Ready to push the button and buy a laser....

[AndrewMawson]

Yes IPA on a cotton bud

I bet that your mirrors need tweaking after shipment

[Davek0974]

Yep, they are not terrible as it does cut pretty well but a quick test showed alignment to be off centre so i'll clean up and go through following Russ' Tube, M1, M2, Head, setup pattern.

No doubt it will get worse before it gets better :)

I did flip the lens over the right way though.

Once thats done i'll do a focus ramp test.

[AndrewMawson]

Yes I noticed your mention of the lens before - are they asymmetrical then ?

[Davek0974]

yeah, flat one side and convex the other, from what i have read so far the flat side should face the work but they always put them in upside down in China :)

[AndrewMawson]

Presumably that shifts the effective place that the lens is sitting in the optic path by a bit ? Did you do before and after spot size comparisons on test burst, and if so what were the results?

[Davek0974]

Nah, should have probably ;)

I'm going through the whole lot now anyway so i'll finish with a focus ramp test.

[Davek0974]

Sorted out a few issues :)

Cutting ok now, just waiting for my power meter to see just how little there really is.

Test job :)