Steve's "Deluxe" Laser Collimator Collimation Jig

[kirkster501]

Hi, thought folks might appreciate the jig I used to collimate my Laser Collimator. I was having issues using a focuser in a bench vice to do this so decided to make something a little more "bespoke" shall we say. This consists of a block of wood with five nails, two pairs make two V's in which to hold the focuser and another one at the front so the collimator is always in the same position. As such can rotate it and look at the beam on a wall. BlueTac down to a table and bob' your dad's brother....... Works 100% crack on!

You like?

[John]

Precision engineering there Steve

Whats the standard version like ?

[kirkster501]

Precision engineering there Steve

Whats the standard version like ?

lol the standard version does not come with the inch of electrical tape to prevent scratching the front of the collimator. My marketing department looking into a "Oligarch" version as well with Electrical tape on all five nails..... I think that might be too rich for most people though

[101nut]

Oi that's my jig that is! I'm sure I remember pat. pending it as "lump of firewood with nails in it"

Mine must have been a 'deluxe ultra+" version as it had "proper" galvanised 3" round nails instead of those inferior cheap ovals Oh and no rear nail - I used the step on the tube as a reference face against a support nail. Works a treat along a 30 yard corridor ...

My 'turbo' version includes a precision made biro nicked borrowed from Argos to mark a cross on the wall as a target, and a pair of binoculars to see the dot move at a range incompatible with short-sightedness!

Great minds and all that

AndyG

[ibraidwo]

Nice.

I have something similar, however I used 2 plastic pipe clips to hold my collimator securely, screwed to a block of wood. My clps look like these http://www.pipekit.co.uk/shop/847_Pipe_Clips that I had lying around.

Good thinking on the bluetack...

[steppenwolf]

OOOh too much risk of a scratch (I am just too flippin' fussy!) - this is how I do mine:-

[ollypenrice]

I'm a nails man too but you should knock the nails in at a 45 degree angle to the wood and to each other so they make an X shape as they cross. The top half of the X makes a V shape and now you have precision vee blocks! I don't think they've ever scratched my collimator but I'm not sure that I'd mind if they did! No nails near glass at Les Granges, though. .

Olly

[kirkster501]

OOOh too much risk of a scratch (I am just too flippin' fussy!) - this is how I do mine:-

Very nice Steve. That's positively Bohemian compared to mine However, I got my laser to an accuracy of a 1mm prescribed circle at a distance of 5m when rotated on the "Steve Special" rig.....

[steppenwolf]

However, I got my laser to an accuracy of a 1mm prescribed circle at a distance of 5m when rotated on the "Steve Special" rig.....

... and at the end of the day, that's all that matters!

[AstroTux]

I found that I could place mine into the dovetail block holder of my mount. No need for the exquisite engineering shown here...... :laugh: