PJ OPTICAL

ATM related articles by Peter John Smith

Click here for the old version of the website, still to be restored.

Centering Microscope How to make a centering Microscope with lenses harvested from a cheap binocular.
CenteringMicroscope.pdf
Diamond Radius Generation Making and using cheap diamond sawblades for generating a curvature in a glass blank.
DiamondCurveGenerating.pdf
Function of an Eyepiece Some properties and theory of Eyepieces.
An Eyepiece is very unusual. It is one of very few optical devices which has its exit pupil outside the lens cluster. It takes some effort to understand it fully. Here is a recreation of some material I once had on the web. This was written with Telescope Eyepieces in mind. All eyepieces are similar but may place more emphasis on different properties.
EyepieceFunction.pdf
Gear Cutting A rack cutting attachment and gear hobber for a vertical mill.
click
Micro Spherometer Measuring RoC of miniature lenses to extreme precision with a microscope attachment.
MicroSpherometer.pdf
SPHEROMETER.zip
Microscope Lenses A collection of extracts about manufacture and construction of Microscope Objectives. Hopefully will add more in the future.
MicroscopeObjectives.pdf
MicroscopePatents.pdf
OMT An Optical Measurement Tools Toolmakers Microscope. OMT once made precision Rotary tables etc. The company has been absorbed by the Newall Engineering Company in the 60s. See here for more info.
Some relevant information:
OMT-Booklet.pdf
OMT-Notes.pdf
OMT-Pamphlet1.pdf
OMT-Pamphlet2.pdf
OMT-PICS.pdf
Reamers This is a program which aids in the design of reamers made using simple endmills. The use of a 90 deg Endmill limits the reamer geometry possible, so it is important to juggle the number of flutes, offset, and core diameter proportions.
Download (left), unzip, and run the program. Considerable HELP is built in. It does NOT need to be 'installed'. Just place it somewhere sensible in its own directory and double click on the resulting exe file. It is suggested the Dir be placed under 'Documents' because file permissions will be more relaxed - fewer complications with W10.
ReamerProject.zip
Ronchi I grew up with Ronchi Testing, using other tests when necessary. This was in an era and place where few, if any, materials were available specifically aimed at ATM’s.
This was a mixed blessing. But one beneficial result was independence from specialist suppliers combined with a readiness to research, and try different solutions to problems. Local materials and substitute methods were very important. Some were a total failure. Some worked reasonably. A few worked very well. We developed a system of Ronchi testing that required no special tools. There was nothing special in this because, at that time, most ATM’s all over the world did the same.
This article detailed on the Ronchi test, it is a BIG job which is still to be recreated.
Taper Turning Attachment Making an extremely accurate setting gauge for the top slide of a lathe.
taper_turning_gauge.pdf
X-Hairs Simple but reliable and durable method of making or repairing X hairs. Anyone can do it.
Xhairs.pdf
This and That TBC