Small mount using Dave's prisms

[logsquared]

Thought I would share a small mount i made using dave's prisms. Nothing special really. Couple of things to mention.... The brass pins the prisms are on can be rotated. Makes it a hell of a lot easier to align IMHO. Like most of the modules I make the mounting slots go the opposite direction of most commercial modules. Well, only the front slot on this one. I think it just makes more sense to be able to translate the beam from side to side. The footprint dimensions are .75" x 2".


Want to add..... Dave's prism are really nice and a great value I think.

[kitatit]

Hi logsquared,
Nice work mate.

I haven't started playing with my prisms yet but I have been thinking of a similar idea.
My plan was to glue a piece on top with a small cap head screw in the centre and use thread locker so it won't cone out.

The clamping plate will come from one side with a pre- determined height so the clamping force is even. Also glue a piece of thin cork under the prism so it doesn't crack or chip.

There would be a hole drilled in the clamping plate that the cap screw goes through.

To adjust the prism you just loosen the clamping screw/screws and rotate the cap screw that is thread locked to the piece glues to the prism.

The benefits I are that you have fine,easy adjustment and you fingers aren't in the beam path.

One question I've got for you-

What centre point for rotating the prism do you use?

Do you need to have your centre point coincident with the front face or is using the centre of the prism ok?

Thanks for the pics, I like your work

Kit

[edison]

Hmm looks familiar to me I have a board that fits at the back of my brass block and presses the diode i the diodechamber. I don,t use the board any more and i think i have 60 0f these left. I can send you one to make it fit on your design. It connects a lasorb with the diode. It has also a connection for a peltier

[logsquared]

Thanks for the nice words

The first prism rotates roughly around its center. It sits on a .25 brass post. I wanted to get the second prism the same way. Unfortunately I didn't have enough room. So, the second prism sits on a small table attached to the post. Before I drilled the holes for the posts I did a powered mock-up get a rough idea where they should go. Lot easier than doing the geometry I knew the first one should go on center with the beam but I really needed to experiment for the second one. Your idea sound really cool. Please post some pictures when its finished.

[logsquared]

Hmm looks familiar to me I have a board that fits at the back of my brass block and presses the diode i the diodechamber. I don,t use the board any more and i think i have 60 0f these left. I can send you one to make it fit on your design. It connects a lasorb with the diode. It has also a connection for a peltier

They do look familiar, huh? Well, with the exception of the adjustable prisms and diode centering.
Thanks for the offer. I don't think I can make it fit though. I would have to unsolder it to get to the two 4-40 screws that hold the diode mount. Plus I really don't use lasorbs anyway.

Question for ya.... How do you mount the diode on your system? Also, how do you stay in line with exit aperture when adjusting the prisms?

[dnar]

While this a nice idea, I found that sitting the prisms on Zoof's template easy with rubber tipped tweezers. Fine adjustment is as easy as tweaking the pair my moving the template. Lock down and you done.

[kitatit]

Thanks for the nice words

The first prism rotates roughly around its center. It sits on a .25 brass post. I wanted to get the second prism the same way. Unfortunately I didn't have enough room. So, the second prism sits on a small table attached to the post. Before I drilled the holes for the posts I did a powered mock-up get a rough idea where they should go. Lot easier than doing the geometry I knew the first one should go on center with the beam but I really needed to experiment for the second one. Your idea sound really cool. Please post some pictures when its finished.

Thanks for the info. For sure I might post a CAD model of it soon.

While this a nice idea, I found that sitting the prisms on Zoof's template easy with rubber tipped tweezers. Fine adjustment is as easy as tweaking the pair my moving the template. Lock down and you done.

Hi Wayne, yeah this type of thing is not a necessity but it could help to reduce the chance of prism breakage and also give you much quicker alignment, more compact foot print by allowing you to place components closer together as you can do all your adjustments from the top.

Plus the fun in dreaming and scheming on how to improve on and make more elegant mechanical designs.

[dnar]

Plus the fun in dreaming and scheming on how to improve on and make more elegant mechanical designs.

Hey! No complaints here. These days most product is designed as "just good enough" with the old $$$/compromise in play.

I like your plan to make something that is as perfect as you can make, something to be very proud of.