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Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019
by Vicki Lalicker
Hello. I am searching for the tool that is used to remove the retaining ring inside the tube that is holding the lens in place. I cannot loosen it with fingernails as described in some videos. It has two small pinholes in it where some sort of tool apparently fits in to unscrew the ring. Does anybody have a link to this tool? Or any suggestions on how to remove the ring without damaging the lens? I appreciate your feedback.
PS: I have seen the ThinkLaser video where a toolkit was provided with the laser. (Laser Machine Maintenance: Mirrors, Lenses & More (2018)) That is where is saw the 'tool' I am describing. I like the tool to hold the lens also and am searching for that as well.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019
by Josh Creswell
Vicki Lalicker wrote: Sat Apr 20, 2019
Hello. I am searching for the tool that is used to remove the retaining ring inside the tube that is holding the lens in place. I cannot loosen it with fingernails as described in some videos. It has two small pinholes in it where some sort of tool apparently fits in to unscrew the ring. Does anybody have a link to this tool? Or any suggestions on how to remove the ring without damaging the lens? I appreciate your feedback.
PS: I have seen the ThinkLaser video where a toolkit was provided with the laser. (Laser Machine Maintenance: Mirrors, Lenses & More (2018)) That is where is saw the 'tool' I am describing. I like the tool to hold the lens also and am searching for that as well.
Probably not the best thing to use, but I just use a small Phillips head screw driver to do it. You could cut one out of acrylic if ya want to.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019
by Doug Fisher
I bought a pair of needle nose pliers with curved/bent tips from Harbor Freight. The two tips opened just wide enough to fit into the two divots in the ring. Take your tube with you to the store to confirm things before purchasing.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019
by Pete Cyr
I made a tool to remove my lens as shown in the attached pdf. The tool that came with my laser was a flat piece of sheet metal that was the diameter of the barrel. My re-designed tool prevents scratching the lens because the diameter of the tool is only a few mils under the diameter of the barrel and can not contact the lens due to the design.
Boss 1630 lens removal tool.pdf
If you don't have a lathe and mill or a 3D printer you could perhaps make on of these from a piece of electrical conduit or thin wall pipe if you can find some slightly smaller than the diameter of the barrel your lens sits in. A file and some patience is the only tooling you will need.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019
by Gene Uselman
You might look at snap-ring pliers- usually cheap and come with a variety of tips for different holes and angles.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019
by Vicki Lalicker
Thank you, everyone, for your input. I appreciate the assistance. I am very concerned about something sharp getting near the lens, so the idea of something that fits just inside with no chance of touching the lens sounds ideal. Thanks for the pdf and all suggestions.
I'm surprised some sort of specialized tool isn't readily available. Might be a good project for an entrepreneur to design, fabricate and sell (and patent) a tool.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019
by Eric Adams
For what it's worth, my (used machine) came with a putty knife that had blue painter's tape wrapped around the metal blade. The sides of the knife were filed/ground down so the putty knife fit inside the tube. Works very well, and you may already have the knife and tools laying around to fabricate your own.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019
by Gene Uselman
Eric- that works fine for the retainers with slots in them- Vicki's has holes instead of slots. I could develop a design that could be made on the laser if I had all the particulars of the size of the holes and the measurement across them. I have several lens tubes and retainers but they all use the slots.
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019
by Bill Northup
Re: Tool For Removing Lens Retaining Ring
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2021
by Judd Stapleton