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Hi Folks,

Got it together and almost calibrated tonight:



Under temporary working stuff - First entry: first prototype.

Initial results are encouraging!

Ended up having to bore it out more since these $1 laser pointers do not
have a vaguely centered beam.

Kinda pleased. Will sit down and finish the calibration tomorrow, was
kind of worn out tonight. Getting it close was a lot easier than I
expected it to be.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"Walking on water and developing software to specification are easy as
long as both are frozen" - Edward V. Berard.

Vikki, I'm sure I missed it somewhere along the way but would you
mind telling me where you got the $1 pointers? Thanks. :)

Rance

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...>
wrote:

Hi Folks,

Got it together and almost calibrated tonight:



Under temporary working stuff - First entry: first prototype.
Initial results are encouraging!

Ended up having to bore it out more since these $1 laser pointers

do not

have a vaguely centered beam.

Kinda pleased. Will sit down and finish the calibration tomorrow,

was

kind of worn out tonight. Getting it close was a lot easier than I
expected it to be.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"Walking on water and developing software to specification are easy

as

long as both are frozen" - Edward V. Berard.

The $1 pointers are available from (wait for it) your local Dollar
Store :-) These stores have slightly differing names but they're
common now. Sometimes they keep the pointers behind the counter and
you have to ask for them.

The pointers include 3 batteries of the type used in my DROs so the
pointers are slowly accumulating in my shop...

John

A much smaller centre finder can be made by removing the laser diode and mounting it at the end of perpendicular crossed flexures, rigidly mounted at the other end. Only two adjusting screws are then required, set at 90' to each other, giving independent X and Y adjustment, as the non adjusted setting screw slides across the flexure as the other screw is adjusted. The lasers in the cheap laser levels have push on push off switches and brass mounted laser diodes rather than PCB mounted diode. This has been on my 'to do' list for two years.

Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...> wrote: Hi Folks,

Got it together and almost calibrated tonight:



Under temporary working stuff - First entry: first prototype.

Initial results are encouraging!

Ended up having to bore it out more since these $1 laser pointers do not
have a vaguely centered beam.

Kinda pleased. Will sit down and finish the calibration tomorrow, was
kind of worn out tonight. Getting it close was a lot easier than I
expected it to be.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"Walking on water and developing software to specification are easy as
long as both are frozen" - Edward V. Berard.






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John,

If you are looking for 11.4mm x 5mm button cells (**357, **44, *76
depending on the chemistry and drain) Radio shack sells 6 volt "n" sized
batteries which contain 4 cells. They might even offer the choice of
alkaline or silver oxide, it's been a while. Not as cheap as your pointers
but might be fresher.

Jeff

* REPLY SEPARATOR *

On 4/3/2007 at 5:48 PM John wrote:

The $1 pointers are available from (wait for it) your local Dollar
Store :-) These stores have slightly differing names but they're
common now. Sometimes they keep the pointers behind the counter and
you have to ask for them.

The pointers include 3 batteries of the type used in my DROs so the
pointers are slowly accumulating in my shop...

John



--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "rancerupp" <rupps@...> wrote:

Vikki, I'm sure I missed it somewhere along the way but would you
mind telling me where you got the $1 pointers? Thanks. :)

Rance

-
Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing


jdemand@...
-

Malcolm, the little brass-mounted laser units are available from Maplin here in the UK, at about ?11 (add your own switch and 3v power source). The stock number is LE07H. Not as cheap as the US Dollar Store, but maybe worth a look?
Andy

Malcolm Parker-Lisberg <mparkerlisberg@...> wrote:
A much smaller centre finder can be made by removing the laser diode and mounting it at the end of perpendicular crossed flexures, rigidly mounted at the other end. Only two adjusting screws are then required, set at 90' to each other, giving independent X and Y adjustment, as the non adjusted setting screw slides across the flexure as the other screw is adjusted. The lasers in the cheap laser levels have push on push off switches and brass mounted laser diodes rather than PCB mounted diode. This has been on my 'to do' list for two years.

Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...> wrote: Hi Folks,

Got it together and almost calibrated tonight:



Under temporary working stuff - First entry: first prototype.

Initial results are encouraging!

Ended up having to bore it out more since these $1 laser pointers do not
have a vaguely centered beam.

Kinda pleased. Will sit down and finish the calibration tomorrow, was
kind of worn out tonight. Getting it close was a lot easier than I
expected it to be.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"Walking on water and developing software to specification are easy as
long as both are frozen" - Edward V. Berard.





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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Andrew
The pound shops have a laser level for ?1, uses 2 x AAA cells. It is a spot laser shining through a prism to give a vertical line and has the push on, push off switch. see ebay item 170097006100

andrew franks <andyf1108@...> wrote: Malcolm, the little brass-mounted laser units are available from Maplin here in the UK, at about ?11 (add your own switch and 3v power source). The stock number is LE07H. Not as cheap as the US Dollar Store, but maybe worth a look?
Andy

Malcolm Parker-Lisberg <mparkerlisberg@...> wrote:
A much smaller centre finder can be made by removing the laser diode and mounting it at the end of perpendicular crossed flexures, rigidly mounted at the other end. Only two adjusting screws are then required, set at 90' to each other, giving independent X and Y adjustment, as the non adjusted setting screw slides across the flexure as the other screw is adjusted. The lasers in the cheap laser levels have push on push off switches and brass mounted laser diodes rather than PCB mounted diode. This has been on my 'to do' list for two years.

Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...> wrote: Hi Folks,

Got it together and almost calibrated tonight:



Under temporary working stuff - First entry: first prototype.

Initial results are encouraging!

Ended up having to bore it out more since these $1 laser pointers do not
have a vaguely centered beam.

Kinda pleased. Will sit down and finish the calibration tomorrow, was
kind of worn out tonight. Getting it close was a lot easier than I
expected it to be.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"Walking on water and developing software to specification are easy as
long as both are frozen" - Edward V. Berard.

---------------------------------
Be a PS3 game guru.
Get your game face on with the latest PS3 news and previews at Yahoo! Games.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

G'day Vikki,
When you first reported on your laser edge finder developments you
said the beam size was disappointing. I take it from your pictures
that you have managed to narrow the beam.
Did you use a lens or a pin hole? How have you kept the focusing
device in place?

To Others:
In Oz and now the UK Jaycar are selling Laser diodes with collimating
lens AUD9.95, or another module for AUD13.95. The forward voltage of
the diode is 2.3 volts so it could be powered from two AA cells
through a dropping resitor. Contact me it you need details.

BTW I am NOT pushing Jaycar. I find their sales staff more useless
than those in machine tool stores. What is it about these kind of
people? (Other electronics stores are almost as bad, except for Tandy)
They act like they are doing you a favour by letting you have some
precious item from their personal collection. Haven't they heard of
up selling? "Do you want Fries (batteries) with that?" A few
questions about the customer's project would open up sales
opportunities. Thankfully I know enough (apart from the latest
gizmos) to intimiddate them back!!!
I'll write to Jaycar management.

Better get off the soap box before I get exiled to another group!

One good turn deserves another.
Regards,
Ian

Wow, what a pile of messages to wake up to :-)!

On Tuesday 03 April 2007, Ian Foster wrote:

G'day Vikki,
When you first reported on your laser edge finder developments you
said the beam size was disappointing. I take it from your pictures
that you have managed to narrow the beam.
Did you use a lens or a pin hole? How have you kept the focusing
device in place?

Upon the recommendation of John at GadgetBuilder I tried the pinhole in
a piece of kitchen aluminum foil which works really well to improve the
original spatter beam.

As for attachment, I used rubber cement on the end of the laser pointer
and the back of the aluminum foil - sorta like contact cement but
removable.

