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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Feeler Guage: Aixis Lens Adjusters *New Style*

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Aug 16, 2007
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Hi,

After making a few lens adjusters on my CNC and posting a few out to people, I thought I might be able to make some more and sell them cheap for everyone.

I've made a new design, as some people requested, it's posted below. I can make them in nearly any colour, as the plastic supplier has loads of different ones in stock now. They will be made by myself on my CNC out of 3mm acrylic, and I'll probably post a load out to SenKat (if he's not up to his eyes in laser orders) and he could sort out the US orders, and I'll take on Europe!!!  :D

lensadjustersgc4.png


What do you all think? Which design?
Individually or multipacks? 5/10 etc....

Would you buy one? If yes, how much and what colour?
Sorry for clobbing together the colours, there weren't enough boxes!

I think if you went for a normal/dark coloured tint in your laser colour, it would look *awesome* as some stray reflections may cause it to glow slightly, but this is just a guess, I've not tried it (yet)!


Dan :)


Edit: Add the colours of plastic pic.
So far it's looking like I'll be making 60% solid black, 10% Clear, 15% Red tint (as lots of DIYs) , 5% dark green tint, 10% dark blue tint (for BluRay DIY's)

plasticcoloursdw2.jpg
 





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question on the colors, if your using a CNC to cut the plastic the edges that are cut won't they be somewhat white because of the heating of the plastic and the cutting bit? or will it clean it off so that the color comes through?

I remember having a hard time cleaning off the white plastic after cutting the acrylic to shape.
But I didn't have the use of a CNC so i'm curious.

I will be ordering a few of those cog shaped ones once your're up and running.
 
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Good point, but don't worry about that. It's all a matter of feedrates on the X/Y table, as you have control over most things on a CNC.

By altering the speeds that the table moves around (in mm/sec) you can change the way it cuts. I can't think of a good way to explain it, but try thinking of it like this: If you have a block of cheese, and cut it slowy (back and too) with a knife, you get a nice smooth piece of cheese. But if you cut it really fast (back and too) it's going to crumble. Well it's kind of the same with plastic (apart from the obvious differences). Each material has it's own best cutting rate. There isn't a book dictating what too use, you just have to have a feel for it, and pick it up yourself. You can tell by the sound the machine is making, and what the swaf (plastic cutting waste) looks like as it cuts.

e.g. for acrylic, too fast, it's going to stress the cutter, possible breakage or machine judders (think of a car in 5th gear doing 15 mph); too slow, it's going to heat up! For the best cut, you have to match the tool size, the material, the spindle speed and the feed rates in 3 axis...  :eek:

Suppose the acrylic did melt, (you'd be an idiot not to fix the speeds) but you could always use a razor blade or a needle file along the edge.


Pheww... Well, you did say you were curious!  ;D
Sorry for all the obscure analogies.

But don't worry, I've made loads of stuff, and it's all good.  :)


Dan :)
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
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yeah, if you really want a nice edge, you can take some 220 sandpaper to it and then some fine steel wool to finish it off. Creates a nice shiny edge. OR, if you want a REALLY clean edge without the work, you can pick up an edge finisher (http://www.edgefinisher.com/) for about $10,000 and clean it up with a diamond cutter at 30,000 rpm! I have one, but then again, it's my business.
 

Scog

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Flame polishing works well on acrylic, just run a butane torch/pencil over the edge. You will get a nice crystal clear finish.
 
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i wasn't around when u were selling these i think... :p
If theres enough interest in australia i'd be happy to be a redistribution point to save some postage...
but i'd have a couple, in dark tinted red and blue! how much? postage?
 
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It's all planned out, but nothing is set in stone yet, e.g. colours/price/availability dates.

If I get some more interest, I'll buy some plastic in the top colours voted for, but if only a few people want some, it's going to make the price a bit steeper than originally planned.


Dan :)
 
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I don't know what it costs you to make, or how much time it takes, but I'd be in for $10 worth if they'd be priced something like:

1 for $2.50
3 for $5.00
8 for $10.00

And if SenKat isn't up for it, I'd be willing to work as the US hub.
 
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Yeah... The *rough* pricing I had was something similar, i.e. if you buy a couple more, the price per item would drop off loads, mainly due to initial postage.

Thanks for the offer for the US postage. I think SenKat is OK with posting them out (should it go ahead), but I'll need to confirm that.
 
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Still, I don't fully get what these are for - just for adjusting the laser dot on the aixiz modules?
 
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Yeah.... pretty much.

It basically lets you fine tune your focus of the beam with the laser still switched on, without you trying to stick your fingers in a ~200mW beam to twist the fiddly black lens
 
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Depending on the price, I'd probably buy 15 or so of the gear type design in black or tinted dark green.
 
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@turtle - nice! I don't have concrete figures of pricing yet, but it's going to be geared towards: if you buy a few, the price will plumet, as opposed to only purchasing 1 or 2. This is down the the postage costs.
 
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I may want to have some parts made especially if you use the fluorescent transparent plastic. One idea is to have an end ring at the bluray's exit opening, any stray violet would make it glow and be a good "beam On" indicator.
Another item I would like would be used as a decorative cap. It could glow when green or violet laser is turned on, mainly for the ~13 mm diameter pen style greenies, and maybe with a stack of two or three glowing different colors!
 
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Any word on when I can send you money for some =)

I can't stand trying to focus the module by hand each time I want to use it. it keeps moving on me.
 
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Well, the designs have been finalised, and all I need to do is order some plastic and get cutting. However I need to finalise the design of another (non-laser) project which I need some similar plastic for. But the postage prices are high per order, so I'm going to order combine both together.

I reckon about 2 weeks until they are ready to be shipped. Maybe less though! Sorry I can't be of any more help. I'm probably going to take the UK orders, and It's looking like SenKat could sort out the US orders, to hence save postage and delivery times etc. But I think he might sell them on his shop or something. The initial batch will be of a few 100 in the popular colours.

Thanks for being patient!


Dan :)
 




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