Red Cellophane, Where?

[solissydney]

I have just about given up trying to locate a piece (350 by 200 mm) of red, or any dark coloured smooth cellophane for my laptop screen. If you know what I referring to you will not mention News Agents or Super Markets, nor suggest how to dim the screen, please.
Where to get some? Will pay 1 million dollars for the right size!
Ken

[Omaroo]

Ken - it's rubylith that you're after:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rubylith-Redfilm-Mask-Astronomy-Night-Vision-14x20-/140458206542#ht_3230wt_1180

or here:

http://www.artmartaust.com.au/ruby.html

[traveller]

Hi Ken, you can also try some arts suppliers, like Riot. They have them but are very flimsy.
Bo

[erick]

In that case!! Go and visit you local sign maker. They will have various red perspex. Pick the darkest one they have, then get them to cut to size and bend the top so it hangs nice and snug over your laptop screen. Easy to use, robust, no fuss. I keep mine in a bubble wrap sleeve when not in use. But expect to pay $50-70 for the work they have to do.

Some quick photos of the one on my small netbook. Screen is at full brightness for the picture. At night I have it at very low brightness.

[solissydney]

Thanks a lot Chris, and others.
Sorry it was not the "right" size
Ken

[bmitchell82]

I had a piece of red perspex cut for me it set me back 40 fun tokens for both me and my friends lappy. :) that was 3 years ago. As for celephane, it wrinkes and is a pain in the click click to see properly.

[Dennis]

Another option is red theatre filter material available from theatre lighting shops. It is tough yet flexible and costs around $20 for 1/2metre x 1 meter so you can make several. It does not tear easily although rough handling may wrinkle the surface although it does not scratch as easily as Perspex sheet.

The main requirement would be to make a frame as it is floppy material.

Cheers

Dennis

[solissydney]

Brenda, not the cellophane I have used, and is still using for my other laptop.
It is wrinkle-free and thicker than what one can buy say from Newsagents.
It was given to me by a friend several years ago, don't know where he got it.
Ken

[Omaroo]

Right size?

Rubylith comes in rolls 14" x 20" - or 355 x 508mm, enough to give you two sheets at the size you're after.

You don't need any frames or anything - you just cut it to fit your screen precisely (cut to dimensions that are JUST inside your LCD screen's casing) and it just sits there - flat against the LCD. You certainly don't need perspex.

[troypiggo]

I got some red gel from a local theatre supply store. Plenty left over, I can send some to you if you PM me your address. It's plenty dark red, durable, smooth and stiffer than cellophane. It can also take the heat from theatre lights, so should be fine on monitor.

[solissydney]

I saved 1 million dollars because I decided it was not the "right" size.
Chris, that must be the material I use on my other laptop screen.
It just sits there, with a little help from Blue Tack in each corner.
Ken

[[1ponders]]

I buy supplies off these guys nearly every year I go to astrofest. Great to deal with f2f. http://www.fifalite.com/content.php?pg=home They should happily mail you some. I buy the A3 sheets, less than $10/sheet of red spotlight gel. Really rugged and robust.

[solissydney]

Thank you all for your informative comments.
I placed an order for a sheet early in the piece over the Internet.

ken