Wobbulator FAQ
WTF is a Wobbulator?
The MondoDyne Photonics Wobbulator is a device designed to add lumia, diffraction, and scan-through effects to a standard graphics laser projector. NOTE: laser not included! You provide the laser projector, we create the lumia with it.
What Are the Dimensions?
Baseplate Width: 101.6mm (4in)
Height: 149.2mm (5-7/8 in)
Depth (at the motor housing): 57.2mm (2-1/4 in)
Weight (with A disc): 514g (1lb. 2-1/8oz)
Total Package Weight (with PSU and cable): 935g (2lb 1oz)
How is the Wobbulator Mounted onto a laser projector?
The Wobbulator bolts onto the screw holes meant for the front shutter on your projector. As all projector manufacturers have different placement for their screw holes, we may need you to measure your projector and provide us with the dimensioning. We are working on building up a database of projectors and their mounts; at the least, we need the make and model of your projector when you order. If your projector has no mounting holes, we are working on a design that uses industrial-strength velcro.
Construction Materials?
To keep costs and weight down, we use a polycarbonate baseplate and motor cover in the Wobbulator. Other pieces are made of anodized aluminum.
Safety Concerns?
Treat the output of the Wobbulator as you would the regular beams and images you produce. The usual caveats apply: don’t look into the beam of the lumia, put your projector 3M above floor level, don’t audience scan, etc. We have only tested the discs with up to 10W lasers; if your laser is more powerful, we suggest you test it at low power and ramp up the power before securing the Wobbulator to your projector.
How do I align the Wobbulator to My Projector?
Always make sure there is a disc installed before turning on your laser. You will need to adjust the settings of your laser software to avoid hitting the top of the motor cover. There is a blast plate on top of the Wobbulator motor cover made from anodized aluminum, which should project the motor cover from most powerful lasers, and to prevent unwanted reflections from the shiny plastic of the cover. We recommend keeping your laser patterns small enough to miss the cover, and keep them oriented in the middle of your aperture.
What Discs Are Available?
Wobbulator lumia discs come in a variety of patterns, which in turn produce a variety of effects when lasers are shined through them. The discs are cut from different types of textured glass and have their edges sanded for safety. Being glass, they will break if dropped. We also offer a plastic disc with melted-in bubbles; this is fairly durable, but may be affected if used with lasers above 10Watts. We advise always testing the bubble disc with a lower power of your lasers, ramping up to make sure they don’t let the magic smoke out. We are working on a diffraction grating disc as well.
There are will be several discs available optionally, designated by labels. Disc A is the most popular, giving the widest possible lumia pattern. Other discs have variations which range from subtle to dramatic. The discs with the least amount of texture are best for scan-through effects.
Examples of this are to be found on the gallery page:
Click here to view different disc effects.
For classic lumia, use Disc A and hit it with several beams of various colors. We recommend that you don’t set up a white beam and use that for lumia – you end up with three identical patterns in three colors spaced a short distance apart. Not very interesting. Also experiment with the disc stationary, but moving the beams with your software.
What Kind of Motor and Speed Controller is involved?
The motor is a DC gear motor, rated for 12VDC. This produces lumia that is rather fast out of the box, but may be needed for certain circumstances. Each Wobbulator is equipped with a PWM power supply unit (PSU), which can be used to slow down the motor to maximum effect. We recommend running it as slow as possible for lumia — scan-through works best at faster speeds.
You can experiment with different settings to get the effect you want, including frenetic way-too-fast full tilt. Note that the motor sometimes won’t start up properly when it is cold, and the speed is set all the way down – you may need to start higher setting and dial down as the motor is running.
How Do You Attach the Discs?
SAFETY: ALWAYS BLANK THE LASER AND TURN OFF THE MOTOR WHEN CHANGING DISCS!
The discs attach to the motor shaft magnetically. There is a powerful magnet mounted on the shaft and each disc has a steel washer glued to it that clicks into place on the magnet. Make sure you have the washer oriented towards the front (output end) of the Wobbulator so that it clicks into place properly. The label side faces the laser.
Note that the textured side of the disc faces the laser. This is so that any back-reflection is diffracted and you don’t get a flash-back that could damage your projector’s laser diodes.
How Do You Attach the Power Cable?
The black cable is way thicker than needed for electrical purposes, but we chose it to make it more road-worthy. The connector on the Wobbulator has a rubber O-ring to make it more water-resistant. To attach the cable, the inner cylinder needs to mate up with the connector on the Wobbulator – push it in and then twist the outer ring until it locks in place. Tricky the first time, it gets easier once you work with it.
What's With the LED?
The blue LED indicates that the Wobbulator is receiving current from the PSU. Note that it dims when the speed is reduced.
How do You Remove a Disc?
SAFETY: ALWAYS BLANK THE LASER AND TURN OFF THE MOTOR WHEN CHANGING DISCS!
IMPORTANT: when removing discs, push down on one side of the disc to disengage the magnet, then push down the other to remove from the magnetic field completely. You can then slide out the disc and replace it with another. If you try to push both sides of the disc at once, you run the risk of pulling the magnet off of the motor shaft. It is glued securely in place, but excessive force could pull it off.
What is the Warranty?
The warranty is one year. If your unit breaks, contact your vendor and he or she will arrange for a prompt fix.
How Do I Contact You? Instructions are on our website at www.wobbsite.com/contact.html.
Mike Gould
1/26/19