Combining lenses for red dot pointers

[Cad Jones]

ah, see that's a completely different design than the Cloudray design in that youtube video.

[Andrew Parry]

I just designed and 3D printed this =



I works really well, is pretty easy to align and didn't cost a lot.
The cross lines are thin, it's just that the photo has over exposed the red lines making them look fatter.
Changing the Z axis doesn't change where it crosses, which is what you want.

Andy

[Frank Small]

Hi Andy

I like you cross hair set up. I was thinking doing this for the same reason because the Z axis does not affect the alignment. I went to Russ’s light weight head (Mark I) and C system lens tubes. I purchased the laser units some time ago but have not got to making the brackets. I don’t have a 3D printer but I do have a Bridgeport milling machine (someday I may learn how to use it) so I would most likely make it from aluminum or delrin. I’m glad to see it works for you so I guess it should work for me too.

Thank you so much for sharing.

[Gene Uselman]

I thought that I replied to this yesterday but... I have just started using Russ' GaAs lenses [very impressed] and they will not pass visible light so I may rig something like this for obtaining the depth at the back of the bed- left to right is pretty easy, depth is hard to judge four feet back with old eyes.

[Andrew Parry]

Your welcome. I've just bought a Cloudray C series head so I'm likely to be making a new version of this which you might find useful for yours.

Hi Andy

I like you cross hair set up. I was thinking doing this for the same reason because the Z axis does not affect the alignment. I went to Russ’s light weight head (Mark I) and C system lens tubes. I purchased the laser units some time ago but have not got to making the brackets. I don’t have a 3D printer but I do have a Bridgeport milling machine (someday I may learn how to use it) so I would most likely make it from aluminum or delrin. I’m glad to see it works for you so I guess it should work for me too.

Thank you so much for sharing.

[Philipp Pap]

In this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4GfdS4GDqs a led ring after the 1st mirror is used, has anybody tried this method?

[Gene Uselman]

That 'might' give you an approximate place where your beam will hit but not accurate, which is really the advantage to a combining lens. Before I start a burn I pulse a small dot where the head is going to start and I can go back to it with high confidence if [when] things do not work out.

[Domenico Dagostino]

I will order this unit from Cloudray

https://it.aliexpress.com/item/10050031 ... vflzp&mp=1

It is a separate unit from mirror mount and it can be mounted without touching the mirrors or the tube.
Have a look, this can be interesting for you

PS. I designed and 3d printed a model before purchasing and I discovered that I don't have enough space to mount this unit in the conventional way, so I will 3d print a new mounting plate. Nothing fancy, this unit has many different ways to be mounted in my opinion.

[Eric Fletcher]

I just designed and 3D printed this =



I works really well, is pretty easy to align and didn't cost a lot.
The cross lines are thin, it's just that the photo has over exposed the red lines making them look fatter.
Changing the Z axis doesn't change where it crosses, which is what you want.

Andy

would you have that STL file to share?


Thanks

Eric