Made sense to me. The rounded triangular bits (that poke out when the iris is open) are attached to each leaf, and fill the areas between the leaves. Not as pretty as a real iris though. I'd be done mine but I've been ill, and felt too lousy to even mod.
Stop using half circles. Optimum angle is about 135 degrees (or 3pi/4 radians). This is assuming the pivot point is half way between the outer circumference and the inner circumference of the leaf. It is also right on the end (you can round this end, aka, adding a half circle to the end). When you rotate this 45 degrees (or pi/4 rads) the leaf will reach to the middle, but not cross. It also won't be sticking out the sides, as it shouldn't be. Add more leaves, you get the cool spiral.
theres nothng wrong wth constructng t wth half crcles and them choppng off all of the flyey oute bts, ths way, no calculus.
Problem is you need a clean perpendicular cut at 135 degrees (3pi/4 rads). If you just chop off the extra, you can't be sure of where to make it perpendicular. And this is just basic geometry (with a tid bit o' trigonometry). If I wanted to make it perfect and describe it to you mathematically I would use a combination of Trig and Calc.
i didn't read the whoe thread but if someone could connect the iris to a fan motor so when the fan is off the iris closes and when it's spins up it opens. so it's all automatic. sorry if it has been mentioned.
or even better have a REALLY powerfull fan only turn on if the computer got to hot... opening the iris for 10 seconds then closing again.
It would be better to set the iris to the main computer power and have a seperate motor. It would be bad for temps.
I'm not willing to let this die...I want to see completed examples! My idea is to build one out of plexi, based on this style posted by Splynncryth. I want to use one of these to cover the power button on the PC, combined with a proximitry (sp?) sensor so that when I move my finger towards it, it opens up to reveal the switch. This will go perfectly with the "Storm" case I am working up the plans for. My question is this: I must work with only one motor...surely there is a way to move all the doors with some sort of ring similiar to the iris method. Perhaps a slot for the driving pin to slide in?
I second that! If someone actually completes this and posts a semi decent tutorial, id love to give it a shot when i have some more free time. Irises are just too cool.
Maybe we should do something Shadow. I live in Denver =). I can't seem to find CAD, otherwise I would have posted some designed pieces I've done. Let me search through my stacks again.
Hey! Hows the snow? Probably all gone by now, or just about anyway...only thing left here is whats in shadows or piled up. I am racking my brain trying to come up with a way to move the doors via one mechanism. I will probably make the doors and inner ring this weekend...I do better when I can get my hands on it.
Crappy snow... Car died because of it. I seriosuly need to replace some wires... . We got a couple feet here, and MASSIVE flooding. Water up to my waste... I have an idea of how to make that kind of... 'iris' work. The leaves would have to extend out of the ring even when closed a bit. The ring would have notches in the inner circle which would be able to push and pull the teeth on the leaves. The leaves would pivot about one point. You could get the motor to reverse directions (considering it is reversable) with a relay. I'll work on it a bit tonight. I see what you mean that it would be easier to make those leaves instead of intertwining, paper thin leaves, hehe.
The motor isnt a problem...I'm considering using a RC car servo...Ive got a few articles on how to control them. Just need to work out the mechanics of moving all the doors with only one motor. I'm not understanding your idea, about notches on the inner ring? I already imagine that the doors are going to be larger than the opening. That part will be invisible inside the case (the plexi walls will be covered with blue window tint, only allowing what I want to be seen and hiding the rest.) By making the doors extend past the opening, it will allow room for the pivots on each of the doors. I need to be independently wealthy so that I can work on this stuff day in and day out. Work and school sucks.
i have access to a propper stage lighting iris thats perfect size for an 80mm fan. it costs about £70 to buy the real McCoy
