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Does that mean my collimator is not collimated?

emadmoussa

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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I've been using this laser collimator for a while now and always found it a great tool. However, recently I noticed that whenever I rotate it inside the focuser, say, getting the bullseye to face away from the mirror, the red dot seems to shift few milimeters away from the center. I rotate it back to face to mirror, and the red dot moves back in the center of the primary again.



  

I have a feeling it's not 100% collimated. 

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wookie1965

wookie1965

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There is some black silicon over the adjustment screws i tried using a piece of electrical conduit so that i could rotate the laser squarely while adjusting the three screws. In the end i got fed up checked the screws by taking them out there is two long ones and one short one how that is supposed to work, unless the short holds in line and the other two adjust but never worked for me.

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leelee970

leelee970

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Emad, the best way to see if the laser is collimated is to make a very simple jig.

 

Get a piece of flat wood, and four large long nails.

 

Hammer two nails into the wood to make an ”X".

 

Then hammer the second two nails further along to make a second "X". (The distance between must be to accommodate the laser).

 

Now you need a long room - 20ft or more the better.

 

Place the laser into the jig and rotate it 360° while making sure the jig does not move at all.

 

If the laser dot produces an arc, then it is out.

 

You can collimate the laser but it does take time to get it spot on. I did mine after I dropped it - took me all day to get it back to perfect.

Lee

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Charic

Charic

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emadmossa..........Hi, could also just be sloppiness or play in the focuser tube. I try to push the Laser in with my finger, and carefully tighten the nuts. That alone can move the laser of centre. Its possisble to purchase a correcting adaptor to hold the laser perfectly central? If the laser still moves off centre, the laser needs to be re-aligned. I just prefer to use my laser, Barlowed,  to check the primary mirror. You can see the final image of the centre doughnut on the laser reticle/bullseye, and makes for easier viewing and alignment. I`m almost considering a Cheshire now, as more light is available to me during the set up. At present, using a 35mm film cap, its pretty dark trying to look through a 0.5mm hole?

Note. I wouldn't worry too much if the laser beam stays within the doughnut, only if it strays out. Collimating the laser is easy, as  described above.

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nicks90

nicks90

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my baader laser is very slightly out too, but I try not to worry about it - as when you rotate the collimator in the focuser, the laser still stays within the dot on the primary and the reflected beam just circles the very edge of the target hole.

in my opinion, this is only very very slight and therefore the scope will be 99% collimated.

unless the beam is going all over the place, i would chose to ignore it.

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Charic

Charic

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All lasers  ALL OF THEM...... can go out of collimation. You need to adjust it yourself. just like adjusting the tilt of a secondary mirror. Set up a jig and adjust the (normally) 3 grub screws. But don't chuck the laser away. Its best Barlowed to check final alignment of the primary, and the laser doesn't actually need to be collimated for that task. The laser light will be diffused by the Barlow , illuminating  the centre spot, creating a perfect image to be reflected back to the target face.

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leelee970

leelee970

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One point I'll make about mine when it was out of collimation - it really was out, once opened up the laser transmitter barrel was pressed up against one side of the outer tube.

So it was a big drop that caused this. :eek: 

 

I suspect if you laser is out it will only be by a very small amount and easy to rectify - no different in sighting a finder scope (in fact the construction is very similar 0 three screws and a rubber O ring)

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Charic

Charic

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I don't even know where to begin to collimate the laser if it showed signs of being off. I don't see any screws that I would be able to adjust.

hard to see on the image......is the printing on a label or the actual body of the laser. If its on a label, there's your answer, hidden underneath. feel the label for the three indentations, normally covered with a black silicon plug. Dig that out to find the Alan type grub screws (may/will affect the warranty)

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

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It's a five minute job to collimate a laser using Lee's method. There is something incredibly sweet about making super precision Vee blocks out of four six inch nails, too! They are prcises simply because it doesn't matter where on the wall the beam strikes. If you have collimating screws on the laser just do it. Lasers always get a bad press on here but I use mine on a 20 icnh and I can't be at both ends at once...

Olly

PS, Amusingly enough my mouse just went mad and I needed to fix it, Emad!

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emadmoussa

emadmoussa

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It's a five minute job to collimate a laser using Lee's method. There is something incredibly sweet about making super precision Vee blocks out of four six inch nails, too! They are prcises simply because it doesn't matter where on the wall the beam strikes. If you have collimating screws on the laser just do it. Lasers always get a bad press on here but I use mine on a 20 icnh and I can't be at both ends at once...

Olly

PS, Amusingly enough my mouse just went mad and I needed to fix it, Emad!

You need to collimate your mouse.

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