Dovetail Optical Rail Mounting Accessories


  • Spacers for Connecting Two Dovetail Rails
  • Low-Profile Wedged Table Clamps

CL6

Table Clamp

SC1

Spacer for
Two Rails

Application Idea

A Vertical Rail Assembly Constructed with SC1 Spacers Holds an RC1 Carrier and a GM100 Gimbal Mirror Mount

Related Items


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RLA Dovetail Rail Accessories
Dovetail Rails Dovetail Rail Carriers Dovetail Rail Carrier Positioners Dovetail Rail Mounting Dovetail Rails
Rails Rail Carriers Rail Carrier
Positioners
Mounting Cage Mounting
Adapter Ring
Counterbore Adapter Ring
CL6 Clamp and RLA0600 Optical Rail
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CL6 Clamp and RLA0600 Optical Rail

Features

  • Clamps Secure Dovetail Rails to Optical Tables and Breadboards
  • Spacers Mount Dovetail Rails Back to Back for Vertical Assemblies

Table Clamps
The CL6 Table Clamp features a wedged tip that is specifically designed to fit our RLA optical rails, allowing a rail to be secured along any direction on a breadboard or optical table. The low-profile clamp has the same height as an RLA rail, although its presence can restrict the placement of rail carriers.

Spacers
Thorlabs' SC1(/M) Spacers are used to mount two RLA Optical Rails back to back. This provides the additional support needed to create straight, stable vertical structures using our dovetail rails. SD1 Adapter Rings are requried to use these spacers with our dovetail rails because the rails have 1/4" (M6) holes while the spacers have 8-32 (M4) taps.

Counterbore Adapter Ring
For additional mounting flexibility, the SD1 Adapter Ring (shown schematically to the right) allows a #8 (M4) cap screw to be used within the 1/4" (M6) counterbored hole of the dovetail rails. This allows small optomechanical components, such as the KMS Compact Kinematic Mount, to be directly mounted to a rail. SD1 adapter rings are required for the use of SC1(/M) spacers with RLA rails.


Posted Comments:
t.j.l.schreurs  (posted 2013-04-03 08:35:39.11)
STEP files or at least pdf drawings of all the dovetail rail parts would be very convenient. Could you please provide these? Thanks a lot!
jlow  (posted 2013-04-03 13:09:00.0)
Response from Jeremy at Thorlabs: Thank you for contacting Thorlabs. The PDF drawings and STEP files should be located on this page under the "Documents" tab.
james.macpherson  (posted 2012-03-09 11:45:29.0)
You should include some longer carriers, even if they require two thumbscrews to work properly. I have a tube that I want to mount paralell to the translation axis at about 7" height. A 3 or 4" long carrier with inch spaced mounting holes would be ideal.

Wedged Table Clamp for RLA Series Rails

CL6 Clamping a Rail
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View Imperial Product List
Item #QtyDescription
Imperial Products List
CL62Table Clamp, RLA Series Optical Rails
RLA06001Dovetail Optical Rail, 6", Imperial
W25S05011/4" Washer, M6 Compatible, Stainless Steel, 100 Pack
SH25S05011/4"-20 Stainless Steel Cap Screw, 1/2" Long, 25 Pack
View Metric Product List
Item #QtyDescription
Metric Product List
CL62Table Clamp, RLA Series Optical Rails
RLA150/M1Dovetail Optical Rail, 150 mm, Metric
W25S05011/4" Washer, M6 Compatible, Stainless Steel, 100 Pack
SH6MS101M6 x 1.0 Stainless Steel Cap Screw, 10 mm Long, 25 Pack
CL6 Clamp and RLA0600 Optical Rail
CL6 Cross Section
Click to Enlarge

CL6 Cross-Sectional View

The CL6 clamp features a wedged tip that is specifically designed to fit our RLA Optical Rails, allowing the rail to be secured along any direction on a breadboard or optical table. The low-profile clamp has the same height as an RLA rail, although its presence can restrict the placement of rail carriers.

