DIY Laser levelling using webcam and laser level

[devmonkey]

I found a few different self adhesive glazing gaskets to experiment with. The one that works best is a 5x10mm rectangular profile neoprene strip, no idea where it came from. It isn't the very soft foam draft stop stuff, nor is it full rubber, it is designed to be compressed between the rebate and the glass on a fixed window. It is a closed cell structure not the sponge.

I also picked up the aluminium from SPA, huge stocks and fantastic price with cash at the door, perfectly happy with me picking up a couple of lengths.

So the experiment was to check the compression rate of the gasket and also whether I could inject some potting compound. I used around 400mm of 50x6 flat bar and clamped it into two lengths of the gasket stuck to a bit of 4x2. With the clamps at maximum pressure the gasket was compressed to about 2mm, the clamping force from the bolts I'm planning to use will be at least as much as from these hand clamps. Also the gasket is strong enough to just distort the aluminium which is perfect.

A 6mm hole was drilled in the middle for injection and countersunk. I used a normal decorators caulk gun to inject glazing sealant which has about the same consistency as West's 105/205 colloidal silica thickened epoxy which is what I will use on the actual job. The gun was pressed hard against the countersunk hole and sealant injected. I had to use quite a lot of force but it pushed the sealant through easily,.

So not very scientific but all very promising. Next step is to drill up the sub-plates and get them mounted on the machine frame.