The original spirit level had a red screw-on cover for the battery which included an on/off switch.
Double Polarizer for Cross-Hair & I have to confess to making a stupid mistake with the initial construction of the clamp. In practice this did not create any problems, the clamping was always secure. Being brass it was easy to solder a wire to for sending power to the laser. The whole operation was performed very quickly. The simplicity of visual reference allows machine operators to quickly locate punch marks, edges, centers of material, centers of holes, scribed lines. The frame consists of three main pieces.
This tool has been made entirely from an old damaged laser level and a few pieces of aluminium from the scrap box, the only "bought" items being two AAA batteries. This polarizer provides improved adjustability in line visibility that was not previously possible.
which I duplicate here for completeness. I wanted to be able to use the laser device when milling so it had to be reasonably well balanced to avoid creating vibration. I had the video in my saved listhere you go! The original housing for the laser assembly was turned down on the outside and glued to a hole drilled in the new adjustable support piece. So excess metal was milled away from that area and an adjustable 10 mm steel nut and bolt, as a counter weight, was added to the opposite side. To enable this feature I made a thick disc for the clamp to grab onto with a 12 mm (1/2") centre rod to fit a chuck. The Laser Center/Edge Finder was introduced by SDA Mfg.
It can also be used to align vises, rotary tables and spin indexers. Keep this unit in place and there is no need to install the LC/EF on the nozzle or mill collet each time. Focus can be set, as described in a previous step, to give a visually sharp precise circle. The original housing was threaded to suit the brass lens assembly thus allowing variable focus to suit the distance of the laser from the work piece. And how safe is it to add home made contraption to a spinning object? Second, SDA has developed a bridge mount A/C unit specifically made for permanent installation on waterjet and wood CNC machines (gantry-type). As the laser is offset from the axis of the mill spindle the light that it emits will describe a circle on the work piece below. Concentric Circle Lenses. Please take a few minutes to peruse our new accessories and we hope all your Laser Center/Edge Finder products serve you well. The hinged clamp is held closed onto the mill spindle by a single bolt. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), Adjustable laser sight ensures precise drilling. I intend to enter this into the "Trash to Treasure" contest so please vote for it. Please call us at: 1-800-HOME-DEPOT (1-800-466-3337), Please enter in your email address in the following format: you@domain.com.
When I first started testing the laser device in my milling machine I observed what seemed to be a strange phenomenon. on Introduction. The other clamp had a piece of 6 mm thread fitted which is threaded into the trunnion. I have shown the only problem that I experienced to aid anyone who might experience the same and I have also outlined a stupid mistake so that can be avoided by others. The final step links to a video of its use and construction. The utility of this device is increased if it can be fitted to a drill chuck, either in a mill or a drill press. Special Indicator Locates Drill Chucks Exactly on Center, WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, including Nickel (Metallic) which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. The crosshair lens is useful for aligning the workpiece on the table. Anyone guess the problem? Design improvements in the laser module and laser aperture have allowed us to achieve an even smaller dot size, brighter dot, and longer operating distance when used in conjunction with the polarizer. I cut the end of the old level to extract the laser unit. I needed to counter bore the cover mounting screw holes in a motorcycle crankcase to enable the fitment of small "O"-rings to seal oil. I had made a motorcycle wheel balancing fixture many years ago (maybe the subject of another instructable in the future) which I use for many different balancing jobs. Centering a mill or drill press over a hole or other feature on a work piece is made very easy. Share it with us! Reply I have created a very useful tool from items that would otherwise be considered as 'end of life' junk.
