Laser Collimator Collimation

[pritc]

I have seen a couple of threads regarding squaring a focuser.

Before attempting this,I decided to check the collimation on my laser collimators.

Taken from the fantastic book 'Making Every Photon Count',I made a collimating jig.

Made from white overflow pipe,4x T pieces and 2 x 90degree bends.

When I was just starting out,I naively purchased a cheap laser collimator(Next Generation).

Recently,I upgraded and purchased a Antares.

I thought it would be good to compare the two together.....

Setting up and testing on a wall about 20ft away,my Antares was spot on.

The cheaper version on the other hand made a lovely 7 inch circle,whilst turning it on the jig.......

(Good job I collimate my scope using the 'barlow method')

After diggging out the plastic adjustment screw protecters and a lot of fiddling later,I finally got it collimated.

As a comparison I set both up on the jig,and the last photo shows the differance in laser diode intensity.....

'You certainly get what you pay for!!'

Wayne

[steppenwolf]

Ah, homebrew at its best!!

[pritc]

Ah, homebrew at its best!!

:icon_salut:

[Jason D]

Both lasers seem to be from the same manufacturer under different labels. I have the same one but under the "Orion" brand name. I had to collimate mine and I had to wrap an aluminum tape around its barrel for better fit in the focuser. But I stopped using it sometime ago when I switched to Glatter.

Could the difference in laser intensity be due to battery strength?

Talking about intensity, I am attaching my experience with 3 lasers. Two are mass produced under the brand "Orion" and my Glatter laser. All 3 lasers were placed 25 feet away from the screen.

Jason

[pritc]

Could the difference in laser intensity be due to battery strength?

Jason

New batteries in the cheap version collimator.

They might look the same, but for build quality,the Antares is far superior......

It even weighs in heavier by 8 grams

I think the 'Next Generation' is a cheap copy......

Wayne

[Jason D]

So the casing is the same but the internals including the laser seem to be different – I am speculating.

Interesting...

[Jason D]

It would be interesting to see if the internal area around the battery is the same.

That is, it would be interesting to see if there are any clear physical differences between the two lasers other than the labels.

[ollypenrice]

The following might well indicate the difference in polish between Steve and my scruffy self but there's an easier way to make vee blocks; just bang in two pairs of 6 inch nails so they cross each other. Not nice, not nice, but they are very effective!

You're right, stick with Steve!!!

Olly

[steppenwolf]

Olly, no one is ever going to call you unpolished - a little rough around the edges perhaps but never unpolished ......

Now look here, Olly, in France where it is all sunshine and dark clear skies you probably don't get rust? Nails'd last a couple weeks at the most in ol' Blighty!

[Jason D]

The following might well indicate the difference in polish between Steve and my scruffy self but there's an easier way to make vee blocks; just bang in two pairs of 6 inch nails so they cross each other. Not nice, not nice, but they are very effective!

You're right, stick with Steve!!!

Olly

There is even an easier method.

1- Insert the laser inside the focuser

2- Decollimate the primary mirror until the laser beam misses the secondary mirror and stricks a distant wall

3- Now rotate the laser in the focuser and adjust as you would with a V-block

Jason