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We intend to purchase an overhead projector, either new or second hand. Are there any features we should be aware of? Kerry Wright Print Wright Australia
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Posts: 119 | From: Gladstone, Queensland, Australia | Registered: May 1999
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One thing I would be sure to research, is the price of replacement bulbs. Most projector bulbs have a rather short life, and some of them are extremely expensive and hard to find.
Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon signs@grantspass.com
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Posts: 916 | From: Grants Pass, OR USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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I bought mine from an office supply in Chicago and it has some interesting features for an inexpensive projector. The top is hinged and the lense/mirror assembly comes off and fits to mounts inside the cabinet. This makes it easy to transport if you ever need to do that. In addition, there are mountings inside to hold two lamps, with a switch on the front of the cabinet that toggles them. If you make sure there's always a lamp in both holders, you don't even have to stop working when one burns out. Lamps are about twenty dollars U.S., as I recall.
Even if you end up with something cheap, it sure beats working with an opaque projector. I spent many years working in the dark with a fuzzy image till I realized I didn't have to. I retired my old Artograph and never turned it on again. It helps to have a plain paper copier for making transparencies. Or put vinyl lettering on clear acetate and project it, or, with 3M's vinyl that has the clear backing, just cut/weed/project.
Tip: for super sharp lines on clear transparencies, scribe them with a pin point or the tip of a knife blade. Such a scratch will project as a fine black line using an overhead projector.
Brad in Arkansas
------------------ Brad Ferguson 4782 West Highway 22 Paris AR 72855 501-963-2642 signbrad@cswnet.com
Posts: 1230 | From: Kansas City, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Hi Kerry, Ive only owned one overhead projector in my life and don't have much input regarding feature comparisons. My experience is there are two main types - those with the light under the glass and those with the light above, shining down on a reflective "frensel" lens which bounces the image back up and through the optic. The one I owned was the later and it worked fantastic. We even used it once to project a 12'x 20' mural onto an outdoor wall one night while we scrambled around sketching out with charcoal to paint the next morning.
I don't have it anymore but remember one important thing to keep in mind...ya gotta have a transparency for it to work. We had a copy machine that would make transparencies from our plotted line drawings. Without that copy machine it would have been very difficult. I also don't have a copy machine now but have an inkjet printer that could make a suitable transparency. Just make sure you have one or the other.
In parting, I was at a closeout warehouse for a major corporation (Polaroid) where 3 of these in working order were for sale for $20 apiece. That's less than the cost of a bulb! Since the bulb is the only working part of these simple devices keep used machines in mind. Heck, I think I'll go back there and get one just in case I need to project another midnight mural some day!
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Thanks for the input. We use a laser for transperencies (screen printing). We convert these to extra black images by putting them into a vapour (mainly hydrocarbons, I think). Works on photocopys too Kerry Wright Print Wright Australia
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Posts: 119 | From: Gladstone, Queensland, Australia | Registered: May 1999
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posted
we have used OHP's for ever it seems, we now have 3 of the suckers....the old one that you have to bang to get it to work got rewired and even though it still works its the back up.... then the one we bought about 8 years ago that has been the main projecter in the shop, constantly covered in dust and over spray and babie rottie (cause he likes to chase the light) is now set aside to the new toy that everyone luvs to use.... bushie told us about his OHP that zooms and doesnt distort over very large images....so we just had to have one!!! now gone are the days of setting the projected on the van roof way up the street to get sumfin big enought on the wall...this thingie is excellent!!!
i would say as your gunna have your OHP for a very long time that you should really think about getting a good one to start with, it really is a one off buy that will save you many frustrating hours
regards gail
------------------ Gail & Dave Those strange Ozies who eat TimTams and Pavlova & have been seen loitering around letterhead meetings since 1996
Insanity is hereditory....you get it from your kids!
Posts: 794 | From: 552 O'Regans Creek Rd Toogoom Qld 4655 Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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