My Built Begins

[sugeek]

https://www.ctlasers.com/purchases/brackets-p-61.html

But the home depot method will get you rocking today, rather than next week.

-Adam

[gilv_58]

I have another nub question. I have been planing on how to install align the laser, mirror and galvos all day. I though I may wish to make the laser beam visible while doing so. SO here is the question specially when I read about sealing the projector case, positive air pressure inside the case, and keeping stuff off the mirrors.

Is it ok to run a smoke machine with the case filly opened while trying to alling things?

Do I need to clean things after I do so?

[ElektroFreak]

My own personal advice to you is to cut a piece of plywood that is the same size as your aluminum plate. Align everything on this plywood and drill and bolt it down. Then remove everything from the plywood and use the wood as a drilling template for your aluminum plate. It can be tedious, but it works well.

I wouldn't worry about the smoke machine too much.. it shouldn't gunk things up too much in the time it takes you to align, not to mention the fact that even if you close the case and filter your fans, particles are still going to get in there and muck up your optics. Throughout the life of the projector you will need to clean the optics periodically, so don't let that idea worry you. Just be gentle, use good q-tips and >90% isopropyl alcohol or methanol and you'll be just fine cleaning your galvo mirrors, etc.

[CRFultz]

Gil I made some that will work for ya but they might be a tad to tall. I will be doing some machine work this weekend. If you give me the exact dims, I will machine a couple for ya. let me know.

Chuck

[gilv_58]

Chuck

Nice work!!!!! Those angles look great. What are you asking for them?

My mirror ultramount is 1 3/8" tall with the center of the hole for the mounting screw some 0.65" from the bottom.

Right now if I shine the laser beam straight to the galvo mirrors it hits some 0.08" low. I know I can take care of this with the mirror so I was planning on placing the mirror flat on the table and attaching it to the vertical leg of the "L" angle and placing the horizontal leg of the "L" angle away from the ultramount.

But the galvo block has the mounting screw holes at the bottom. So I am considering putting the galvo block up on a 1/4" plate. I will drill and spot face the bottom of the plate and run the screws up to the galvo block from the bottom. Then screw the plate, with the galvo block attacked to it, on the optics table after I drill and tap it.

The reason I am telling you this is because if I do this I will raise the laser by the same 1/8" which means that the mirror can me rasied by 1/4" or so. So your "L" may just be right height as they are.

I do have limited space and would like the horizontal bar of the "L" not to be much longer than 1" although if its too much work to make new ones I can live with the "L" angel sticking out of the optics table.

Let me know so I can get you the funds today or tomorrow as I want to keep moving on this project.

Thanks. How far are you from San Antonio anyway?

[no-esc]

Gilv,

I just wanted to say thank you for starting your thread on here. You have answered alot of questions I was starting to run into.

So thank you from another first time builder...

v/r

Len

[gilv_58]

Len

Glad this thread is helping. I feel silly asking such basic questions. I try a search first to make sure issues have not been answered. But there are lots to learn.

Thanks for your posts it makes me feel better about asking such basic questions that most people here must take for granted.

Hope you get a camera soon so we can see the progress of your build. I will try to post most milestones although I am gathering quite an album of pics. I may post them all on Flikcr.

I was surprised that there are no systems in this site's galllery.

[Doc]

Gil, they are not silly questions. If you don't ask a question; how are you supposed to find the answer to your query?

Asking questions and sharing knowledge is what seperates us from apes and it's better to ask a thousand "silly" questions than to make a thousand costly or dangerous mistakes

Ian

Len

Glad this thread is helping. I feel silly asking such basic questions. I try a search first to make sure issues have not been answered. But there are lots to learn.

Thanks for your posts it makes me feel better about asking such basic questions than most people here must take for granted.

Hope you get a camera soon so we can see the progress of your build. I will try to post most milestones although I am gathering quite an album of pics. I may post them all on Flikcr.

I was surprised that there are no systems in this site's galllery.

[ElektroFreak]

Definitely not silly. By you asking questions, now a new thread exists that will help others with their builds. More good information isn't ever a bad thing. Plus, you've got to start somewhere..

[CRFultz]

Gil they are 2.5" tall. The bottom of the slot on the Vertical is 1".
The Horz. is 2" but if you cut it in half there is still enough "fork" to mount to. I'm pretty sure the slot was milled for .25 bolt. They are painted with high temp flat black.
Anyway let me know where to send it. There's no reason to charge for it...call it a pay-forward
You said you needed one? That's correct?
Later
Chuck