You can see this at the second entry under the temp stuff, specifically:



I've got an idea to improve on this using what is essentially a single
hole paper punch and the PCB drills. I got email from John that has
some pointers in it for improving this, but haven't done more than skim
it at this point (only starting on the second cup of coffee here :-).

To Others:
In Oz and now the UK Jaycar are selling Laser diodes with collimating
lens AUD9.95, or another module for AUD13.95. The forward voltage of
the diode is 2.3 volts so it could be powered from two AA cells
through a dropping resitor. Contact me it you need details.

MUCH better pricing than what I found, which was the impetus for using
the cheap laser pointers.

BTW I am NOT pushing Jaycar. I find their sales staff more useless
than those in machine tool stores. What is it about these kind of
people? (Other electronics stores are almost as bad, except for
Tandy) They act like they are doing you a favour by letting you have
some precious item from their personal collection. Haven't they heard
of up selling? "Do you want Fries (batteries) with that?" A few
questions about the customer's project would open up sales
opportunities. Thankfully I know enough (apart from the latest
gizmos) to intimiddate them back!!!
I'll write to Jaycar management.

Sounds like Radio Shack here (aka: rat shack, the floor sweeping
store, "How is your cell phone service" store, do you need batteries
store...) only somewhat better ;-). Where is the {some part} usually
results in the deer in the headlights look until you remind them they
have a computer to find out from. Etc. ...

Better get off the soap box before I get exiled to another group!

:-), I usually rant a bit coming back from a desperation run to rat
shack, problem is that the have it locally - overpriced, almost always
clueless sales droids, not great quality, but it will do when something
MUST do.

Heh, I'l shut up too lest we have to start a 2 person group over it ;-)
LOL!

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty
things" --Antoine de St-Exupéry

On Tuesday 03 April 2007, rancerupp wrote:

Vikki, I'm sure I missed it somewhere along the way but would you
mind telling me where you got the $1 pointers? Thanks. :)

Found them at a "Dollar Store" I just happened to see as I was running
errands. I don't even remember the name but I do remember where it
is :-).

These abound here in Seattle (popular because cost of living is so high
here :-). Bargain Bin, 99 cents store and probably 100 other names.

Really cheap Chinese stuff and ?almost? all of it sells for under a
dollar.

After wandering around in several of them and never finding any laser
pointers, I got bright and asked if they had them at this last one and
he had a whole case of them behind the counter :-).

HTH!

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
“He who does not punish evil commands it to be done.” --Leonardo Da
Vinci

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...>
wrote:

:-), I usually rant a bit coming back from a desperation run to

rat

shack, problem is that the have it locally - overpriced, almost

always

clueless sales droids, not great quality, but it will do when

something

MUST do.

Heh, I'l shut up too lest we have to start a 2 person group over

it ;-)

LOL!

Hi Vikki,

At the risk of making that the fastest growing group on Yahoo, I've
heard that these stores specifically select junior sales staff on
having pretty minimal expertise in electronics. Just enough to sell
stuff if the customer picks it off the shelf. If they know too much
then they get tied up in detailed free advice sessions at the
counter. That eats up man-hours as well as creating liability issues.

For what it's worth Ian, Jaycar here in the east are a bit better
than that. Now Dick Smith is another matter...

John

Hi John,

On Tuesday 03 April 2007, born4something wrote:

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...>

wrote:

:-), I usually rant a bit coming back from a desperation run to
rat shack, problem is that the have it locally - overpriced, almost
always clueless sales droids, not great quality, but it will do when
something MUST do.

Heh, I'l shut up too lest we have to start a 2 person group over
it ;-)

LOL!

Hi Vikki,

At the risk of making that the fastest growing group on Yahoo, I've
heard that these stores specifically select junior sales staff on
having pretty minimal expertise in electronics. Just enough to sell
stuff if the customer picks it off the shelf. If they know too much
then they get tied up in detailed free advice sessions at the
counter. That eats up man-hours as well as creating liability issues.

