CManinLa

Being new to the forum, I have been browsing many threads & have developed an interest freehand routing. Seems that a good way to trace outlines to stock is by using an opaque projector. Searching the internet I found 2 models, Autograph Tracer (~69.00) & Gagne "The Projector" (~47.00-67.00). Both use regular light bulbs.

Does anyone have any experiences with either of these projectors or can recommend any others. As with most things starting out, would like to keep cost to a minumum.

CMan

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Mike

Odds are most designs you will want to free hand rout would be small enough to print out and use carbon paper with. Since most printers can resize an image to fit multiple pages you are not limited to 8-1/2" x 11". This is by far the least expensive method to use.
You might try looking on Amazon for a projector, craigslist and ebay are other good places to find deals on about anything. I would use "overhead projector in the search engines.

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Mike
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eagle

Be careful in looking for your projector.....there is a difference in overhead projectors and opaque projectors
.....just my 2 cents worth

CManinLa

From my high school days.....many many years ago, I seem to remember an 'overhead projector' required tranparencies. Where an "opaque projector" displays the actual picture. That's why I assumed I would be looking for an opaque projector.

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DeWalt D55141FNBN Compressor

bobj3

Hi CMan

Just a tip,, I have seen them in GoodWill stores and 2nd had stores,,both types at a great prices.....under 20.oo bucks the norm....

The ones that I see most of the is the one you will see in the magazine adds that projectors the image on wall,,, with little black box on the top of the machine..

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Bob J.

Drugstore Cowboy

You are exactly right --

That's why it is called an opaque projector - it shines a bright light onto opaque (ie - not transparent) items whether pictures or actual 3-D objects --
The light reflected by these objects is bounced off a mirror and out through a lens. The large metal ones you are remembering from High School and their modern cousins can go for hundreds of dollars.
But you can get small plastic ones in art and craft shops - -even in toy stores for about 1/10th of that.

Overhead projectors shine a light through a transparency on and through a lenses and a mirror on a shaft configured to project 'over the head' of the speaker.

Both have been largely replaced in schools these days by digital cameras and projectors so you can sometimes find some pretty good prices on used euipment at surplus sales.