DIY Beam Alignment? Help

[Gabe Gat]

Hi again folk, I've run into a bit of an issue I *think* my beam is out of alignment and/or may table is not true across the whole surface.

Top left corner of the bed (18 x 24") everything is fine just like in the good old days... last week. just about everywhere else I've tried to run on the table the cut lines goes out of focus, gets very thick, stops going all the way though the wood.

Initially I suspected that it was just fogged mirrors, so I took them out and did a good clean, they were a little smoked up, I've been cutting wood a lot lightly. Anyway the clean up made some difference but nothing anywhere near usable cutting or engraving?

What are you thoughts and what's a guy to do?

I'll need pretty detailed instructions as I haven't gotten past being afraid of breaking my machine ;)

Oh and it's a Universal Laser 50W. PS-50

Thanks and Merry Christmas

[Joe Pelonio]

Look for the simple things first. The most common is warped material, or a worn honeycomb grid. If your grid is removable perhaps some debris has gotten under it, causing it to be high at one end. With the machine off, if yours allows the head to move freely, then move it around and measure from the bottom of the lens to the material and see if it's the same in all four corners and the middle.

If the mirrors do need adjusting, someone with the ULS will have to help you.

[Dave Johnson29]

I *think* my beam is out of alignment and/or may table is not true across the whole surface.


Hi Gabe,

I am with Joe, if it happened suddenly it is unlikely to be an alignment problem. Check as Joe suggested.

Have you moved the machine? Is it level? Has anything changed in the machine's environment. If it is out of alignment, it is best to try and find why it might have jumped out of alignment before charging in with the knob-twiddling, heat-paper and masking tape. :)

I cannot see how it would suddenly go out of beam alignment.

Is there a beam alignment test/check procedure in your manual?

[Mike Mackenzie]

Gabe,

First thing to do is to re-seat the mirrors on those systems it was easy to put the mirrors on wrong. Loosen the thumb screw put your fore finger into the hole on the mount and squeeze the center of the mirror then tighten the thumb screw.

Do this first

Next check the level of the table focus in the upper left hand area of the table then turn the system off and move the head to the right and check it with the tool repeat checking the lower areas of the table.

Next be sure to check the lens real good do you see any spots? Did you remove the lens from the holder?

There are instructions on doing the alignment in the manual however I would do this as the last resort.

[Gabe Gat]

Thanks everyone, I'll give that a shot, I thought I checked everything but I'll give it another try. The only thing I can think that I did inbetween when it worked and didn't is clean the cutting bed, though maybe I knocked something or pushed the table out of wack in one corner? I'll check things out tonight!

[Rob Bosworth]

Gabe, your table is probably canted. Those old ULS PS machines only had two Z axis screws on them. If you leaned on the table, or had something heavy on one end of it, the table kind of pivots on the two Z axis screws. You can re-level the table front to back by just pulling up or pushing down on the front of the table. If the table is out of level, left to right, you have to loosen the Z axis drive belt that runs along the bottom of the can, then adjust the left or right so they are equal distance from the lens. Then re-tighten the drive belt and away you go.

Good luck.

[Brian Robison]

Nice picture Rob. Looking at that old guys belt buckle, he must be from South Carolina, right?

[Gabe Gat]

it looks like all four corners are a little out of level from each other. How can I can about leveling out the table?

[Rob Bosworth]

Brian, we got a little carried away making belt buckles last year. I have put the suit together over the years, kinda on the cheap. A friend had their son make me a 6" wide black belt. After receiving it, I then needed to make something to hold it up or on. So we took some different mirrored acrylic and started making belt buckles. The big silver oval works great, except it is flat. It works great, until something springs the end, and it releases like it is spring loaded. We are going to try to heat the whole thing up, and make it curve slightly, to conform to my gut.

I really surprised my kids by telling them that it really is a Flavo Flav belt buckle. They figured I would not have any idea who Flavo Flav was. Hey, I'm hip!

This years project is to make leather suspenders to help hold up this massive belt. Of course we can't just do something simple like just making suspenders, we want to also add sleigh bells to the suspenders. Pretty lofty project for a guy who can barely use a glue gun, much less something like a sewing machine.

Being Santa is a fun project. I try to limit my appearances because I don't want to feel like it is a job. Maybe someday, but not yet. The Queen and I have a lot of fun. We drive around in her Thunderbird, with the top down and do a lot of waving. One of our favorite appearances is the last day of school. We try to hit the 7 or 8 schools during lunch, recess or as the busses pick up the kids. We are not allowed on school grounds, so we just drive past, Christmas Carols blaring and wave. It usually starts with one kid looking up and seeing the Sleigh, and by the end of the school yard there will hundreds of kids mobbing the fence and waving. And of course, the School yard proctors don't seem to mind a bit.

Today will be a bit chilly with the top down. Currently 6 below 0. But what the heck, that's why they put heaters in cars.

[Jeanette Brewer]

6 below 0??? Our thermometers stop at 50 in Texas -- I didn't know there was such a thing as 6 below 0! ;)

[Brian Robison]

hehehehe, why is there a small child in the bar behind you?
Sorry about hi jacking this thread.

[Rob Bosworth]

It's Wisconsin. We encourage families to stay together. Actually, it is a picture from Breakfast with Santa. Dick's Bar and Grill offers free breakfast to any youngster who wants it. Always best to get them sticky with pancakes and french toast before they sit on St. Nick's lap.

Jeanette, you must be too young to remember the Ice Bowl!