There is one other issue that was pointed out to me and that was if the
sales droids there actually knew something they would be directing you
elsewhere.

Known more than a few people who were knowledgeable who worked for them
briefly and left over issues like that :-(.

Now that they are selling more name brands, it may not be as much of an
issue assuming that the old rumor that they sell floor sweeping isn't
true :-).

That said, I have gotten some RF connectors from them that certainly
appear to be very good but still quit pricey. Forced to admit that the
higher price was offset by the fact I could get what I needed *now*.

We have one store here in the area that caters to parts people, a real
blessing.

For what it's worth Ian, Jaycar here in the east are a bit better
than that. Now Dick Smith is another matter...

One place down under I ordered a bunch of parts from that I was really
pleased with is Futurlec. MUCH cheaper than rat shack and generally at
very least the same if not better quality. Problem is that shipping to
the states takes FOREVER :-). IG (Instant Gratification, takes too
long to say :) isn't possible ;-). No connection, just a happy
customer.

Now if I could just plan 3 weeks or so ahead, they would be about
perfect :-). At those prices I can afford to stock up on stuff when I
do order though.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
“He who does not punish evil commands it to be done.” --Leonardo Da
Vinci

On Tuesday 03 April 2007, Jeff Demand wrote:

John,

If you are looking for 11.4mm x 5mm button cells (**357, **44, *76
depending on the chemistry and drain) Radio shack sells 6 volt "n"
sized batteries which contain 4 cells. They might even offer the
choice of alkaline or silver oxide, it's been a while. Not as cheap
as your pointers but might be fresher.

Bloody expensive as hell for those things from rat shack and at those
prices I wonder how much they do move.

My caliper battery went dead and I went by rat shack and IIRC it was
$6.95 for one from them.

Lived with the flashing display and ordered 10 of them from one of the
battery places online for about a wash after shipping.

Even the grocery store had a 3 pack of them for less than that.

Pardon, but I think of rat shack in terms of desperation :-).

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"As you are, I once was. As I am, you will be." -inscription on a
tombstone (in Boston, I think)

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...>
wrote:

One place down under I ordered a bunch of parts from that I was

really

pleased with is Futurlec. MUCH cheaper than rat shack and

generally at

very least the same if not better quality. Problem is that

shipping to

the states takes FOREVER :-). IG (Instant Gratification, takes

too

long to say :) isn't possible ;-). No connection, just a happy
customer.

Yes, I've bought a lot from them over the last year. Their prices
get even better on quantity but if you exceed their shelf quantity
on one item the whole order gets slowed by an extra month or so. Not
sure which shopfront you went through but everything seems to ship
from Bangkok. Say, you're one diverse character. Here on a lathe
forum and knowing about RF connectors and obscure e-sources like
Futurlec. I thought you were a software guru. Is the e-hardware bit
another life?

John

Hi,

You mean like eBay item 150102904848? I've bought some of these and
thought them pretty cost effective. He seems to have wound up
listings today - probably having Easter off. But it's hard to beat
10c each!

John


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...>
wrote:

On Tuesday 03 April 2007, Jeff Demand wrote:

John,

If you are looking for 11.4mm x 5mm button cells (**357,

**44, *76

depending on the chemistry and drain) Radio shack sells 6

volt "n"

sized batteries which contain 4 cells. They might even offer the
choice of alkaline or silver oxide, it's been a while. Not as

cheap

as your pointers but might be fresher.

Bloody expensive as hell for those things from rat shack and at

those

prices I wonder how much they do move.

My caliper battery went dead and I went by rat shack and IIRC it

was

$6.95 for one from them.

Lived with the flashing display and ordered 10 of them from one of

the

battery places online for about a wash after shipping.

Even the grocery store had a 3 pack of them for less than that.

Pardon, but I think of rat shack in terms of desperation :-).

