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Thread: laser

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Claypool Indiana
    Posts
    304

    Default laser

    Sure wish someone could come up with a way to install a point laser on the scanning probe I have a hard time seeing where I want to start and end I have to keep lowering the truck 3 or 4 times before I get it set at the right place so I don't waste scanning space and time any way just a thought,
    Bill
    http://william.bowen.com/:)
    ("There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
    - Herbert Spencer )

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Brunswick, GA
    Posts
    8,123

    Default

    That's a very good idea, Bill.

    In the meantime...

    You may already be doing this... you can use a small carpenters square to pencil in a rectangle around your object on the sled. Makes it easier to aim the probe onto the visible corners, and you can draw the rectangle "tight" around the object so that you don't scan needless empty space.

    I'm sure it won't be long before someone figures out a way to attach a tiny laser pointer to the truck to do just what you suggested.
    Michael T
    Happy Carving!


    ═══ Links to Patterns & Resources for CompuCarve™ & CarveWright™ ═══

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Fort Madison, IA
    Posts
    51

    Default Duct Tape

    Just tape one on to the front of the carriage. You'll have an offset between the pointer and probe but it'll be constant so you can adjust for it.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Claypool Indiana
    Posts
    304

    Smile laser

    My problem is I only have sight with my left eye its hard to line up the point of the probe with the dot I put on the board .I have been using a line laser and although it works it still is not as accurate as I would like.
    Bill
    http://william.bowen.com/:)
    ("There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
    - Herbert Spencer )

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Palo Alto, CA
    Posts
    110

    Default Here's a simple laser I cobbled together...

    Start with a 1/2" bit adapter. These are readily available at Sears or Orchard Supply Hardware - retail or on-line. You can't use the quick-release chucks from Sears but you can use the adapters, so this is totally cool with CW.

    Then find yourself a little key-chain laser pointer. The very thinnest ones are ALMOST small enough for a 1/4" adapter (but not quite). The fattest ones of the key-chain class fit within a 1/2" adapter, but leave enough slack to fall right through. If you find one that is pretty close to the interior diameter of the 1/2" addapter, you COULD make up the difference with a couple of successive layers of electrical tape or some similar "fattener". I thought about doing this, but the neurotic in me suspected that I would not be able to apply the tape evenly (i.e. without overlap or large gaps) and that this unevenness would tend to push the laser out of center within the adapter. (I know, I'm very fussy and there's no guarantee that the laster within the housing is mounted parallel or centered within the case or anything, but I can't help fussing over things of this sort.) So, after buying a sampling of small keychain lasers (which my cats love anyway), I found one that was just a little under .39" in diameter. I've included a picture below of my final choice.

    Why is .39" good? Because I also found a department at Orchard Supply that had strange spacers of various kinds, used in building and/or adapting cabinetry. There's a picture of the kiosk within the store that has all this stuff (in case you have OSH in your area and you want to follow precisely in my footsteps) in the attachments. I've also included a picture of the category within the kiosk and a picture (albeit blurry and mostly useless) of the product itself. What can I say? I was in OSH today and had my cel phone after having read the post to which I'm replying. The characteristics of this little spacer tube is that it is 1/2" in outer diameter (that's to fit in the 1/2" adapter), .375" in inner diameter (that's to fit snugly around the .39" laser) and 5/8" in height (which is tall enough to secure it properly within the adapter. You can see all the pictures below, but I'm afraid I can't quite make out product no.'s etc.

    Anyway, you can figure the rest is obvious. Remove the key-chain and the pocket-clip from the laser (they always have them, but they're cheap and easy to remove), and force it in the snug little tube. I found I had to remove the battery cap at the back. Here's a bonus: All these little lasers have buttons that have to be held to keep the laser on. Once the little laser is in, it slides fairly easily (but not too easily) up and down within the tube, which is made of nylong. If you slide it right to the point where button is about to enter the tube, you can store it that way. When you want it persistently on, you just slide it up a little higher, such that the rounded top of the little button causes itself to depress as it slides partway into the tube and it stays on. To turn off, just slide a little downward. Slick, huh? Put the laser with half-inch tube into a half-inch adapter and screw tight. Done. Now you have a laser pointer that mounts into the chuck and shines down onto the board in a way that closely approximates the point where the bit will hit. Warning: I say "approximates" because the diameter of the beam on a cheap laser pointer is greater than 1/8" and not really round (due to poor optics). Also, all that stuff I said about not knowing if the laser assembly is centered within the casing or mounted fully parallel with the casing is still true. Thus, this tool is only useful for getting a ball-park measure of the bit's actual touch-down point. If you need high-accuracy, I have other strategies that are more in the nature of surveying tricks, but for the person who posted this request, my little hacked-together laser-bit is probably just the thing. I've included pictures of the final gizmo along with all the attempts to help you find the spacer thing. Remember, this was just my hack. Various thicknesses of 1/2" tubings could be used to adapt your favorite key-chain laser, but I thought making it concrete would give you a place to start trying to build your own.

    Good Luck,
    cycollins

    Pictures to help you find the spacer I used at OSH (or maybe even other hardware stores/chains in your area) Looks like the company name of the product line is "Servalite". Oh, look! They have a web-site (who knew?). http://www.servalite.com There is contact information on the site, giving a number to call to locate a retailer that uses their products. But remember, most people on this site are handier than I am, so I'm sure you can come up with as good or better spacers. Also included is a picture of my laser pointer, before removing the clip and key-chain. These are little cheap things without brand names (or with meaningless spray-on brand names). There are smaller ones, but this one was the brightest and best and fit nicely in the spacer. I found this one at Fry's electronics - a chain in California (and Texas, I hear now). I suspect this model can be found at surplus electronics, hobby or even dollar stores. Oddly enough, I couldn't find this model online, but that's probably because it's a no-name dime-a-dozen gizmo. I don't have the packaging any more or I'd have included that. OK. 'nuf said.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails pointer.jpg   final.jpg   section.jpg   kiosk.jpg  

    spacer.jpg  
    Last edited by cycollins; 04-20-2008 at 12:46 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Claypool Indiana
    Posts
    304

    Smile thanks Cy

    That really is a neat way to pinpoint a scan . I'll try to put it together.
    Thanks again..Bill
    http://william.bowen.com/:)
    ("There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
    - Herbert Spencer )

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