What is wrong now.

[Bruce Dorworth]

My laser is not cutting as well as it was last week. I tried a test firing of the laser and the mark is a hole where the laser fired, with a dark oval around it. The actual laser hole is to one side of the oval

Thanks,
Bruce

[Dave Sheldrake]

Scatter Bruce, the beam is hitting the cone by the sound of it

cheers

Dave

[Bruce Dorworth]

Thanks Dave after posting this thread I came to the same conclusion. I went back over to the laser and removed the cone, fired the laser,...nope not it same exact spot.

Bruce

[John Bion]

Bruce, If your final mirror has slipped a little, what you describe can happen. It can be so bad that the little silicone O ring gets damaged which gives off white flakes that sit on top of your lens, these in turn of course obscure the beams path. I would take the cone off, place a piece of damp (to keep it stuck) tissue over the base of the tube and fire the laser, take the tissue off (having made sure you can see the where the edges of the tube are on it) and see how central the mark on the tissue is. Check your other mirrors too for cracks or dirt.
Kind regards, John

[Rodne Gold]

I would start with a beam alignment...

[Bruce Dorworth]

Thanks guys, I am pretty sure it is something to do with beam alignment. I put a piece of tape on the bottom of the cone. The spot hit dead center on the hole in the cone.

Bruce