3:13 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> stagecraft@theatrical.net<br>
<b>Cc:</b> Chris Clarke<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [SML] Looking to build a dowser for an office projector, simple and cheap<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We especially need to block the annoying ‘video black’ rectangle for an upcoming show.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve seen the DMX controlled dowser/flags like one offered by City Theatrical. Someone told me about a homebrew dowser made from the CD drawer mechanism of an old tower PC. Wireless control is nice, but wired would work just fine for our
purposes this time out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Does anyone here know where to find such a thing, or plans for one?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">Chris Clarke<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">****************************************<br>
Tennessee Women's Theater Project<br>
C - 615-319-5961<br>
</span><a href="mailto:chris@twtp.org"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">chris@twtp.org</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D"><br>
</span><a href="http://www.twtp.org/" target="_blank" title="This external link will open in a new window"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">www.twtp.org</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/TennesseeWomensTheaterProject"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">Facebook.com/TennesseeWomensTheaterProject</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">****************************************</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#1F497D">Giving voice to women through theater arts<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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