Photos Made Using Barndoor III

David Cortner

 



October 23:

Clouds returned to the sky, so I returned to the shop. There wasn't much to do for the barndoor except some cosmetic touches. I wanted to get rid of most of the original surface on the scrap aluminum, replacing nicks, sleeks, scratches, markings, etc with an even, satin finish. I took it apart to get at most of the surfaces, but refrained from removing the side blocks because they define where the axle is with respect to the drive bolt, and I'm not sure how much luck is involved in the superb tracking I've been getting from this device. There is, intentionally, some slack in where these side pieces mount, because I expected to have to adjust it some to get this kind of performance. Anyway, I took it 90% apart and buffed all the surfaces I could reach with an orbital sander to produce the satin finish you see below.

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity, thus sayeth the Preacher.

Yeah, maybe, but doesn't it look sharp?

 

satin

Do click to look closer!

Canon 430EX strobe bounced off the photographer's blue cambray shirt,
triggered wtih an ST-E2 wireless transmitter on the 50D.
Well, somebody might want to know.

 

A couple of 7AH gel cells to power this and the G11 should be delivered Monday. Also solar cell maintainers for the batteries. Then I'll figure out what and how to pack and carry the various pieces so I can have this kit available just about anytime, anywhere.

October 30:

The gel cells look great! One arrived fully charged, the other showing only 10.2 volts. The batteries and solar cells arrived together. I hooked one up to the discharged battery and after a couple of days of decent daylight, that battery is now showing, uhm, 10.2 volts. I think I need a lot more solar cell than this to charge these batteries in anything like reasonable time. 1.8 watts at 12v is about 150 mA, and I really need closer to 700mA to recharge a 7AH cell. The selection of those particular cells may not be the high point of my engineering career. I left one hooked to my mother's car, where it is unlikely to do any good. Maybe if I hooked them both up to a telescope battery, the results would be happier. Still weak. But better.