Products Home / Optomechanical Components / Optical Post Assemblies / Ø1" Optical Post Assemblies / Dovetail Sliding Ø1" Post Bases and Slide InsertsDovetail Sliding Ø1" Post Bases and Slide Inserts
- Dovetails Provide ±6.5 mm of Lateral or Vertical Translation
- Stainless Steel Construction
- #8 (M4) Counterbores and 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) Tapped Mounting Holes
RSX1
Ø1" Post Base with Dovetail for ±6.5 mm Linear Translation
RSX1C
#8 Counterbored Dovetail Slide Insert
RSZ1
Ø1" Post Base with Dovetail for ±6.5 mm Vertical Translation
RSZ1P
8-32 Tapped Vertical Dovetail Slide Insert
Application Idea
A lens is mounted on an RSX1C slide insert combined with an RSXY1 two-axis slide insert, an RSXZ1 two-axis slide insert, and an RSX1 base for an XYZ axis configuration.
RSXY1
Ø1" Two-Axis Slide Insert with Dovetail for ±6.5 mm XY Translation
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Figure 1.1 Dovetail Sliding Posts Combined to Form an XYZ-Translating Lens Mount
Features
- Translate Optomechanical Components ±6.5 mm in the X, Y, and Z Directions
- Position-Locking Screw with 5/64" (2.0 mm) Hex
- Post Mountable via #8 (M4) Counterbore or 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) Tapped Holes
- Precision-Machined Dovetail Enables Quick, Repeatable Adjustment
- Laser-Engraved Scale on Bases with 0.5 mm Scale Spacing
These RS-Series Sliding Post Bases and Slide Inserts offer users the ability to position and secure optomechanical components with translation along a linear degree of freedom. The post bases have female dovetails designed to hold and lock the male dovetailed slide insert pieces while providing ±6.5 mm of translation. The two-axis slide inserts each have a bottom-located male dovetail for mounting to a female-dovetailed base as their first axis of translation. They can be stacked in a variety of different combinations, such as combining an RSZ1C slide insert, an RSZ1 base, an RSX1P slide insert, an RSXY1 two-axis slide insert, and an RSX1 base for an XYZ axis configuration as shown in Figure 1.1; see Table 1.3 for a full list of post base and slide insert mounting compatibility.
The RSX1(/M) and RSZ1(/M) single-axis bases each feature a bottom-located #8 (M4) counterbore for mounting to posts or bases with 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped holes. The bases and the two-axis slide inserts also feature engraved scales with 0.5 mm graduation spacing for repeatable translation and positioning of the sliding components. The slide inserts each have either a #8 (M4) counterbored hole (Item #s RSX1C(/M) and RSZ1C(/M)) or an 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped mounting hole (Item #s RSX1P(/M) and RSZ1P(/M)). The RSXY1(/M) and RSXZ1(/M) two-axis slide inserts each have a bottom-located horizontal male dovetail for mating with a female-dovetailed base as well as a perpendicular female dovetail for translation in the Y or Z directions, respectively. Each of the Z-axis parts also feature a #8 (M4) counterbored slot along the vertical dovetail. All of the bases and slide inserts sold on this page also feature additional side-located 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped holes for perpendicular mounting.
Compatible with our RS-series posts and matching the Ø1" footprint of our compact SBEx adapters with SCF1 clamps, these sliding posts are a great choice for the construction of versatile optical setups. The slide inserts provide a coarse level of adjustment along a loose dovetail and are clampable with a flexure gib 6-32 custom locking setscrew (using a 5/64" (2.0 mm) hex key), with a recommended torque up to 1.0 N•m. This makes these posts ideal for compensating for the beam displacement caused by optics such as plate beamsplitters, anamorphic prism pairs, and beam displacers. The slide inserts are also removable and offer multiple degrees of freedom, allowing for flexibility while developing different optical setups. For instance, an optic mounted on one slide insert can easily be swapped out for an optic mounted on another slide insert without disrupting the alignment perpendicular to the optical axis.
| Table 1.3 Post Base and Slide Insert Compatibility | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mating Dovetail Item # | Compatible Slide Inserts | |
| RSX1(/M) | RSX1C(/M), RSX1P(/M), RSXY1(/M), RSXZ1(/M) | |
| RSZ1(/M) | RSZ1C(/M), RSZ1P(/M), RSX1P(/M), RSX1C(/M), RSXY1(/M), RSXZ1(/M) | |
| RSXY1(/M) | RSX1C(/M), RSX1P(/M), RSXY1(/M), RSXZ1(/M) | |
| RSXZ1(/M) | RSZ1C(/M), RSZ1P(/M), RSX1P(/M), RSX1C(/M), RSXY1(/M), RSXZ1(/M) | |
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| Posted Comments: | |
Richard Taylor
(posted 2025-09-03 14:13:30.81) It's remarkably difficult to work out which parts need to go together to form a complete adjustable post assembly... unless I'm missing something obvious here. I say this as someone who has used Thorlabs optomechanical components for years.
