laser for hollowing

[gary7]

With the cost of lasers for hollowing tools at $120-$140 or more, I thought about making one. Anyone successful with this or can recommend a site etc with instructions on building one with links for purchasing a laser to go with one I might build?

 

[john lucas]

Are you just wanting to build the lazar guiding system or the whole hollowing rig. There was a really good article in American Woodturner on building the lazar attachment. I built one and it really works well. I think Bruce Hoover wrote it if I'm correct.
To find instructions on making a hollowing rig go to Lyle jamieson's web site.
I need to find a better lazar pointer to go with mine so I'll ask for recommendations from this group.

 

[Bernie Weishapl]

John what issue was that in of American Woodturner?? Thanks.

 

[robert davis]

got mine from best buy about 12 bucks several years ago ..uses aa batteries.. no problems

 

[bob elliott]

That would be AAW Journal Spring 2003

John what issue was that in of American Woodturner?? Thanks.

Bruce Hoover's article begins on page 56: Build Your Own Square-Aim Laser

 

[Hal]

laser pointers

You might find the laser you need at the following:
http://store.greenpearle.com/laserpointers.html
I bought a pointer a while back for making a depth gauge, but have never gotten around to it.

 

[Mort]

Check out www.thelaserguy.com all kinds of choices from $2.75 each on up.

 

[obobrien]

I get my lasers from a local flea market. $1.00 each. Cheaper than buying batteries. Here's a picture of my laser holder on my hollowing rig.

 

[john lucas]

I have been buying the el cheapo lazars. I get tired of the lights switching off and having to replace them all the time when they quit working. That's why I'm in the market for a higher quality unit. I think the problems I'm having with the cheaper units are the switch itself which seems to be really low quality and the vibration of the lathe seems to change the brightness of the dot. That also may be related to the switch or battery contacts.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Nice small rig, OB. I'm just finishing my hollowing rig. Going to make the laser holder articulated to accomodate tools/cutting tips off the centerline.

BTW, you're not thinking about doing those balusters on the midi are you? 😀

mm

 

[Vernon Oberle]

laser

try cal-pac. they are the same laser used in the infinity system and you can either use a battery pack or an ac adapter

http://www.calpaclasers.com/

 

[john lucas]

This golf swing lazar mentions that you can use it on woodlathes. Anyone have one of these?
http://www.thelaserguy.com/ergoswaid.html

 

[john lucas]

Calpaclazars has one that has a short straight line instead of a dot. Since it's easy to forget how you adjusted the lazar dot you could put this line paralell to the side your working on. That way you wouldn't forget and cut through the bottom. Of course I've never done that you see.

 

[Sean Troy]

John Lea has some new type lasers on his website. www.woodturningtools.net

 

[dkulze]

I picked up this one at a DARPA discontinued merchandise sale for $30. It's not great for spotlighting the outside of a vase but I can hollow a 20'x80' redwood log in about 15 seconds with it.

 

[Sean Troy]

Was that you that cut my chimmney off?

 

[john lucas]

That would be great for hollowing flutes. A nice straight hole and very quick. And if the neighbors dog comes over to poop in the yard, Zap, no more dog. Can I get one mounted in my truck for those vehicles that won't turn thier brights down. I'd show em what bright is.

 

[pencheff]

I picked up this one at a DARPA discontinued merchandise sale for $30

Where I grew up in northwestern PA a favorite fall pastime was driving around at night shining a billion candle power spotlight out the car window looking for deer.

That lil' tool would give "deer spotting" a whole new meaning 😛

 

[dkulze]

Where I grew up in northwestern PA a favorite fall pastime was driving around at night shining a billion candle power spotlight out the car window looking for deer.

That lil' tool would give "deer spotting" a whole new meaning 😛

More like making a small, greasy spot out of a deer.

Dietrich

 

[Doghouse]

THink GeEk

I do not work there, just the best laser I have found!

The Think Geek Green Laser Link

This pointer is significantly brighter (about 50 times) than a red laser pointer and because of its unusual color it is much more noticeable. I mean come on, a 532 nm green laser wavelength is obviously superior to a laughable 650 nm red laser wavelength. And unlike a red laser, the green beam itself can be seen in mid-air in dark conditions, not just the laser beam dot. This allows the green laser pointer to be used for pointing to star constellations (skypointing) and also just generally look cool as hell. The green laser beam dot can be seen at much greater distances than with a red laser pointer.

Since green direct injection laser diodes aren't readily available, this pointer is based on the use of Diode Pumped Solid State Frequency Doubled (DPSSFD) laser technology. A high power IR laser diode at 808 nm pumps a tiny block of Nd:YVO4 generating light at 1,064 nm which feeds a KTP intracavity frequency doubler crystal to produce the green beam at 532 nm.

 

[Sean Troy]

That is one expensive laser !

 

[dkulze]

Betcha you could see mine at a greater distance, like the moon maybe. 😀

Dietrich