Lab style laser and lab setup?

[Limecat]

I am curious. I know people have lab style lasers, but does anyone actually have their lab style laser set up so the beam is projected down a path with lenses, mirrors, filters, and other such things? I would like to build a rudimentary one for experiments and wanted any input. At university, they have a sort of grid that you can screw down vertical pole mounts into, or a rail system for varying distances of lenses and objects.

 

[Nordhavn]

I had a full table setup. it's the only way to go if you need stability for alignment. It's expensive though! What are you looking to accomplish?

 

[Limecat]

Just the ability to expand the beam, recollimate, fourier analysis, mode switching if possible.
Other than that I could just mess around with it and yeah I see that it's kinda expensive. I saw an optical breadboard and it was like 200 bucks new. lol

Edit: sorry no, 760 bucks for a 19" x 23" board lol

 

[Bluefan]

Yeah, they're that expensive. I made a small breadboard myself, about 50cmx50cm (20"x20"), that are a lot of holes to drill, I'm not doing that again. But it makes a good stable setup to work on.
I work with full size tables at my university, but that stuff is just so expensive...

 

[Limecat]

Yeah. I just wanted to be able to clean up the beam and such things, mess with fourier transform of patterns after expanding beam. getting a clean gaussian beam was the biggest one though. That takes a precision mount thing for the pinhole, and then both the laser and the pinhole must be mounted very solidly for it to be adjusted properly. dang it.

 

[hakzaw1]

FYI- for the low(est) budget minded--the particle board they sell for a wall tool racks has holes on 1 inch centers and Leggos can be found free (or nearly so) at thrift shops.----works for my projects til I hit the lottery--LOL--HZ

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

When I needed an optic table for my RGB, I started with a 1/4" thick plate of aluminum. I carefully marked, drilled and tapped the holes to hold all the "stuff".
A real gridded optic table is $$$$$. Metal is more stable long term than wood which can warp with humidity, load etc.

HMike

The blue paint on the aluminum it machinist's layout fluid.

 

[hakzaw1]

Sweet looking RGB build HMike--tres professional !!!we want beamshots!!

 

[Laser_Ben]

A real breadboard is necessary if you want to do any precision work.

It is also necessary when you are board and want to make a laser

 

[Limecat]

Yes Indeed. I explained in a different thread of mine I've performed optics experiments. It's the orientation and positioning of the spatial filter that requires the stability of a board and precision, mostly.

 

[Bluefan]

@hakzaw1: just tap the right thread in it, and you're got your makeshift breadbord. I'm using 25mm and M6 thread, I prefer metric on this side of te ocean. I took 5mm plastic. Works quite well, I supported it on 16 places making it reasonably stable with light loads. Next step: 4mm think 1x1.5meter alu plate.

@Hemlock_Mike: neat setup, combining RGB there? Where'd you get the mirror mounts?

@Laser_Ben: You're professional or just way too rich. Coherent power meter, Laservision goggles, Coherent Verdi laser and some Thorlabs mounts for the optics. That is just wicked sick stuff you've got there!

I can post pics of what I use at the university, but that doesn't count, right?

 

[Limecat]

English and Metric Bench Plates - Edmund Optics

lolz...

 

[Bluefan]

I'd go for "OMG" for the prices....

 

[Limecat]

OMG that's a lot, or OMG that's pretty affordable?

I'm guessing the former lol.

 

[Bluefan]

correct, why else would I build my own?

 

[Limecat]

Well you're lucky you have the tools. I don't. It'd cost more to buy the tools to make my own than to just buy one from them. I don't need a large one at least not atm because I'd only need it for spatial filtering. I just dont' think I should get one at this time yet. But nonetheless that site might come in handy. they sell other optics related things too but I'm sure you found that out exploring