3D Printed Laser Pointer Holders

[Meru (Michael)]

Hi all,

Merry Christmas! I'm toying with various ideas on how to mount laser pointers to scopes. I want to hear your thoughts on the design and general interest for this Would these be useful? I know it would be especially great for visual users, it's certainly something I would like to have. Best part is that being 3D printed, this can be customised to almost any need. So far three ideas, each with the same top part and a different base:

• For those without a finderscope holder, a dedicated holder with in-built pointer holder. Can print with pilot holes for tapping [image 1] or cutouts for nuts [image 2] so users can use any nut/thread size if they dont have access to a tap and die set
• For those without a finderscope or a real need (low mag scopes), a base that slots into the finderscope shoe [image 3 and 4] and allows for adjustments vertically/DEC (via washers) and horizontally/RA (via the arc slot for movement).
• For those with a finderscope, a base that can be pressed onto the stem of an existing finderscope holder so that the laser pointer is held sideways and adjusted via the same way [image 5]

If there's any interest I can print these up via my ad here (see post #23 for a laser holder I have already printed).

Thanks in advance and clear skies

[Meru (Michael)]

Bump. Not something worth pursuing?

[julianh72 (Julian)]

I have 3D-printed myself an adapter to mount a 50 mm Orion guide-scope onto a standard camera adapter bracket: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1068737
It could easily be modified to have a dovetail base rather than a screw-mount base, and could be resized to suit a much smaller accessory such as a laser pointer.

My design uses a two-piece "split-ring" concept to grip the barrel of the accessory, rather than the more conventional thumb-screws in a one-piece adapter. The advantage of this approach is that it is very tolerant of manufacturing dimensions, and can easily fit onto a scope barrel where both the objective end and focuser end are larger diameter than the main barrel where you want to mount it, so would not easily fit through a one-piece bracket. A disadvantage is that it is not so easy to fine-tune the alignment as the usual arrangement of two sets of three thumbscrews, but I deal with this using thin paper, cardboard or plastic shims between the accessory body and the split mount ring (if necessary).

Just another thought for a design concept ... feel free to use this if it would work for you.

[luka]

There are already few laser pointer holder designs on Thingiverse, see for example this.

Also of interest may be this dual dovetail adapter.