700x500mm 100W chinese laser. Head has a 20mm tube, 25mm mirror, and 18mm diameter lens. I’d like to get a sturdier mount and go to a 20mm diameter lens.
I have searched (a LOT) and can’t find this design. All the ones I’ve found have the belt and rail running horizontal. This one is vertical.
Any pointers?
Thanks!
That is quite odd. Probably done because a continuous belt is more expensive than a cut to size one.
Unless you’re adding accessories that will add weight (auto focus, laser pointer), the mount is attached to the linear bearing block, so it should be fine. If you’ve got slop now, you may need to replace the bearing or belt. Something else you could do is fabricate a longer mount and add a second linear bearing block. I’ve seen quite a few plasma tables with side mounted linear rails that support the steel gantry, the weight of a laser head shouldn’t be an issue. Check your bearing block for a small hole on either side for lubrication, sometimes it has a set screw in it, go to a Hobby Town or similar store and get an RC car lube pen that has oil in it and a needle for just that kind of thing. Just putting Super Lube on your rail isn’t enough.
For the replacement you asked about:
Two options, rotate and rebuild your gantry to match the vertical design (more expensive if your pulley and motor mounts won’t reconfigure and have to be replaced, plus a new belt), or buy the new head and use the existing horizontal mounting hardware (looks like you’ll need to drill and tap the mirror mount if the replacement head tube won’t just swap in). I have two lasers with different size lenses and I wanted them to be the same. I bought just a new tube. Since your laser is 100W, I would suggest getting the tube with the additional option to mount a 4 inch lens if you want to cut thicker materials.
I don’t have any slop, but the mount/bracket itself isn’t very sturdy. You can see the thin/small L-bracket on the left of the head. I’d like to get a 20mm tube/lens and an easier-to-adjust mirror. The machining on all of the mirror adjustment screws is… not that great…, so I’m looking at replacing them over time.
I am looking at fabbing a different bracket between the bearing block and the laser head to use the ones that are more readily available. It would have just been nicer to find a drop-in replacement.
Do you know what measurements I need to find the right size/style bearing blocks?
Thanks!
Measure your rail, it’s width in mm is usually the number in the bearing name. Search Aliexpress for linear carriage, linear rail, linear slider etc., and then find the one that looks closest to yours for the letters in the bearing name.
I’ve had good luck with CloudRay Laser in the past, you could email them some photos of your machine and see if they offer a kit to change out the rail system or just some parts. Aliexpress has whole rail kits starting at about $500.
I also found this by searching for side mount laser head, in the related items of the listing there looks to be some other ones as well: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000132558449.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.2d837d3efiNjiP&algo_pvid=f68299e7-5a64-41fa-902e-9081afc9bbd2&algo_expid=f68299e7-5a64-41fa-902e-9081afc9bbd2-12&btsid=9e4ac1c5-da72-4546-8896-37107f7b7a06&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2,searchweb201603_53
FYI - I bought that red kit that CloudRay sells, I haven’t installed it, but it is very well made, better than the head on my (cheaper made than my 1060) 9060 machine.
I also found this by searching for side mount laser head, in the related items of the listing there looks to be some other ones as well: [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000132558449.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.2d837d3efiNjiP&algo_pvid=f68299e7-5a64-41fa-902e-9081afc9bbd2&algo_expid=f68299e7-5a64-41fa-902e-9081afc9bbd2-12&btsid=9e4ac1c5-da72-4546-8896-37107f7b7a06&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2,searc
I hereby turn in my google search card. “side mount” and “outer rail” look like the keys I was missing. That style looks like just what I’m looking for.
I’ll take the head and bracket fully off and do some measurements/pictures. Thanks!
On the plus side, I’m up to 400mm/s on a design that consistently gave me wobbles in the same locations (generally diagnonals) when I was running at 100mm/s. 
Glad to help. 
Wobbles may not always be mechanical.
Search youtube for RDWorks Learning Lab (Channel name is SarbarMultiMedia I think), I believe the episodes that may apply to your issue have the name “curtains” in the titles. I honestly don’t remember whether his issue was mechanical or not, but his series of videos can tell you an insane amount of information on the feeding and care of Chinese laser cutters.
I’ve actually seen at least one of his videos, including “curtains”. His is the one that gave me an, “at least one other person has this kind of system!” 
Mechanical accuracy, precision, and stability are MUCH improved over day one. Now I’m in the mode of general tweaking (i.e. added the ammeter and created the “X” alignment holder). I’ve pushed the performance beyond where I would generally be using it, so I’m confident that everyday usage is pretty well dialed in
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