Paper Magic Lantern - 2. In Focus - A Ruler Stand and Lens Holder

A clear projected image is an important aspect of the magic lantern.  One lens produces a good image but two lenses produces a clear, sharp image. This ruler stand and two lens holders will help explore the distance needed between two lenses that will produce the clearest image. The slice form ruler is ten inches long.  The increments between each slice is one inch.

Slice form ruler stand and two lens holders

I used 65 lb cardstock but the slits in the slice forms will accommodate coverstock which is a heavier paper.

Here is the PDF.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OMdgaxAEW0eXNThS1NxTPaJ6Nuqbn8dr/view?usp=sharing

Here is the .Studio file.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ID_KJZNJGBtl0heR6oX_fYW36Ctyxpmt/view?usp=sharing

 Four lens holder pieces

 Put glue on the tabs as shown. Do not put glue anywhere else at this time. Place another lens holder piece on top and allow the glue to dry. 

 Repeat to make two lens holder assemblies.

 When the glue is dry, put your finger into the sandwiched layers to make a groove for your lens to sit in.

 Place the lens in the assembly.

 Put little dots of glue around the lens.  Make sure that you do not get any glue on the lens.

Match up the edges of the paper to make the glue adhere.  Make sure that you apply pressure evenly on both sides of the paper so that the paper is evenly distributed on both sides of the lens. The weight needs to be evenly distributed so that the lens will stand upright when placed in the ruler stand.

Glue another slice of the base to either side of each lens assembly.  This will give the lens assembly more weight in the base to compensate for the weight of the lens on top. 

Make sure that the bottom edges meet up evenly when applying pressure for the glue to adhere. The lens assembly is now complete.

 Make the ruler stand by sliding the ruler stand piece into the narrowest strip. Leave everything flat on the table and slide each ruler stand piece into place.

 Flip the assembly upright carefully.

 Slide the two remaining long strips onto either side. 

The slice form ruler stand is now complete.

Mini Maglite, Lifegear Flashlight and Maglite

When using a flashlight for this experiment, I used two Maglites and a Lifegear flashlight/lantern. I discovered that the smallest Maglite did not generate enough illumination to display the projected image. With some research I discovered that the Mini Mag started out with 20 lumens on fresh alkaline batteries and dropped to about 10 lumens after an hour. 

 Mini Maglite

Projected Image with Mini Maglite

 Maglite

Projected Image with Maglite. The larger Maglite has a range of 49 lumens with fresh batteries. 

 LifeGear Flashlight/Lantern

Projected image with LifeGear Flashlight Lantern

While the larger Maglite did work, the best projected image was the LifeGear flashlight with 100 lumens on fresh batteries. In conclusion, the lumens of a flashlight does matter when doing this experiment.  I purchased the LifeGear Flashlight/Lantern at Target for $10.99.  While you do not have to purchase the same flashlight, make sure that the lumens are high enough to get a good projected image and that you are using fresh batteries.

  

The users of the first Magic Lantern experienced the same problems with illumination.  They used candles, whale oil and kerosene lanterns. The brightness of the light was not enough to fill an auditorium and the magic lantern was limited to viewings in small spaces.  In the 1800's, they discovered that heating a cylinder of lime (calcium oxide) with a hydrogen and oxygen mixture created an intensely bright white light that could illuminate an entire auditorium. However there was a cost to this form of light.  It was very volatile and could cause fires. As a side note, the term "in the limelight" came from the use of this light source.  The term means that someone is the center of attention.

Eventually, the invention of electricity and the light bulb enabled the magic lantern to be used safely in large venues and elaborate performances ensued.