Flexmount and mirror gluing/aligning question.

[infredible]

Hi all,

I'm about to replace the flexmount holding the dicros and steering mirror in my projector.
What is the proper phisical way to glue the glass onto the flexmount so that the alignment is good enough within the tolerance of the flexmount screws.
Do you use a rig?
I was thinking on using my 3rd hand from RadioShack to hold the mirror from the top already in position in the projector while having the flexmount approximately screwed in position too. Is this the proper way or is there any other technics?Curious and want to learn.
Thanks.

Fred.

[KANG]

Perhaps this may be of help to you.

http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...p/t-20378.html

I personally like the 3 axis mounts that stanwax provides http://shop.stanwaxlaser.co.uk/3-axi...ptics-30-p.asp they are much easier for assembly in my opinion. But I guess it depends on what your intent is to do with the lasers (i.e. if you are working in a small space/creating a module, or you are more of a minimalist haha)

[infredible]

Thanks Kang.
I'm using the brass micro mounts as pictured.
In previous attempt I ended up having the mirror glued un-square and I couldn't steer the beam back to my scanner because of that. I hoped that some experienced people here had any advice on doing it right the first time.

Fred.

[lightlinked]

CA ( cyanoacrylate ) or Epoxy?

CA bonds very quickly when done right. With thin CA, usually a tight fit will have the capillary action spread the glue around the bond surfaces so that the joint (two very flat planes) will cure within 10 seconds. If you dump too much on there it will haze your optic but then again that is doing it wrong.

[-bart-]

Never use cyano-pestilence, it will out-gas on optics.

It is crucial to have as little glue between the metal and glass as possible, otherwise temperature-drift will result in angular-drift.

- Briefly sand the brass surface. gritt 500.
- if you have first contact, protect coated side of the optic before handling, otherwise use (finger)gloves.
- make sure no glue creeps in the screw-hole, otherwise you may crack the glue when setting the screw.
- Identify the coated side of the optic, check twice.
- When using the 45 deg face of the mount, identify the right face, check twice.
- I use a ball-vise to position the face of the mount i want to glue horizontally, so the glue won't run off.
- Apply tiny drop of uv-curing epoxy.
- use these kind of micro-clamps to clamp the glass against the metal.
- set the mirror absolutely square in respect the the baseplate with a micro square, with the mount in un-flexed condition
- use 405nm laser pointer or UV power-led to cure the epoxy.

[infredible]

Thanks Bart,
I've noticed some significant thermal drift because of too much epoxy. My red takes ~30 minutes to settle to the right steering.
I guess there's no definitive solution, apart for what glue to use or not. I will try my first solution since I have a bunch of mirrors that I can scrap if damaged.
Bart, I have the same exact plastic clamps but they tend to slip if not properly positioned.
I'll let you know of my results...

Fred.