Just ordered an AstroSystems Laser Collimator with Barlow

[Omaroo]

A simply brilliant device. Mark Suchting introduced this laser collimator to me the other night when we were collimating Paul Shopiss' 12" binocular telescope. Normal laser collimators don't do anywhere near as good a job I don't think.

I've never performed a full collimation so quickly and easily. It literally took 15 seconds per side once the collimator was inserted into the focuser. Paul has thumbscrew secondary adjuster screws as well as knobs on the primary adjusters, so there was no fiddling with screwdrivers or allen keys.

1) Firstly you insert the unit into the focuser. Remove the concave barlow attachment to expose the end of the laser and switch it on. A beam hits the secondary and bounces down to the primary. You adjust the secondary until the beam hits the centre mark on the primary.

2) Then place the barlow attachment back on the front of the unit. It acts as a projector screen and shows the return image from the centre dot on the primary. All you now do is adjust the primary's collimation knobs until the centre dots image hits the centre of the screen.

Done! It literally took seconds and gave great collimation. When you have two optics trains to set up each night it'll be a real bonus.

$109 plus delivery ex Colorado USA.

http://www.astrosystems.biz/laser.htm

I'm in no way affiliated with this crew - just a really satisfied customer.

Cheers
Chris

[Satchmo]

Just a quick added note. The point of the barlow is not just to create a blurred laser beam allowing a shadow of the centre dot to be projected back. I don't understand the optical side of it, but once you fit the barlow lens, the beam returned from the primary becomes immune to wobble or slop of the laser in the eypiece holder:).

I'm sure we've all be frustrated by the act of careful laser collimation only to find the laser wobbling in the holder making a nonesense of our effort. To wiggle the barlowed laser and see the projected shadow of the centre dot onto the base of the laser, sitting rock solid, is something that has to be seen to be believed.

[Omaroo]

That's a really good point Mark. I've just received mine yesterday and what you say is true! :) It can be wobbled around in the focuser to a degree and the return centre circle image does not move on the face of the barlow. I just re-collimated my 8" newtonian and it was a pleasure to do.

[DJVege]

Hi guys,

A quick question. Do you have to collimate the AS laser collimator (like you do normal laser collimators)???

I ask because I hate collimating laser collimators. It takes me so long to do it that the batteries run out after 2 sessions of trying to collimate the darn thing!!

[Omaroo]

Deej - just been reading the manual, and it states that the collimation screws on the body should never be touched.



So... guess not!

[DJVege]

Hmm....interesting. Do you reckon you could post a few more detailed pics of the one you have? I'd be interested in getting one!! :)

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

Collimating a laser isn't hard, so............ I feel this is a revenue maintenance thing.

You don't need an accurate jig, just a long baseline and hard surfaces on the V-blocks.

Cheers

[Omaroo]

Yep - here you go.

Pic 1) The end of the unit with the barlow removed.

Pic 2) Use it like this on step 1 - centring the beam on the primary's centre dot by adjusting the secondary translation and tilt.

Pic 3) With the barlow in place - adjust the primary's collimation screws to centre the returned centre dot image on the screen.

Done!


Cheers
Chris

[Omaroo]

They're not charging anything for re-collimation if required so I'm not sure that I follow your reasoning...it'd be free to you and me apart from postage if it was ever required.

No-one ever said that it was hard - just unlikely to be necessary. Let's not jump to negative conclusions, hey? If these guys want to offer a service - and the only cost is postage, then they're OK in my book. I'm not sure how many other companies go to this extent for their customers...

This one has its four collimation set screws firmly epoxied in place so that it won't (or shouldn't) shift - ever.

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

It isn't a matter of jumping to negative conclusions (although you may have done a bit of that yourself) but more a comment on whether the unit really needs to be shipped off anywhere into the distance, by anyone with a bit of basic knowledge. I just think that is what we are all about here - self reliance and shared expertise, not simply posting it off to the distributor when you aren't really sure if anything at all needs doing, and you can't check if anything even was when it is returned.

I believe with these laser collimation units you will find that regardless of how much epoxy is on the collimation screws you will need to check the collimation whenever batteries are replaced (major disturbance), and also for whatever disturbing effect is noticed due to how much the on/off screw is turned.

There is also a very basic point for all of us:

- how do you check for yourself whether you can have confidence in the laser collimation unit, despite kilograms of epoxy and assurances from the distributor?

