Tired of Mickey Mouse table alignment on Epilog? High precision tool you can make

[Doug Fennell]

Dead simple, dead accurate.

593.jpg592.jpg
Pick up a dial indicator at Harbor Freight or your equivalent and make this holder for about 2 cents in material. It's held onto the optics head by purse clips.

The dial indicator press fits in to the holder - works like magic. Run it around to all 4 corners and adjust. Sized for a Epilog Helix, the basic concept should be adaptable for most others as well.

[Doug Griffith]

Exactly what I do on my Mini 24. Even use binder clips.

[Doug Fennell]

Used it for several years, no way I'm the first - good tip for those who don't know though.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

Great post. Thanks for sharing!

[Larry Bratton]

Dead simple, dead accurate.

593.jpg592.jpg
Pick up a dial indicator at Harbor Freight or your equivalent and make this holder for about 2 cents in material. It's held onto the optics head by purse clips.

The dial indicator press fits in to the holder - works like magic. Run it around to all 4 corners and adjust. Sized for a Epilog Helix, the basic concept should be adaptable for most others as well.

Hey Doug,
For us dummies (maybe I''m the only one) how about elaborating on just how this works. I hate doing alignment on EXT, pain in the rear. Thanks

[Doug Fennell]

Hi Larry - everyone hates doing alignment on their laser, until they figure out how to do it! :-)

Just clip the alignment jig onto the optics carriage and start at the home position. Zero the tool (press the zero key). Take the optics carriage to all 4 corners and find the highest corner - that's where you'll start the adjustment from, the highest corner. Re-zero the tool ON THE HIGHEST CORNER - now go clockwise around the table to the other 3 corners and make height adjustments on the adjustment screws until each corner reads zero, then just move to the next corner until they all read zero or there abouts. Should take just a few minutes and even less once you get good at it.

[David Fairfield]

Cool idea, thanks! I'll get one of those dial indicators next HFT order.

Also I noticed from the scortch marks, it appears you have been using the flat metal engraving table for vectoring. Any advantages over the vector grid?

Dave

[Doug Fennell]

Not really better for everything, just more uniform. The grid tends to deform thinner material (suction through the grid anyway), and it's not uniform for things requiring critical fitment like inlays, as was the case for those scorch marks. I REALLY need to clean the table before posting pics - makes me look like a slob!

[Larry Bratton]

Hi Larry - everyone hates doing alignment on their laser, until they figure out how to do it! :-)

Just clip the alignment jig onto the optics carriage and start at the home position. Zero the tool (press the zero key). Take the optics carriage to all 4 corners and find the highest corner - that's where you'll start the adjustment from, the highest corner. Re-zero the tool ON THE HIGHEST CORNER - now go clockwise around the table to the other 3 corners and make height adjustments on the adjustment screws until each corner reads zero, then just move to the next corner until they all read zero or there abouts. Should take just a few minutes and even less once you get good at it.

Thank you sir..I'll keep this and next time I will use it.

[Craig Matheny]

Sounds great I will try tomarrow

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Hey Doug,
Thanks for sharing. Cool Idea. I have one with a strong magnet and an articulating arm for my CNC's but since the Trotec bridge is aluminum I was thinking of another way but you may have saved me some time. I have not seen the digital one at my local HF but I may not have been looking for one or in the right place if I was. Well you know what I mean. Now that I have seen it I will see it everywhere. Even when I am not looking for it.

Thanks again and ...

[Doug Fennell]

Michael, most welcome. This is the one...