Laser Pecker Wood Lathe Tailstock Mount

This is an item/jig/mount which holds a Laser Pecker 1 laser in the centerline of a MT2 (Morse Taper 2) lathe tailstock.  It will actually hold it in the centerline of any MT2 object like a drill press, (but I made it for wood bowl turners).  With this device, you can very quickly and very simply burn in art, pictures, or writing onto a wood bowl while it is mounted on the lathe. Rather than have to go through the clunky process of trying to get a large bowl or hollowform under a little laser.  

Why Laser Pecker 1?

I chose this laser because it is incredibly affordable (200 dollars, last I checked), very lightweight (only 190 grams/less than 7oz), and ultra easy to use.   I use it exclusively for signing my bowls.  It takes less than 10 seconds to set up, (a lathe tailstock is perhaps the  most overbuilt, user friendly way to guarantee precise distance between the laser and the wood being engraved).  The laser is also only a half watt, doesn't get hot or need a cooling fan and it runs on usb power! So its easy to get power to it and the results are amazing.  Perfect clean engraving every time with no setup at all.  It ain't fast (as lasers go) and it doesn't connect to illustrator in any way I can see (their higher-tier lasers do); rather it just uses an app where you make a high contrast image, (like writing with a black sharpie on a white piece of paper) take a picture of it, and the app turns that picture into an engraving file ready to go.  You preview an outline and a center dot, and click start and sit for ten minutes or so while it does its thing.  The dust collector, that probably already happens to be sitting there, makes a great pseudo air-filter for the tiny steam of smoke that comes off of the bowl as it goes too! (see pics) 

How shall I print this amazing masterpiece of art and engineering:

Print it upright, as it is in the file, use supports on the MT2 arm only (everything else is printable as is) 

The irregular surface on the print caused by the supports is fine, and gives the "MT2 taper-lock" more of a "taper snug" feel, that is easy to set and easy to remove without tools or knockout bars.  

You will need to buy a 1/4-20 Camera Nut/Thumbscrew to attach the LP1 to the mount (pictured).  (Or, you can cannibalize the one from the little tripod it comes with) 

The threaded holes in front of and behind the camera mount hole are for M6 cap screws which can offset the laser up or down from center (only use the one you need and don't forget to loosen the camera nut first).

The laser can freely rotate left or right 10 degrees or so, for a left/right offset before tightening the camera nut to secure it.   

I hope this reaches some wood turners and they find it as useful as I do.  I even love the ten minute contemplation time it gives you at the end of a bowl to sit and contemplate its form before finishing.  

Cheers!