what do you use for gluing optics and components in place?

[ghosttrain]

Ah, an octagon makes perfect sense then, well after an oval but that will be harder to cut.

@masterpj I'm curious how you got your scanner mirrors broken.

[masterpj]

Ah, an octagon makes perfect sense then, well after an oval but that will be harder to cut.

@masterpj I'm curious how you got your scanner mirrors broken.

Oh no old time with cheap chinese scanners.
I had this really cheap scanner set with 1 thin scanner block which has 1 big hex screw per scanner. They were on really right and barely any place to hold them. So tight that I had to put on a lot of force.. It was pretty easy to slip and break the mirrors. Gladly I have much more sets of these 60~80 dollar scanners.. it was a pity but replacement mirrors were just 2 dollars? I used them for all kinds of testing to learn more about scanners and the effects on them if you'd do certain things with them.

No, you don't really need a custom jig if you are not looking for assembly line convenience. You can use the scanner mounting block to hold the motor and rotate it before clamping to get the shaft notch horizontal. What you need is a precision XYZ stage such as is used for positioning optics. Tab the mirror in place with dbl sticky tape or a spot of RTV and then move the mirror into position, toothpick a drop of glue and then lower the Z control to achieve contact. This takes a little set up, but is not frustrating.

Thanks I will try this sometime with a broken scanset which have no mirrors. (I bought them broken for messing with)

[ghosttrain]

Have you checked if the motors and shafts have not been damaged and malfunctioning themselves?

BTW who sells replacement scanner mirrors? I thought everyone cut their own since chinese ready ones probably dont have good reflectance. Do I have the wrong info?

[masterpj]

Have you checked if the motors and shafts have not been damaged and malfunctioning themselves?

BTW who sells replacement scanner mirrors? I thought everyone cut their own since chinese ready ones probably dont have good reflectance. Do I have the wrong info?

Only square ones from goldenstar mimi for AL scanners.. the shipping you pay the most for.. else from the owner of dragontiger for instance.. the pedal one (square with the corners cut. Is more expensive for sure

[masterpj]

I think it would be easier and cheaper to buy a 4 inch ar mirror and cut it with a glass cutter which is a pretty cheap tool itself. You'd then have a lot of spare mirror you could cut from in case of emergency situation.

You'd think but getting a clean cut with a glass cutter can be heard with the thickness of glass we are talking.. they shatter easily when you apply any pressure.

[ghosttrain]

I forgot to ask one thing about removing epoxy.
I asked this about alcohol, but does the gel type paint stripper evaporate or produce fumes which might damage the coatings on the mirrors or optics or leave some residue like CC glue vapor does?

[planters]

This is a little complex. If you are using ultra-high purity methylene chloride, then it will evaporate and the methanol will be as a final assurance of cleanliness. But, the inexpensive hardware paint strippers will leave residue behind even after the methylene chloride has gone. Furthermore, the paint stripper may have some less than super-filtered components that could include abrasive dirt. That said, if the paint stripper is poured or the gel is plopped down onto the optic and the hardware, epoxy products and the stripper are later flushed off with the alcohol then you should be fine. I have never had problems with diode collimating lenses, dichroic mirrors and the scanner mirrors that I have freed up with the stripper. Inter-cavity optics may be a different matter. They may be OK as well, I just have not needed to use this technique on these optics.

[ghosttrain]

This is offtopic but I didn't think it deserved its own thread.

So now I have this question on what is the best option here for cleaning optics including AR coated mirrors, aperture windows and lenses.
Planters mentioned this in one of his posts.
If I understood correctly methanol is the best option. I did test ordinary ethyl alcohol and it really does leave marks, even when using an air blower.
I always have acetone in my garage for various other projects. Reading some articles on the web it also seems like a good option?

[VDX]

... for cleaning micro-optics I've used a mixture from acetone and latex, called "First Contact" and is pretty expensive, but we've got some samples for free.

The red coloured is good for 'sealing' the optics for transport or storage - remove the coating shortly before use, and you're sure, it's perfect clean

Viktor

[planters]

First Contact is amazing for both of the uses listed above. It is not expensive for the small optics used in laser projectors and super high purity (provided with analysis) methanol is pretty expensive itself. I have even used it on cavity optics, but I am afraid that what may look PERFECTLY clean/spotless may still have something that will damage these optics at high intensity, so with these, I still follow with a rinse of methanol.

One warning should be given. When the optic is mounted and the thick, syrupy First Contact is brushed on, if it gets into crevices, around to the sides of the optics or into threads then you will have to de-mount the optic and dissolve the resulting film and start again. Methanol should also be used carefully on mounted optics. Assuming the materials are compatible, you can still wash debris, hiding in the cracks, onto the illuminated surface.