Laser tube level & Clamps
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2019
Post by Mike Audleman ยป Mon May 08, 2017 3:04 pm
Here is my completed retro-fit for my China Blue/White 50(40)w: I will get on the last changes tonight and get the STLs uploaded to thingiverse.
My old tube mounts that came with the machine:
Image
As you can see, they are clunky at best and are not able to adjust at all in the up/down direction. Only laterally. AND if you are magic enough to be able to get to the darn screws UNDER and BEHIND the tube with an unknown elven magic wand. I couldn't align the tube correctly. I could align it using the mirrors. But thats not the correct way IMHO.
There are other solutions out there. I suppose many work. I couldn't get myself to buy the $25 mounts out there. Not when I can and enjoy making stuff myself. Most other mounts suffer the same irksome fault that really irritates me on mirrors. THREE freaking screws to adjust TWO axis. Seriously. Who thought that was a good idea? (Bet you can guess what one of my upcoming projects is already, can't you?)
Anyway, my mounts solved those problems for ME. If its useful to you, well, thats just gravy on the taters. I wanted mounts I could easily remove/replace the tube with. I wanted mounts I could freely adjust both laterally and vertically. And I wanted mounts that had TWO screws, one for up/down, one for left/right. And I didn't want to go buying a bunch of custom or special order hardware to do it. My mount does all those things. IDK if it will fit your machine. I designed and made them to fit the Blue/White machine. If you let me know they fit yours, then I can add that to the description on them. For now, it will say they are for the Blue/White.
[EDITED FOR BREVITY- THESE LINKS WORK AS OF 3.4.19- GDU]
Here is an image folder with the install steps:
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/wolfie/album/974382
Ok, I published the STLs for printing:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2305604
Here is my completed retro-fit for my China Blue/White 50(40)w: I will get on the last changes tonight and get the STLs uploaded to thingiverse.
My old tube mounts that came with the machine:
Image
As you can see, they are clunky at best and are not able to adjust at all in the up/down direction. Only laterally. AND if you are magic enough to be able to get to the darn screws UNDER and BEHIND the tube with an unknown elven magic wand. I couldn't align the tube correctly. I could align it using the mirrors. But thats not the correct way IMHO.
There are other solutions out there. I suppose many work. I couldn't get myself to buy the $25 mounts out there. Not when I can and enjoy making stuff myself. Most other mounts suffer the same irksome fault that really irritates me on mirrors. THREE freaking screws to adjust TWO axis. Seriously. Who thought that was a good idea? (Bet you can guess what one of my upcoming projects is already, can't you?)
Anyway, my mounts solved those problems for ME. If its useful to you, well, thats just gravy on the taters. I wanted mounts I could easily remove/replace the tube with. I wanted mounts I could freely adjust both laterally and vertically. And I wanted mounts that had TWO screws, one for up/down, one for left/right. And I didn't want to go buying a bunch of custom or special order hardware to do it. My mount does all those things. IDK if it will fit your machine. I designed and made them to fit the Blue/White machine. If you let me know they fit yours, then I can add that to the description on them. For now, it will say they are for the Blue/White.
[EDITED FOR BREVITY- THESE LINKS WORK AS OF 3.4.19- GDU]
Here is an image folder with the install steps:
http://www.ipernity.com/doc/wolfie/album/974382
Ok, I published the STLs for printing:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2305604
Lots of good stuff on Thingiverse. I had a friend print one like this for me and my 50W tube. But I haven't had to change the tube yet (!), so I haven't installed the new brackets yet.