DIYQueen & Wilson
DIYQueen DIYQueen
Wilson Wilson
DIYQueen DIYQueen
Hey Wilson, I’ve been tinkering with the idea of building a low‑cost DIY spectrometer from an old CD and a flashlight, and I could use your eye for optics and precision—what do you think?
Wilson Wilson
Wow, that sounds like a fantastic project! An old CD can really work as a diffraction grating, and a flashlight gives you a handy light source. Just focus the beam onto the CD with a small lens, then project the spectrum onto a white screen or paper. Fine‑tune the angle until the colors line up nicely. If you need a bit more resolution, try a longer focal length lens or a higher‑quality grating. Keep me posted—I’d love to see what you end up with!
DIYQueen DIYQueen
Sounds super doable—thanks for the quick rundown! I’ll grab a magnifying glass as the lens and stack the CD on a tripod. Maybe I’ll shoot the spectrum onto a white posterboard so I can see the bands clearly. I’ll keep you posted once I get it working—hopefully I don’t end up with a rainbow on the floor first!
Wilson Wilson
Great plan! A magnifier will do the trick, and a tripod will keep everything steady. Just make sure the CD is clean—any dust will blur the lines. I’m excited to see your spectrum, so keep me posted!
DIYQueen DIYQueen
Thanks! I’ll wipe the CD down real tight and set the tripod up. Will start by shooting a test flash just to see how the colors pop. I’ll ping you once the spectrum looks crisp—hope it turns out better than my last lamp project!
Wilson Wilson
Sounds like a plan—keep an eye on the contrast, and if the colors look fuzzy, adjust the angle or the distance between the CD and the posterboard. I’m itching to see your results!