Help... Need right angle post clamps.

[Jem]

Hi all

I need to get hold of a couple of right angle post clamps that look like this...

http://search.newport.com/?q=*&x2=sku&q2=CA-1

The problem is I need them for 1 inch diameter posts and the maximum all the usual vendors do is ½".

I've tried Newport, Thorlabs, Edmunds etc and none of them do them for 1" diameter posts.

Any suggestions?, even something similar would be good. Anyone got some spare time and a nice machine shop?

Cheers

Jem

[tocket]

It's odd that they are so hard to find. Is it possible to use 2 C-clamps instead? That would be more like swivel clamp though. Thorlabs has those, but they cost a lot more than a right angle clamp.

Making one shouldn't be that hard though, since it's just a matter of drilling 4 holes in a suitable block of aluminium and tapping 2 of them. Hopefully some member can help you out.

[holokidd]

hi Jem does it have to be the 1 inch diameter rod? this is heavy duty support ! can you use the 1/2 diameter rods for your set-ups? you will end up paying out a lot more for your support system by using the 1 inch system?

[Jem]

hi Jem does it have to be the 1 inch diameter rod? this is heavy duty support ! can you use the 1/2 diameter rods for your set-ups? you will end up paying out a lot more for your support system by using the 1 inch system?

Hi Dave

It's for supporting a pretty heavy glass 8" collimating mirror and frame 500mm above my optical table. I wanted it to be both very stable and secure, I wouldn't have been happy using half inch rod for that length and weight of object.

I've just had a very kind offer from a forum member who's prepared to make some mounts for me. It's a shame I couldn't get some 'off the shelf' though.

Incidentally, i've just been playing with the variable beam splitter I got from you, it's pretty cool and works fine. I'm about to make a mount for the half wave plate now Things are slowing down on the holography front now the nice weather is arriving... The garden beckons

Cheers

Jem

[holokidd]

as i said you will spend a lot of $ assembling a newport system , how about a some pipe scaffoldig such as this, this holds a my 13.5" dia collimatig mirror?

[Jem]

It's not too bad. I bought the 1" 303 Stainless rod from the wholesalers for a decent price. An acquaintance who owns a lathe owed me a favour, so he faced off the ends, drilled the holes and tapped them M6.

I bought some heavy duty 'rope clamps' for holding the mirror in place and I now just need the brackets. Those will shortly be made for me by a forum member at reasonable cost. So, all in all i've got a mega stable mount for a reasonable amount of money.

Bear in mind that i'm working on quite a small optical table 100mm x 500mm, soI need to be quite creative. Besides, I like everything to look neat and tidy

Cheers

Jem