Experimenting, but looking for a way to quick-change items in the rotary for doing something like 10/20 bottles or whatever at a time. The rotary has a pretty good range, but it’s still undo, redo, fidget, repeat. The live center also doesn’t do much good beyond small neck bottles.
Both the live center adapter and the chuck adapter have the some pattern so the adapter plates can be used on either end. Each adapter plate is two-sided with a different diameter on each. I’ll make additional sizes as I need them.
I was originally going to cut some felt and use spray adhesive to attach, but adhesive-backed felt was much simpler and not messy.
That’s an ingenious solution. I wasn’t sure I was seeing it correctly at first, but then I realized the chuck end is a pair of components that nest together.
Being a laser person pretty much makes one a maker and yours is indeed a maker’s answer.
I recently had to laser up a bundle of (more than 50) pill bottles. Chucking the threaded end with the cap removed did not provide a good centering, nor a solid enough grip for my taste.
The plate on the left is sized for the larger of the two bottles and the inner diameter requires a press-fit on the tailstock/live center. That way it doesn’t fall off when the bottle is removed. The jig on the right side has threads to match the “non-child-proof” portion of the cap and remains in the chuck between cuts.
Yeah, the “object adapter” can nest on either the live center adapter or the chuck adapter (3/8 arbor mandrel).
I have had to make a part on CNC to get the laser working enough to cut a part on the laser. The first mirror was off both in height and in lateral alignment to the tube. Of course, I had to take it apart to make the measurements and test fit the replacement. Re-aligning the mirror each time wasn’t going to be very fun…
I’m also looking at making a Longworth chuck for both ends to see if it can center enough. That would make it even more quick/convenient.
I had to look that up. I’d seen those but didn’t know the proper name. That’s a great idea. According to my quick search, there’s a few 3D printable designs as well.
In the process of removing the live end plate, I pulled the live end out of the bearing. I didn’t know it would do that, but it opens up new options, both literally and figuratively. Instead of having to make a press fit collar, I can now build a shaft to fit the bearing instead.
I just learned also that if one highlights text in a message, uses it to search, then replies to the message, the highlighted text automatically becomes the quote.
Fortunately, I had a problem finding the knobs/buttons/jaws for the Longworth chuck and said, “Whoa! I don’t want Longworth.” It still requires adjustment. That’s why I’m looking at the disc adapters.
