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I feel kinda more foolish than usual now you've explained that, bojan. The SPECIAL WARNING on the laser when I bought it was written in white ink in zero point font, for my reading pleasure. However it does say something vague about "warm-up time: 5 mins". They must mean 5 mins in the thermos with the coffee, rather than 5 mins of use.
The heated laser sounds sensible and fun, but in the mean-time, I've made a simple socket, permanently mounted on the scope, for the laser to slip into (and out of) easily and precisely. Socket made as follows: Took a 4" length of aluminium tube that just barely clears the (cylindrical to 0.05 mm) body of the laser. A transverse slot about 8 mm long and about 5 mm back from the "caudal" end holds an O-ring which projects a tiny bit into the lumen of the tube, thus taking up any free play and holding the laser in place. At the "cephalic" end, a tight longitudinal slot accepts the "go" button, thus preventing axial rotation. The wall thickness is such that the "go" button, when pressed, is just flush with the surface. A piece of springy PVC sleeve sits over the slot. The entire assembly clamps permanently into a six-screw finderscope mount. When you push the laser into its socket, the PVC sleeve (a) pushes the button on, and (b) further takes up slack. Did not even need to fire up the lathe.
Now the laser can stay warmy toasty in my ski-jacket, be produced to educate unsuspecting guests, or be slipped into the socket on the scope for the couple minutes it takes to do the first three alignment stars. Some foam tube round the business end may also help delay cooling during those few minutes.
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