Opening up the illusion To an extent, iris diaphragms are a clever trick in themselves. Without knowing how they work, one might imagine there’s something quite magical about how they open and close in such a mesmerizing manner. So when a magician approached seeking help creating a new magic trick, it was an intriguing prospect […]
Brick dome iris
Occasionally an email will arrive from a subscriber who’s project is complete, and their need for the Iris Calculator has come to a natural end. I’m always pleased to hear how the Iris Calculator has helped drive their iris design, and it’s always a joy to see their creations in action. Way back in 2016 […]
Testing iris diaphragms
It’s rare to encounter a problem with an iris, but if there’s going to be a failure anywhere, it’s usually a pin breaking or jamming. The latter causing the leaf to scrunch up, taking a neighbour or two with it.
All products have an expected lifespan, and irises are no different. So how many aperture cycles could an iris endure during it’s entire life? This is an answer I’m curious to find out…
5 steps to making Steampunk goggles mechanical iris
Here’s a short video demonstrating 5 steps to making Steampunk goggles mechanical iris diaphragm. Once you’ve 3D printed the parts it’s relatively straight forward to put together.
Mechanical Iris Greetings Card
8×10″ card, incorporating a 5 blade iris mechanism with a 3.5″ aperture, made of reflective card stock.
Opening the aperture reveals your message.
Message can be easily replaced, and the card used again.
Canada Day iris
I decided to do something today that I have been wanting to do for a long time; which is to stencil an image on the blades of an iris. This, I figured, has no real practical use – perhaps a new Iris Calculator business card – but none-the-less it would be an interesting effect to see. And as it’s Canada day today, what better image to use than the Canadian flag!
An introduction to the Iris Diaphragm
Have you ever encountered an iris diaphragm? What is an iris diaphragm? Perhaps you have always wondered how they work, or even wanted to make your own?