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"As you are, I once was. As I am, you will be." -inscription on a
tombstone (in Boston, I think)

On Tuesday 03 April 2007, born4something wrote:

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...>

wrote:
One place down under I ordered a bunch of parts from that I was
really pleased with is Futurlec. MUCH cheaper than rat shack and
generally at very least the same if not better quality. Problem is
that shipping to the states takes FOREVER :-). IG (Instant
Gratification, takes too long to say :) isn't possible ;-). No
connection, just a happy customer.

Yes, I've bought a lot from them over the last year. Their prices
get even better on quantity but if you exceed their shelf quantity
on one item the whole order gets slowed by an extra month or so.

True, I turned on a friend to them and something he wanted they were out
of (or didn't have enough, not sure) was holding up the order, he
canceled those until next order and they shipped the rest. He still
thinks I am kidding about the FOREVER part :).

Not
sure which shopfront you went through but everything seems to ship
from Bangkok.

Ordered from :

Say, you're one diverse character. Here on a lathe
forum and knowing about RF connectors and obscure e-sources like
Futurlec. I thought you were a software guru. Is the e-hardware bit
another life?

Deeply interested in the universe in which I live, is my best excuse :).

Although I didn't find this for years after I started practicing it, it
is probably the best way to describe myself:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,
butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance
accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders,
give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new
problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight
efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert
Heinlein

Just always had a fascination about how things were made and what makes
them tick :-). Never did know my place :-) and whatever else might be
said about my parents, they never forced me into any mold, just let me
study what interested me :-). Growing up in a military family probably
had some bearing on this.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"Before Guadalcanal the enemy advanced at his pleasure -- after
Guadalcanal he retreated at ours." - Admiral "Bull" Halsey

Hi John,

On Tuesday 03 April 2007, born4something wrote:

Hi,

You mean like eBay item 150102904848? I've bought some of these and
thought them pretty cost effective. He seems to have wound up
listings today - probably having Easter off. But it's hard to beat
10c each!

Wow, that is a LOT better than what I did! bookmarked that guy :).

IIRC I got mine from here:



Could have been elsewhere, but we get a lot of our batteries from those
folks.

Take care, Vikki.
--
Victoria Welch, WV9K/7
"A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order will lose
both, and deserve neither." -- Thomas Jefferson

--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Victoria Welch <wrlabs@...>
wrote:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an

invasion,

butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet,

balance

accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take

orders,

give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new
problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal,

fight

efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."

Robert

Heinlein

I love it. Guess I identify too. Haven't done the sonnets. And I'm
not sure about the dieing bit. But amazingly I've tried the rest in
one way or another!

Just always had a fascination about how things were made and what

makes

them tick :-).

Yep. That's what got me into electronics. Also led me to spending a
quarter century in a defence research lab designing and testing a
lot of "experimental stuff" that I can't detail. A lot of multi-
skilling.

Now what was that about laser edge finders? I think that was the
topic...

John

Ok Ian, I have to ask. Why are you pilfering steam4ian's tag line. Are
you an imposter? Are you one and the same? :) I just have to ask, "Will
the real Ian please stand up".

PS: Thanks for the wisdom you impart to the group.


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "Ian Foster" <fosterscons@...>
wrote:

...

One good turn deserves another.
Regards,
Ian

Who'd a thunk it. Thanks John. :) Man are those things getting cheap.


--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "John" <John@...> wrote:

The $1 pointers are available from (wait for it) your local Dollar
Store :-) These stores have slightly differing names but they're
common now. Sometimes they keep the pointers behind the counter

and

you have to ask for them.

The pointers include 3 batteries of the type used in my DROs so the
pointers are slowly accumulating in my shop...

John



--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "rancerupp" <rupps@> wrote:

Vikki, I'm sure I missed it somewhere along the way but would you
mind telling me where you got the $1 pointers? Thanks. :)

Rance