Older Letus Flip Question from another forum at DVinfo.net

Bob Hart · October 9th, 2008, 10:20 PM

I received a query from an owner on YouTube relating to the Letus how-to I had published there.

It is reproduced below for, maybe a benefit to other users but also in the hope, others will correct any errors I have made in my response.

QUOTE:

Re: letus flip
Hello from Western Australia.

Q.

I accidentley opened my letus to clean ot and it now makes a wierd ghosting or double effect do you have any drawings or how the mirrors go in the prism thanks

A.

I can only guess here.

Here's a few questions to clarify my thoughts before I can give you a better answer.

Is your flip enclosure the black plastic one with mirrors in it?

When you separated the two halves, did two long mirrors which face forward and backward and which are glued onto the two halves, hold on tight and it was hard to pull the halves apart?

Did one of these mirrors get broken or cracked?

Did you replace any cracked or broken mirrors with new pieces cut by a local glazier or mirror glass cutter?

If no mirrors were cracked, did you have trouble getting the two halves completely back together by hand before you tightened the screws?

When you tightened the screws, was there a hard point in the tighteniing, then a click and then the screws tightened more easily to final tension?

If there was, a mirror may have hung on the case and come under pressure, bent and cracked as you tightened down on the screws. I think this will give you ghost images in the vertical direction only.

If there was a cracked mirror and you had a new one cut locally, it is most likely this mirror is not front-surface coated but rear-surface coated.

Rear-coated mirrors create the ghost image you refer to because there are several internal reflections between the front and rear surfaces through the thickness of the mirror glass. Front-surface coated mirrors do not do this.

If all your mirrors are not broken and you are getting a ghosting effect with a half or more of dark edge, the mirrors may not be sitting correctly inside the enclosure.

Those little grooves cut in the casework for the ends of the forward and backwards facing mirrors are critical. If the rear faces of those mirrors are not sitting against the plastic squarely, then the alignment will be off.

It does not take much to put it off. A small piece of old hard glue under a mirror would be enough.

The side-facing mirrors might also be out of position if you disturbed and reglued either of those. It seems the original assembly method might have been to initially secure each with adhesive into one half-case only.

If you tried to glue those mirrors by using a slower setting adhesive and tried to re-assemble the case before the glue set, one or both may have moved slightly.

If you can reply to the questions this will help get closer to a solution for you.

Regards.

October 9th, 2008, 10:20 PM	#1
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,477	Older Letus Flip Question from another forum I received a query from an owner on YouTube relating to the Letus how-to I had published there. It is reproduced below for, maybe a benefit to other users but also in the hope, others will correct any errors I have made in my response. QUOTE: Re: letus flip Hello from Western Australia. Q. I accidentley opened my letus to clean ot and it now makes a wierd ghosting or double effect do you have any drawings or how the mirrors go in the prism thanks A. I can only guess here. Here's a few questions to clarify my thoughts before I can give you a better answer. Is your flip enclosure the black plastic one with mirrors in it? When you separated the two halves, did two long mirrors which face forward and backward and which are glued onto the two halves, hold on tight and it was hard to pull the halves apart? Did one of these mirrors get broken or cracked? Did you replace any cracked or broken mirrors with new pieces cut by a local glazier or mirror glass cutter? If no mirrors were cracked, did you have trouble getting the two halves completely back together by hand before you tightened the screws? When you tightened the screws, was there a hard point in the tighteniing, then a click and then the screws tightened more easily to final tension? If there was, a mirror may have hung on the case and come under pressure, bent and cracked as you tightened down on the screws. I think this will give you ghost images in the vertical direction only. If there was a cracked mirror and you had a new one cut locally, it is most likely this mirror is not front-surface coated but rear-surface coated. Rear-coated mirrors create the ghost image you refer to because there are several internal reflections between the front and rear surfaces through the thickness of the mirror glass. Front-surface coated mirrors do not do this. If all your mirrors are not broken and you are getting a ghosting effect with a half or more of dark edge, the mirrors may not be sitting correctly inside the enclosure. Those little grooves cut in the casework for the ends of the forward and backwards facing mirrors are critical. If the rear faces of those mirrors are not sitting against the plastic squarely, then the alignment will be off. It does not take much to put it off. A small piece of old hard glue under a mirror would be enough. The side-facing mirrors might also be out of position if you disturbed and reglued either of those. It seems the original assembly method might have been to initially secure each with adhesive into one half-case only. If you tried to glue those mirrors by using a slower setting adhesive and tried to re-assemble the case before the glue set, one or both may have moved slightly. If you can reply to the questions this will help get closer to a solution for you. Regards.