Once centred I only needed to plunge the mill quill down to the set cutting depth and move on to the next hole. There were three features that I wanted to incorporate, viz; 1. I was inspired to make this laser centre/edge finder after I saw a video on Dan Gelbart's Youtube channel. The laser and its lens were mounted inside a small aluminium housing. 2000-2022 Home Depot. Weird yes? The backside of the laser assembly was filled with epoxy after small cables were soldered to the laser PCB. This thread allows focus adjustment. Need Help? The last photo also shows the red cap and switch for the battery compartment and a spring battery contact. At the other end of the battery hole I fitted the spring contact which is shown in step 1. Shown in the second photo above. If you have not seen any of Gelbart's videos I suggest that you search on Youtube for "dan gelbart" but be prepared for a binge viewing session. These photos show one job for which the laser centre finder was a huge time saver. The circle lens is useful for re-entering a hole already drilled. This design is quick and secure..The hinge comprises of a trunnion made from a piece of 12 mm (1/2") steel bar the length equal to the thickness of the clamp material (in my case this was 19 mm or 3/4"). I needed to recycle and use this housing because it was threaded internally for the brass lens holder. Hi, doesn't this unbalance the drill and make it slightly wobble? There is a spring between the lens assembly and the laser which acts as a lock on the focus adjustment. With four contact points there will be one that is either not touching or not touching as hard as the other three. Unfortunately that video no longer seems to be on his channel, well I can not find it anymore. Firstly the balance was checked which indicated that there was too much mass concentrated near the laser end. The two halves of the clamp are united by means of a hinge and bolt. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. For more information, go to: www.p65warnings.ca.gov, 340 Snyder Avenue, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 07922. This first photo shows how I first fixed it in photoshop and anyone planning on making their own version is advised to make something along the lines of the photoshopped clamp. This trunnion was cross drilled in the centre and tapped for a 6 mm thread. Thanks for watching. All Rights Reserved. First, all units (except CNC models) are now available with either battery power or our new A/C powered variant. So I cut out the original brass part that it screwed into and glued it into the battery compartment opening. The diameter of this circle is controlled by the distance between the spindle and the work piece as well as the angle of the laser beam which I have made adjustable. The third part is the laser assembly housing which bolts to the battery compartment half clamp such that it can swivel to align the laser to the desired circle diameter. The first photo shows how I could centre over each hole. We hope you will be completely satisfied with your orderbut, if an item does not meet your expectations, you may return it in as-new condition within 30 days of delivery for a replacement, exchange or refund of the purchase price. A lathe would be useful for making the drill chuck adapter. Drill /Tap Holder for Press-It / Sensi-Press, Center Finder with 3/8" Diameter x 1-1/2" Long Shank. The construction time was only a few hours and I have achieved the three goals outlined in the intro. I took his idea and made something to suit my own needs and from materials I had to hand. I made up a spindle with a thick disc to fit the laser finder and this enable me to check the balance as illustrated. The photos show the mounted unit as well as the mounting disc. 3 years ago. Did you make this project? A laser finder/aligner is an extremely useful add-on for a mill or drill press and can be used for various alignment tasks to a surprising degree of accuracy as Mr. Gelbart had shown in his video. These cables went to the battery compartment. I wanted keep this item but it was screwed in place and I did not have a suitable thread tap. At speed the batteries would centrifuge away from one of the contacts, I forget why it didn't turn off for a whole revolution, but there was a logical explanation. After months of searching, we now have a lens that offers improved sharpness over the working range. Each lens is permanently installed in a dedicated LC/EF and the lenses are not available alone. We also rely on customer feedback to let us know when things work and when they dont. The ability to continue machining whist it was fitted. However, the purist in me would not rest until I modified the clamp to a three point contact. I fixed it physically by cutting away the area of the original two contact points and then I fitted a flat head screw to provide the single contact on this half of the clamp giving a total of three clamping points. Did I mention that I have always hated paper gaskets?
The polarizing attachment is now included with the purchase of all of our units. A bandsaw or hacksaw, files and a drill could substitute for a mill to make the frame if a mill is not available. I used a milling machine to shape the frame - most people making this project will be doing it for a milling machine anyway. Our Customers include Fortune 500 companies that cover a wide range of industries including Aero Space, Aircraft, Helicopter Mfgs., Automotive, Military Weapons Centers (US, Canada, and UK) over 40 Universities, Medical Research Centers and Medical Mfgs, Telecommunication, Oil Well Tools & Equipment Mfg., Nuclear Research Centers in 3 States and sales to 54 countries. Third, two special lenses are available on all units; a crosshair and a circle lense. A Double Polarizer is included with all Cross-Hair and Concentric Circle units. I turned this housing to remove the mounting flange which is visible in the photos. I made it to have four contact points with the mill spindle. Designed to replace traditional wigglers and mechanical or electronic edge finders in most setup operations, Precision edge finding without readjusting for radius of edge finding tool, Quickly locate center punch marks or scribe line intersections, Can be used with drill presses, to set mill head angle, realign lathe tailstock after taper cutting, lathes with 4-jaw chuck setup or to align the vice on the mill table. That brought the balance to an acceptable level. Initial hand rotated tests gave perfect results, however once it was rotated mechanically it would reach an RPM when some of the circle would disappear.
He has so many additive videos on workshop stuff in general. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. The fix was simple, I just used a stronger spring in the battery compartment. The assembly clamps to the milling machine spindle such that it can rotate with it without obstructing the use of a milling cutter. As I explained, I did balance the device so it does not cause any wobble. at the Visalia, CA Men, Metal & Machines show on October 4th 2004. If you found this presentation interesting and/or useful please like, share and subscribe. SDA Manufacturing, LLCPo Box 44Piedra, CA 93649, 2004-2017 Laser Center/Edge Finder | All rights reserved: US Patent. The sizing of the pieces is dependent on the size of the machine to which it will be fitted, so that is left to the reader. We continually strive to build a better product and achieve greater accuracy.
Sitemap 26