Mounting the Laser



Assuming we using a pen type laser pointer we need to mount the laser into a holder which securely hold the laser in position with no movement at all.



Since laser pointers often have a press switch, I will pull them apart and bridge a wire across the switch so that when-ever a battery is attached, it will stay on. Be careful soldering this while - you can easily dislodge other components and destroy the laser module.



Heat is often the death of lasers! Assuming it'll be on for longer than a few minutes, you may need a form of heat sink to dissipate the heat.



Find an aluminium heat sink from an old computer, and drill a hole big enough to fit the pointer into. Use thermal paste around it.



In this quick and dirty example, I'm merely pressing the laser into the centre groove with a polymorph blob.



To mount using the rail, use two 72mm perpex/pcbs'.



The bottom piece slots into the mounting block, and the other squarely above it, with bolts in each 4 corners.



This allows the vertical level to be raised up and down accurately.



Best to create this 'scaffold' before attaching any of the components to the top perspex/pcb.



Position the laser (in heat-sink) loosely on the top.



Turn the laser on and use a set square aligned along the centre line. Ensure the laser is aligned along the line, and is also exactly parallel with the plank/rail.



Once you are happy with the alignment, mark the position with a pencil.



I'll leave the method of attaching laser to you, but remember you may need to reposition it slightly later, so gluing it down now may cause regret. Some form of bolting may be better.