As I said, a simple jig, not especially high-class, and a baseline of a few metres, and you can inform yourself well. I repeat, it is not difficult.

As for posting it off to a distributor who promises to work a trans-epoxy marvel which you cannot check on yourself when you get it back, well.......I just don't believe in that.

I'll post no more on this unless anyone wants details. Each to his own.

Cheers

[Omaroo]

"despite kilograms of epoxy and assurances from the distributor?"

Who said "kilograms"? A tad dramatic huh?

"distributor who promises to work a trans-epoxy marvel which you cannot check on yourself"

"Marvel"? .. here we go again!

Seriously Geoff - whatever! LOL! Life and death..... LOL! Before you comment on a brand/model you've never owned, maybe you should see one and use it first before casting automatic dispersions. Sheesh! Please stop jumping to conclusions because, hey, they're not all the same. I've used the typical newtonian laser collimator and they actually NEED collimation often - if you're used to these and you're happy tinkering with them go for it!

[GeoffW1]

No more comment. You raised the matter. As you said, whatever.

Cheers

[Omaroo]

Glad that's over.

Eric and DJvege - if you'd like any more photos please let me know.

Cheers :thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

No you will not - the batteries reside in a separate compartment and even if they are removed completely they come no where the collimated laser compartment.

There is no on-off screw..... it's a push-button switch on the opposite end of the device in a completely separate housing.

Pic 1) The switch...

[GeoffW1]

*Sigh*

Look, we went too far too quickly. I just wanted to suggest it is really handy to be able to give your laser unit a collimation check your ownself, epoxy, pushbuttons and all, without posting it to anyone.

I'm tired. And old. I'm going to bed.

Cheers

[Omaroo]

We did Geoff, and I would like to apologise.

I agree that with the standard, run of the mill laser collimators you need to be able to collimate them more easily because they require it more often. The design of this one is significantly different, and I believe (as an engineer) that it is far less susceptible to the foibles the rest are. My opinion only - but you need to see it and use it to know I guess.

Cheers
Chris

[netwolf]

Chris,

Wish i had one when i had the dob.
How do you see the projected image while turning the knobs on the primary mirror? Did i miss something? I assume you have to go back and forth from front to back to check this.

Regards
Fahim

[Omaroo]

That's right Fahim - unless you have a truss system - where this thing is a delight to use.

[DJVege]

Whoa, seems like I might've instigated a small argument. Sorry dudes.

I think Geoff's initial post was directed at mine. I was saying I had difficulty collimating a laser collimator (just not the one Omaroo has :)).

I hate the laser collimator. It is probably just me, and maybe even just the one I had was crap, but I only ever once got the laser collimated perfectly. I had the V blocks and everything! For one thing, the batteries don't last long. And as soon as you change batteries, you have to collimate the darn thing. As collimating it took me ages, by the time I had the laser collimated, I pretty much had to change the batteries again!! :) Which means...COLLIMATE AGAIN!!! :mad2:

So, just from my experience, terrible skill at collimating laser collimators, and laziness ;), I'm interested in this little device as it looks to need no laser collimation. :)

Only problem is they only take credit card, and i don't have one!

[Omaroo]

They also take money order by mail....

[DJVege]

Ordered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[Omaroo]

Good stuff DJ. Let me know what you think of it after you've tried it.

Cheers :)
Chris

[DJVege]

Will do.

How long did it take for yours to arrive?

[Omaroo]

I ordered mine on the 19th of October and it arrived on the 29th. Not too bad considering that two weekends fell in between those dates, so that's just over 5 working days.

[ozstockman]

Hi,

I do not know whether it really works or it's just me who belives that it certainly should.
I've found a simple way to collimate a laser collimator. I just turn it on, put it on a mirror in a dark bathroom and then it's quite easy to collimate. It takes no more than a couple of minutes and most of the time is spent on finding screws heads in darkness :-)

cheers,

Michael

[DJVege]

Thanks Michael. I think it may just be that the screws have had their toll on the collimator. But..I'm just useless at collimating it. When i think I'm on a roll, and the laser is coming towards centre, I'll make a tiny adjustment, and all of a sudden it will be going to other way!! Or be way out of collimation. I just hate em! :) And I just wanna whinge about em! :) I also hate the fact you have to recollimate every time you change batteries.

Which is why I spent $120 - $130 on this little baby (pics when it arrives).