It is known that setting up any laser is not easy. Expensive cars have a built-in laser pointer based on a red laser diode, to set up devices "simpler" you can use the following option - "shoot" a beam at paper targets fixed on the mirrors.
Instructions
Step 1
Carefully disassemble the laser pointer with wire cutters.
Step 2
Get out the board. A diode, a micro-switch, a lens and a protective diode (for power supply) are mounted on it.
Remove the button, "bite" the board with wire cutters (to shorten it) to the diode, solder the power wires. Use the same elements to power the laser as used in the laser pointer. Solder wires to them.
Step 3
Secure the batteries with electrical tape. On the back of the laser, attach a piece of foam rubber (preferably with glue) and wrap the entire structure with electrical tape.
Step 4
The piece of foam on the back of your laser pointer must be large enough to fit in the socket of the laser emitter, and it must also be soft enough to damage the translucent mirror installed in the socket. Before fixing the laser pointer in the socket, you will have to make a rough adjustment - you need the laser beam to hit the target.
Step 5
Now turn off the laser engraver, mount the laser pointer in the laser socket and make sure that the laser diode beam is aligned with the mark on the target from the laser shooting. Thus, the beam of the red laser pointer is located exactly along the beam of the standard laser emitter. Now you can start setting up the optical path of the laser engraver.
Step 6
After aligning the beams of the red laser pointer and the standard laser emitter, you can start aligning the optical path of the laser engraver. To do this, fix the paper target and, moving the mirror along the Y axis with your hands, achieve the beam hitting the target exactly at the minimum and maximum distance from the first mirror.
Step 7
After adjusting the second mirror, adjust the beam path from the second to the third mirror: place the target on the third mirror and move the cutting head carriage along the X-axis by hand. Turn the adjusted screws on the second mirror. Your beam must accurately hit the center of the target at the minimum and maximum distance of the third mirror from the second.
Step 8
Now remove the target from the third mirror and determine the focal length by placing a sheet of paper on the table, rotating the table lower / raise screw. There remains one more procedure - adjustment of the third mirror of the optical path of the laser engraver. With the help of a red laser pointer, this will not be difficult - a focused point in a halo of a pale red spot is visible on a sheet of paper. Rotate the adjusting screws on the third mirror until the focused point hits the center of the halo. This setting is best done in the dark.
Step 9
At the end of the adjustment, set the focal length again by turning the table lower / raise screw. Measure focus - the distance from the paper to the bottom edge of the cutter head.