Based on your currency / country selection, your order will ship from Newton, New Jersey  
+1 Qty Docs Part Number - Universal Price Available
CL6 Support Documentation
CL6Table Clamp, RLA Series Optical Rails
$6.88
3 weeks

Spacer Set

SC1 Application
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View Imperial Product List
Item #QtyDescription
Imperial Product List
BA21Mounting Base, 2" x 3" x 3/8"
SC11Dovetail Rail Spacers, 5 Pack, 8-32 Taps
SD111/4" (M6) to #8 (M4) Counterbore Adapter Ring, 10 Pack
GM1001Ø1" Gimbal Mirror Mount, Imperial, One Retaining Ring Included
RC11Dovetail Rail Carrier, 1.00" x 1.00" (25.4 mm x 25.4 mm), 1/4" (M6) Counterbore
RLA06002Dovetail Optical Rail, 6", Imperial
SH8S03818-32 Stainless Steel Cap Screw, 3/8" Long, 50 Pack
View Metric Product List
Item #QtyDescription
Metric Product List
BA2/M1Mounting Base, 50 mm x 75 mm x 10 mm
SC1/M1Dovetail Rail Spacers, 5 Pack, M4 Taps
SD111/4" (M6) to #8 (M4) Counterbore Adapter Ring, 10 Pack
GM100/M1Ø25.4 mm Gimbal Mirror Mount, Metric, One Retaining Ring Included
RC11Dovetail Rail Carrier, 1.00" x 1.00" (25.4 mm x 25.4 mm), 1/4" (M6) Counterbore
RLA150/M2Dovetail Optical Rail, 150 mm, Metric
SH4MS101M4 x 0.7 Stainless Steel Cap Screw, 10 mm Long, 50 Pack
  • Ideal for Building Vertical Rail Assemblies
  • Two 8-32 (M4) Tapped Holes per Spacer
  • Sold in Packs of 5 Spacers
  • Ten 8-32 (M4) Cap Screws Included per Pack

SC1(/M) Spacers are used to mount two RLA Optical Rails back to back. They feature two 8-32 (M4) tapped holes spaced such that two RLA rails attached with the spacer will have their end taps positioned 1" (25 mm) apart. Two SD1 Counterbore Adapter Rings (sold below) are required to join two rails because the RLA rails have 1/4" (M6) clearance holes and slots, while the SC1 spacer has 8-32 (M4) taps.

Shown to the right is a vertical rail assembly mounted on a BA2 base via two 8-32 cap screws and two SD1 counterbore adapters. The vertical rail is holding an RC1 with a GM100 Gimbal Mirror Mount.

Based on your currency / country selection, your order will ship from Newton, New Jersey  
+1 Qty Docs Part Number - Imperial Price Available
SC1 Support Documentation
SC1Dovetail Rail Spacers, 5 Pack, 8-32 Taps
$32.99
Today
+1 Qty Docs Part Number - Metric Price Available
SC1/M Support Documentation
SC1/MDovetail Rail Spacers, 5 Pack, M4 Taps
$32.99
Today

Counterbore Adapter for Cap Screws

SD1 Adapter Ring in RC1 Rail Carrier
 Cross Section of RC2 Rail Carrier with Included SD1 Counterbore Adapter Ring
  • Use an 8-32 or M4 Cap Screw in a 1/4" or M6 Counterbore
  • Package of 10 Adapters

The SD1 stainless steel adapter ring allows an 8-32 or M4 cap screw to be used within the 1/4" or M6 counterbores found on many optomechanical components.

Based on your currency / country selection, your order will ship from Newton, New Jersey  
+1 Qty Docs Part Number - Universal Price Available
SD1 Support Documentation
SD11/4" (M6) to #8 (M4) Counterbore Adapter Ring, 10 Pack
$9.03
Today