Features

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XT66D2-50 Holds Two Post Holders at Once

• Includes One or Three 1/4" (M6) Counterbored Holes
• Fastened to Rail with Dovetail Clamps
• Ideal for Attaching Posts, Post Holders, or Pedestal Posts to a 66 mm Rail

XT66 Mounting Platforms come in either 40 mm or 50 mm lengths. The 40 mm version (XT66D2-40) contains a single 1/4" (M6) counterbore and is perfectly sized to match our XT66C2 Double Dovetail Clamp. In contrast, the 50 mm version (XT66D2-50), pictured at right, contains three 1/4" (M6) counterbores. It allows three components mounted directly on Ø1/2" Posts or two components mounted with Ø1/2" Post Holders to be placed in close proximity.

The counterbored holes in these parts accept standard cap screws.

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Tapped Dovetails are Ideal Mounts for Single Components

• Includes One 1/4"-20 (M6) Tapped Hole
• Fastened to Rail with Dovetail Clamps

Our Tapped Dovetails hold a single optomechanical component to a 66 mm rail system. As shown to the right, they are perfectly sized to be attached to an XT66 rail by using an XT66C1 Double Dovetail Clamp.

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Slotted Dovetail Locked by XT66C2 Double Dovetail Clamp

• XT66D2: One 1/4" (M6) Counterbored Slot Along Length
• XT66D3: Three 1/4" (M6) Counterbored Slots Across Width
• Fastened to Rail with Dovetail Clamps
• Used with Low-Profile Channel Screws or Low-Profile T-Nuts, Sold Below

These 50 mm long dovetail sections contain one or three counterbored slots that provide flexible mounting options along the X or Z axes. The XT66D2's counterbored slot is parallel to the rail axis, while the XT66D3's three counterbored slots lie across the rail width. The XT66D3 additionally includes two Ø1/8" holes positioned to accept the dowel pins on translation stages like the MT1 Single-Axis Translation Stage.

Since these mounting dovetails have minimal height, their counterbored slots are too shallow to accommodate standard 1/4"-20 or M6 cap screws. We therefore recommend that either Low-Profile Channel Screws or Low-Profile T-Nuts are used instead (see below for details).

Shown above and to the right is a POLARIS-K1 mounted on a standard 66 mm rail with a pillar post. The pillar post can be coarsely positioned along the counterbored slot before being locked down.

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Fastens to Base Rail without Additional Clamps

• Contains One 1/4" (M6) Counterbored Slot
• Slides Along Rail Side Prior to Lockdown
• Locking Screws Fasten with 2.5 mm Balldriver or Hex Key

The XT66C4 Clamping Platform contains a single 1/4" (M6) counterbored slot that is parallel to the rail axis and directly fastens to a 66 mm rail using two side-mounted screws that lock with a 2.5 mm balldriver or hex key. The counterbored slot accepts standard cap screws.

This clamp is also offered without the counterbored slot (see immediately below) for customers who prefer custom mounting options.

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• blank Platform for Designing Custom Mounting Options
• Slides Along Rail Side Prior to Lockdown
• Locking Screws Fasten with 2.5 mm Balldriver or Hex Key

The XT66C5 blank Clamping Platform is for customers who would like custom mounting options for a 66 mm rail assembly. It is identical to the XT66C4 Clamping Platform sold immediately above, but contains no 1/4" (M6) counterbored slot. This platform's aluminum construction features a durable, clear anodized coating.

The machinable area of the platform, which is shaded in the diagram to the right, is constrained by the width of the bottom relief cut and the threading depth of the two side-mounted locking screws.

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Counterbored Slot Accepts Standard Optomechanical Parts

• Rounded Dovetail Shape Allows Any Orientation Between Rail and Mounted Component
• Contains One Counterbored Slot Compatible with 1/4"-20 (M6) Low-Profile Channel Screws and Low-Profile T-Nuts
• Locking Screws Fasten with 2.5 mm Balldriver or Hex Key

The XT66RC Counterbored Pivot Platform contains a rotatable counterbored slot that accepts 1/4"-20 (M6) optomechanics. Due to this platform's compact profile, the counterbored slot is too shallow to accommodate standard 1/4"-20 or M6 cap screws. We therefore recommend that either Low-Profile Channel Screws or Low-Profile T-Nuts, sold below, are used instead.

Alternatively, this platform can be used to mount a second rail to a base rail at an arbitrary angle in combination with a Double Dovetail Clamp.

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Low-Profile T-Nut in Counterbored Slot

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Low-Profile Channel Screw in Counterbored Slot

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Standard Cap Screw Protrudes from Counterbored Slot

Our 1/4"-20 (M6) Low-Profile Channel Screws and Low-Profile T-Nuts have a slim profile that permits them to be used in tight spaces. In particular, they are recommended for use with our XT66RC Counterbored Pivot Platform and XT66D2 and XT66D3 Slotted Dovetails, whose counterbore depths are too shallow to accommodate standard cap screws.

Shown to the right are a standard cap screw, a low-profile channel screw, and a low-profile T-Nut in an XT66D2 Slotted Dovetail. The short height of the channel screw and T-Nut prevents them from interfering with an attached Dovetail Clamp.

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Assembled View

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Exploded View of SD1 Counterbore Adapter Ring with XT66D2-40

• Use an 8-32 (M4) Cap Screw in a 1/4" (M6) Counterbore
• Sold in Packages of 10
• Does Not Provide 8-32 Compatibility for Parts that Use Low-Profile Channel Screws or Low-Profile T-Nuts

The SD1 Adapter Ring allows an 8-32 (M4) cap screw to be used within a 1/4" (M6) counterbore. It is made of stainless steel and enables a wide variety of 8-32 threaded optomechanical components, such as our LMR Fixed Optic Mounts, to be directly mounted on an XT66 mounting platform without a post or post holder, as shown to the right.

Please note that these adapter rings cannot be used with the XT66D2 or XT66D3 Slotted Dovetails or the XT66RC Counterbored Pivot Platform because there is insufficient depth in the counterbore to accommodate both the adapter ring and a cap screw.