Anyone recognize this beam expander or it's lens coating ?

[RedCowboy]

I just bought this beam expander on ebay, it should arrive next week but the lens coating is unknown, it says 6X and " diode laser " so I'm thinking possibly IR ?? but hoping for VIS, looking at the front lens it looks like binocular objectives that I have but that means nothing, just wondered if anyone recognizes it and hoping it will play nice with my favorites.

 

[diachi]

Probably for red/IR. Most likely IR. Will still work with other W/Ls most likely.

 

[RedCowboy]

Yep, well I have been looking at some 10 and 15w c-mount diodes with FAC, I just so much prefer a visible beam, thanks for the input.

 

[paul1598419]

It looks like it is still in great shape if that is a photo of the actual BE. Just curious and you don't have to say, but how much did you have to give for it?

 

[RedCowboy]

Those are pics from the sale, I don't have the unit in hand yet, delivery is due in a week. I scored it for 80 bucks, YAY ME

There's a thick cap that I could make an adaptor from although I think I will get Rich to make an adaptor for me.

 

[Encap]

Nice professional grade find for $80

 

[steve001]

I just bought this beam expander on ebay, it should arrive next week but the lens coating is unknown, it says 6X and " diode laser " so I'm thinking possibly IR ?? but hoping for VIS, looking at the front lens it looks like binocular objectives that I have but that means nothing, just wondered if anyone recognizes it and hoping it will play nice with my favorites.

View attachment 62495

After some searching your expander looks like the model 09 com 013. A pdf which I cannot provide a link for indicates it is useful in the visible range. The pdf is melles_griot_laser_accessory_datasheet.pdf

 

[RedCowboy]

Thanks steve001 and Encap, I did search for Melles Griot before posting here and I had found a pdf with many beam expanders and several loose lenses however I did not find this exact unit, but if you say it's some kind of visible range that sounds good to me.

 

[paul1598419]

That is a good price for this BE. Consider how much others are that come from Chinese companies and $80 sounds dirt cheap to me. Nice snag, Robert.

 

[hakzaw1]

Good find RC

 

[RedCowboy]

Yes I am excited to put it to work...hopefully it's what I think and will suit my purposes.
I see how that adaptor will work, I can get Rich to turn me a big heat sink with a reduction and an adaptor with a reduction so the BE adaptor will slip over and fasten with those 2 set screws, rather than having to thread an input.

 

[steve001]

Yes I am excited to put it to work...hopefully it's what I think and will suit my purposes.
I see how that adaptor will work, I can get Rich to turn me a big heat sink with a reduction and an adaptor with a reduction so the BE adaptor will slip over and fasten with those 2 set screws, rather than having to thread an input.
View attachment 62501

Instead of a slip over adapter consider an adapter like the one JL uses. If you're not familiar with it, it consists of 3 parts. One screws into the front of the laser. This part has 2 set screws. It's also threaded around the outside diameter. Part 2 is a ring which is threaded on its inside diameter. It screws onto part 1. Part 3 is a disc of metal with a threaded hole to accept the expander. This disc is sandwich between parts 1 and 2. It's purpose is to allow the expander to be centered on the beam. Here's a link. Notice the disc has a short neck, that's the threaded hole. Its purpose allows the disc to be positioned. Once the beam expander is centered the set screws are tightened.
https://www.jetlasers.org/index.php?id_product=15&controller=product

 

[RedCowboy]

Yes I have owned the JL 10X before but I center my module so I wont have any positional run out, the only possibility would be angular run out if the diode is not pressed perpendicular but the JL won't adjust for angle, just position and that wont be a factor....actually I would like to use this BE with a c-lens pair corrected 44 so I would use an adaptor that I can remove rather than milling the endplate in to a round bar, this way I can make sure the angle will be correct as I will set my laser 1st and center it for height and angle then attach the endplate and make sure it's centered, then remove the endplate and set my 6X pair along the straight and level beam path, then attach the endplate adaptor and make sure it's correct before curing my UV glue, simply oversizing the 4 corner adaptor plate screw holes by a drill size or two would let me cheat if it was not aligned but I will make sure it is to start and throughout the process, also I build my boxes from 1/4 inch plate/bar so there's plenty of overlap to seal the box if I did have to cheat a little but I don't plan to do that.

I had started out doing round/cylinder head builds with the 12mm copper module set in the heat sink center hole like in the 2nd pic, but I want to do more square head builds with the linear motion rail mounts like in the top pic, I like them better for several reasons, aesthetics are my least concern........well not my top concern for certain as these builds are for me.

 

[VirtueViolater]

Is that a tripod mount I see? If so, sweet!!

 

[steve001]

Yes I have owned the JL 10X before but I center my module so I wont have any positional run out, the only possibility would be angular run out if the diode is not pressed perpendicular but the JL won't adjust for angle, just position and that wont be a factor....actually I would like to use this BE with a c-lens pair corrected 44 so I would use an adaptor that I can remove rather than milling the endplate in to a round bar, this way I can make sure the angle will be correct as I will set my laser 1st and center it for height and angle then attach the endplate and make sure it's centered, then remove the endplate and set my 6X pair along the straight and level beam path, then attach the endplate adaptor and make sure it's correct before curing my UV glue, simply oversizing the 4 corner adaptor plate screw holes by a drill size or two would let me cheat if it was not aligned but I will make sure it is to start and throughout the process, also I build my boxes from 1/4 inch plate/bar so there's plenty of overlap to seal the box if I did have to cheat a little but I don't plan to do that.

I had started out doing round/cylinder head builds with the 12mm copper module set in the heat sink center hole like in the 2nd pic, but I want to do more square head builds with the linear motion rail mounts like in the top pic, I like them better for several reasons, aesthetics are my least concern........well not my top concern for certain as these builds are for me.

View attachment 62502
View attachment 62503

You're good to go then.

 

[RedCowboy]

Is that a tripod mount I see? If so, sweet!!

Yes it looks like it, too bad we don't have a source for quality BE's at a decent price all the time, I bet it cost something like 400.00 new, I could stand to pay half that and buy a couple but the thorlabs I have been looking at is 480.00 and I'm just a poor dim soul with a bright expensive imagination.

Come to think of it I might as well just do a 2 1/2 inch round adaptor plate with the turned down nub to mount the BE as many of my heat sinks are 2 1/2 round bar and in the case of my square head I can mount that to the flat front cover which will allow all the run out I could need although I would mount it to start to the square front cover and make sure my beam is dead center, so all I need made is a 2 1/2 round bar stock adaptor with the turned down nub and a hole in the center, I can mount it on either type of build or several and swap it around.

You're good to go then.

Oh yes, Thanks.

---edit---

Actually I do like to build in as much adjustability as possible, I think I will use a front cover plate with countersunk bugle head machine screws and make the adaptor from round bar stock, bob the top, bottom, left and right on my chop saw and use a slightly oversize screw ( mounting ) hole for positional adjustment and place a set screw with a nut to lock it under each for angular adjustment as the slightest bit can show far field as skewing, having a threaded adjustment is always nice.