Is it Broken?

[sherr03]

Hi all

I purchased a collimator from the buy and sell section a bit ago and last night I got it out for the first time and dropped it on the floor! The dial has broken out of the housing. I have attached a picture and wondered if it is a case of just glueing it back in or does it need to be done by the manufacturers?

Thanks

Butterfingers!

[nicnac]

Pop it back in and see if you can position it correctly first, if you can, get it set n save some pennies, if not, a new one is only £25 from FLO

[Stephen]

It should glue back in fine so long as it has a flat surface to adhere to, and you can centre it correctly.

[todd8137]

its a problem with these i had one and the same thing happened to me,it fell out glue it back in square,i would also check the cross hair as well at the other end of the tube mine was out a mile

[ollypenrice]

I'd put it back in and then check it. I would not glue it till you've checked the position, thus;

To check the collimation of collimators is easy. Get a piece of planed timber about 8 inches long, 4 wide and an inch or two thick.

Bang in 2 pairs of six inch nails so that they cross each other like x-shaped table legs, the pairs separated so that you can sit the collimator in the the vee shape where the paired nails cross.

Cradle the collimator in this crude but very accurate pair of vee blocks and shine it at a distant wall. Then rotate it. The spot where beam hits wall should not move during rotation. By altering the position of the dropped-out bit you might get it right. At this point mark the position with a felt tip and glue it there, then recheck the collimation. There may also be collimation screws for adjustment. My Astro Engineering one has them.

If it isn't colimated bin it, it is totaly useless.

Olly

[Keiran]

Olly i think this is a Cheshire Coli?

[Parus major]

It's an Astro Engineering Cheshire. It actually happened to mine also without me having dropped it. You'll see the tidemark of the adhesive where it was so you can just glue it back in. I suggest using a two part epoxy rather than superglue so you have time to seat it correctly. The crosshairs line up with the engraved ones so it's easy enough.

That said, it's easy enough for a bloke on the street to glue it in then it makes you doubt all the bluster that company put out on youtube about build quality.

[ollypenrice]

Olly i think this is a Cheshire Coli?

Doh, sorry! If I get any dafter...

Olly

[Keiran]

Doh, sorry! If I get any dafter...

Olly

But i do like your idea about the block of wood if it was laser.... I managed to get hold of a cast V block, so i just used that. Not quite sure how you would colimate a Cheshire though?

[sherr03]

Thanks for all the tips guys I'll give them a go.