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Thread: Cheap replacement galvo mirrors for cheap galvos?

  1. #1
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    Default Cheap replacement galvo mirrors for cheap galvos?

    Scored 4 sets of cheap China galvos. Prob 12k - 20k or so. All mirrors are broken off.

    The galvo mirrors have to cost them like $1/ea or something. Anyone know a source for replacements?

    Also what kind of glue can actually hold a galvo mirror on? I can see on one of them they were glued before.

    The galvos have a thin slots in the end of the actuator,

    Not expecting high performance, just hate to see them wasted.

    Any pointers appreciated!!!
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  2. #2
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    ... when experimenting with such cheap Chinese galvos with a CW fiberlaser, I've managed to explode the original 6mm-mirrors with the 3mm-beam at around 4 Watts

    Found some 0,5mm "laser-mirrors" at a tool-store and started to glue bigger mirrors on the galvo axes with 2K-epoxy.

    Did this up to 5 times with even bigger sizes for wider beams -- stopped at around 17mm mirror sizes, as the galvos started to resonate weird ... and wrecked them with maybe 20 Watts in a 8mm beam

    Viktor
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  3. #3
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    Not sure where to buy "cheap" galvos mirrors. I know Pangolin sells mirrors, but those are undoubtedly going to be higher quality (and thus higher priced) mirrors. Maybe check with some of the common Chinese suppliers?

    Regarding how to attach them to the scanners, do *NOT* use superglue (cyanoacrylate). It will out-gas over time and ruin the bearings. Instead, either UV-cure epoxy or just regular old 2-part epoxy will work just fine. I've used JB-quick with good results in the past. You don't need much at all. Just make sure the mirror is centered on the shaft and perfectly parallel.

    Adam

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    ... here an image from the "experiments" with one of the bigger mirrors (one "exploded") ... and two of the original octagonal 6mm-mirrors ...

    Viktor
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20x20-Galvoscanner-Test.jpg  

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  5. #5
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    Ah cool! Yea I'm not trying to do large mirrors or anything. 5mm or less.

    In this case I don't expect to send more than 2 watts thru it. I have DT-40W and PT-40W or whatever the lightspace ones are for the real stuff.
    Modern and Retro laser show hobbyist
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  6. #6
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    ... found the images of the last setup, where I've replaced the galvos with servos (+drivers) to move 45x40x5mm mirrors for higher CW-energies

    Viktor


    *** EDIT ***

    - and here a video of the "beast" in action

    https://vimeo.com/95512748
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails XY-Servo1.jpg  

    XY-Servo2.jpg  

    Stellprobe2.jpg  

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  7. #7
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    There is a seller on Ebay, Laserwinkel, but 24$ a mirror is the cost.

    Starlight Photonics (Kevin Criqui) has 5x5x0.9 on Ebay, enhanced aluminum, but may be 0.3 mm too thick for slotted shafts. However $6.95 is laserist cheap.

    Steve
    Last edited by mixedgas; 10-10-2019 at 12:41.
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