Now that I’ve rebuilt the system to use bypass/full/low presure for air, it was time to reduce that gap between the nozzle and the surface. My gantry and laser head seem to be different than “normal”; vertical belt and head mount, and the lens mount in the nozzle, not the tube.
It came with a 38mm lens with 4 or 5mm to the surface. With a 63mm lens, I was 29mm to the surface. 3D printing to the rescue. The extension fits between the tube and the nozzle and moves the lens mount to the top of the extension. I’m now at 7mm to the surface. I can continue to adjust as well as adjust for the 50mm or 101mm lens as well. Air assist becomes much more useful, now.
Yup, you have an engraving nozzle with an 18mm lens and M20 threads. That is the usual place to put it regardless of style. As you increase your focal length, the lens moves up the lens tube… if you have the right tube. You could probably mount a 2: up in the shoulder of the tube if you have that style.
The next option would be to get a replacement lower tube and nozzle with the M22 threads. That would let you put standard extension tubes on. Cloudray sells the 16.3mm upper tube with a M22 nozzle thread adapter. Your other option would be to replace the head assembly, and maybe put a sliding mount on for better adjustment.
I had the same head style and fought it for many months before putting a new sliding mount and head on. Wish I had done it a LONG time ago.
I saw that particular tube, but didn’t see extension tubes for it.
It would be nice to have multiple complete tube+lens+nozzle assembly for quicker swap-out.
That’s the wonders of the M22 thread. Cloudray has one listed for the E series, same thread just a different outer diameter. Or you can order one from LightObject, or Alibaba, or…
I have two of those adapter that Russ made before Cloudray started selling them, along with an extension that let’s me use a 2.5" with them. The outer diameter isn’t even close, but an M22 thread is an M22 thread. I even used a piece of the upper tube and a drilled out nozzle to make an adapter. It was a truly successful failure. Everything came out great, but my press was a tad to far out of square to be able to use it with the laser.
