How to Make a Homemade Collimator for Your Laser

Article reproduced with permission by Vic from lasercommunity.com.

In this Page, I will show you how to make an Homemade Collimator for your laser!
A laser collimator is basically a laser beam adjuster.
You could adjust the beam of your laser to as thin as hair(great for burning).
Or you could adjust it to go as far as possible, also known as the mRad(the laser beam's divergence).

Things Needed:

• Concave Lens, About the size of your Laser(Look at picures)


• Convex Lens, About the size of your Laser(Look at pictures)


• Pen/Lead Pencil about as thick as your laser(Look at pictures)


• Fire Source(To heat knife)


• Knife(To Cut the "Pen/Lead Pencil")


• Epoxy Glue, ask a hardware store for the best glue for glass)


• File

The Lenses I used were from an old Camera.

Instructions:
Step 1: Test your lenses(concave infront of laser, move convex lens back and forth) and write down the distance between the 2 lenses that you think has the best divergence.

Step 2: Heat up a knife until it's red, make sure the knife's handle isn't metal, if it is, make sure to wear gloves.

Step 3: Look at the picture below to see where to cut, leave some extra space for the larger tube.

Step 4: Cut off/file down the pieces until you think the lens will fit (screw the 2 pieces together and look at your measurements from Step 1, look at the diagram and file down to about 1-3mm behind the dotted red line, DON'T GO PAST IT!!)

Step 5: Mix a small amount of Epoxy glue, and use a toothpick to apply it to where you put the lens.


Step 6: Let it dry

Step 7: Use tape to stick it in front of your laser

Step 8: Done!!!