Probably shouldn’t run it below the dew point. Here it’s usually very low since it’s so dry. Our dew points are usually around freezing. I was running it at 112 deg last summer, chiller worked fine. Got too hot for me to sit in the garage.
@Hank didn’t catch your comment, so duplicated it 
Life Pro Tip:
(LPT)
When ordering a laser alignment device, don’t just take American Photonics word for it. Most Chinese lasers do not have a removeable tube. I was busy, didn’t try to dissemble the head and took their directions. My Chinese 60 watt Red and Black has a compression twist fitting that holds the lens and THATS the tool I wanted. I thought they might take that into account but no. Check the INTERIOR of the head tube. I debated before I purchased. It’s costing me a couple of weeks.
When you get it, I’d like to know how well it works for you.
Using the 20 mm one I got fairly close. Before I go spending more money on lightweight heads and mirrors etc I am going to use the right pointer. Still off by a bit, but in the area that the beam doesn’t bounce the DPI is amazing compared to my diode and magnitudes faster.
I only have a bit of exhaust leak which I’m fairly sure I have under control and it’ll be full test time.
In the end you care about the tube to table alignment. There is no possible way to align that emitter to the exact path of the beam from the tube. You also know how poorly these Chinese heads are built, depending on them as a base for alignment seems illogical to me.
When it’s done don’t you have to fire the laser to check alignment on each mirror?
Maybe in the ballpark…
I’ve done so many alignments that I can’t see this being of much use.
That’s why I’m waiting on your evaluation. I can’t even try one now…
I’ve followed the videos and I always just get ballpark. This is the closest I’ve gotten and it was way faster than manual everything. Might need to replace the current tube holder with an adjustable one to help with alignment. Since I’ll eventually be getting an RDWorks lightweight head I figure I’ll get quite a bit of use out of it. If I had a 3D printer I’d have just created my own to fit inside the tube.
When you’ve done it 50 times, you may think differently.
You have a nice laser, use it to make your part. Might have to think of a different angle for it… Most of Russ’ stuff development is lased out of acrylic. The spacers in my ‘Russ tube mount’ are lased out of acrylic. My tube is only 50mm.
And YES there is a ‘kink’ in the coolant tube. I’ve changed it out for a 180.
Sounds like you’re having fun and making some money. Can’t beat that with a stick
I intend to use it once it’s all setup. However my main business has been crazy busy. We’ve barely taken time off since March. Record month after record month. Now that it’s slowing down I am focusing on the laser. However after a very long day I don’t have the full patience to mess with it. I have other things I need to do to keep the business we have and grow it as well as find employees so we can hand off day to day things so we can focus on other things, like this business. Plus it’s not perfectly aligned and I don’t have all settings ready yet. One thing at a time. It’s paid for an not going anywhere. Anything worth doing is worth doing right.
Not with the laser yet. But I will soon. Tackling the small stuff first before winter hits. No need to die from Carbon Monoxide poisoning before it’s ready to go.
I update this thread for the new users so they don’t make the same mistakes.
Can’t ask for more than that. And all of your comments about it are more than welcome. I’ve found myself asking “I wonder what @LaserWillie is up to?”, so I guess it’s like a series and I’m waiting for the next episode.
Take care have fun…
This is a really great forum and very helpful. Lots of good folks to answer questions and since I am so fricken new the best way I can help out is to show others what to NOT do. I always appreciate your input. I have a feeling there are lots of folks like myself that are trying to get into this so if my mistake or advice as a noob helps, then it makes me warm and fuzzy.
good call.
now you’re tempting me to make my own control board for the chiller that calculates the dew point based on humidity and temp. I am already concocting some electronics that will split the duty cycle of 2 air compressors and pause the machines if air assist pressure fails, I might as well throw a relative humidity sensor on the PCB.
Good news bad news day.
Good news, the correct alignment tool arrived, cannot say enough about American Photonics customer service. I was able to align the laser (or have I?) and would not have been able to do it without the tool.
Bad news:
The battery life is only a few minutes, maybe 10 or so. With modern technology and laser pointers I’d think this thing could last at least an hour or two per 3 batteries. Not so much.
Interested in the tool…
Could you tell where the alignment you made was off?
It’s always interesting to hear about them good or bad.
It could be very interesting to read Your approach and impressions. It amazes me a little with the short battery time, the small lasers otherwise do not use much energy. I hope you write more about your experiences with this tool.
The head bracket itself is bent from initial power up (see other thread) I bought a new level and square that could fit in the machine and verified it along with the alignment tool. ID 10 T error on initial power up.
I had heard the batteries didn’t last long, maybe 20 minutes or so, but was shocked that they crap out after about 10.minutes. Very handy tool, terrible battery life. When it has fresh batteries you can align in just a minute or two if the head bracket isn’t bent like in my case. There’s a niche market out there for someone to make these that last longer, especially at $40 a pop. Once this things up and running I’ll likely make my own or maybe hit a maker space and 3d print one. Once I have the bracket I need (maybe I’ll replace the whole head anyhow) I’ll make a quick video so people can see how it works. Battery life is the only real complaint.
I am surprised that just hitting the side bent it. You know the lightweight head doesn’t really support the laser guide you are using. Doesn’t mean you can’t 3d print something.
How did that laser alignment tool tell you the head was off?
I don’t have a ton of tools, my square was a speed square for carpentry so it doesn’t really work, and my level is very long so I couldn’t square it unless I bought new tools. It looked like it was square but when trying to align with the tape method I could never get it to work. The tool shows a bright red dot and as you move the head the dot would move form 3rd mirror to 2nd mirror. This means the head has a tilt of a few degrees, confirmed with new (small) level and square. It’s very handy.
I can’t 3d print anything until i know how to design and print 3d and hit a makerspace. I don’t have time for that. Will buy a new head if needed and then adjust the bracket with dremel if needed.
I squared everything after milling a head bracket and it’s the tube itself it appears that’s off. I am looking to buy a new head etc. Might go with Russ RDWorks if he has time.
Thanks @jkwilborn for leading me to Russ.
If not then I will try other things.
If you aligned it backwards could that cause an issue with your problem determination?
I mean using the led tool…? Since you aligned everything to the head.
I ended up with a tube holder/m1 mount. It was a pretty simple install, but had to 3d print a cover for the tube that now sticks out…
Mirror 3 never aligns to mirror 2 no matter what. The rails are straight and level as is the bed and machine. Due to my ID 10 T error I am sure the tube is bent. If not I will keep on.