Also, would it not be simpler for users to have an equivalent of the linear translating posts you have for the 1/2" and 1.5" posts? I was looking for exactly that, but in 1". |
Zoom
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Figure G1.2 Engraved Scale on the RSZ1(/M) Post Base
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Figure G1.1 Engraved Scale on the RSX1(/M) Post Base
- Mounts Optomechanical Components with a Linear Degree of Freedom
- Provides ±6.5 mm of Translation
- #8 (M4) Counterbores and 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) Tapped Mounting Holes
- Compatible with Slide Inserts Sold Below
The RSX1(/M) and RSZ1(/M) Dovetailed Post Bases provide a simple means for mounting optomechanical components with ±6.5 mm of translation by mating the dovetails with a slide insert. They each have a laser-engraved scale with 0.5 mm spacing for repeatable translation and positioning of the sliding components, as shown in Figures G1.1 and G1.2. The RSX1(/M) base with a top-located female dovetail features a #8 (M4) counterbore for mounting to posts or bases with 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped holes, as well as three side-located 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped holes for alternate mounting orientations. The RSZ1(/M) base with a vertical female dovetail also features a #8 (M4) counterbore for mounting as well as four side-located 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped holes for alternate mounting orientations. It also features a 0.63" long #8 (M4) counterbored slot along the vertical dovetail for additional mounting flexibility. The slide inserts sold below can be locked in place via the 6-32 custom locking setscrew on the base tightened up to 1.0 N•m using a 5/64" (2.0 mm) hex key.
Zoom- Mounts Optomechanical Components with a Linear Degree of Freedom
- Provides ±6.5 mm of Translation
- #8 (M4) Counterbores or 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) Tapped Mounting Holes
- Compatible with Female Dovetails of Post Bases and Two-Axis Slide Inserts (See Table 1.3 for Full Compatibility List)
These single-axis dovetail slide inserts mate with the female dovetails of the bases above or the two-axis dovetail slide inserts below, providing a simple means for mounting optomechanical components with ±6.5 mm of translation. The RSX1C(/M) and RSX1P(/M) slide inserts have a male dovetail that mates with the RSX1(/M) or RSZ1(/M) bases or the RSXY1(/M) or RSXZ1(/M) two-axis slide inserts, and feature a top located #8 (M4) counterbore or 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) mounting hole, respectively. They each feature 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) mounting holes on their ends for additional mounting flexibility.
The RSZ1C(/M) and RSZ1P(/M) slide inserts have a male dovetail that mates with the RSZ1(/M) base or the RSXZ1(/M) two-axis slide insert, and feature a top located #8 (M4) counterbore or 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) mounting hole, respectively. They each also feature two 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) mounting holes on their sides and a 0.63" long #8 (M4) counterbored slot along the dovetail for additional mounting flexibility.
Zoom- Mounts Optomechanical Components with Two Degrees of Freedom
- Provides ±6.5 mm of Translation in Each Orthogonal Direction
- 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) Tapped Mounting Holes
- Compatible with Female Dovetails of Post Bases and Male Dovetails of Slide Inserts (See Table 1.3 for Full Compatibility List)
These RSXY1(/M) and RSXZ1(/M) Two-Axis Dovetail Slide Inserts provide a simple means for mounting optomechanical components with ±6.5 mm of translation in the XY or XZ planes, respectively, by mating the dovetails with a base and a slide insert. The RSXY1(/M) and RSXZ1(/M) two-axis slide inserts feature a bottom-located horizontal male dovetail for mating with each other or one of the bases sold above. The RSXY1(/M) two-axis slide insert features a coplanar orthogonal female dovetail on its top for mating with the RSX-series slide inserts sold above to make an XY translation configuration. Additionally it features five 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped mounting holes (one on each end of the male dovetail and three on the sides of the female dovetail). The RSXZ1(/M) two-axis slide insert features a vertical female dovetail for mating with either the RSX- or RSZ- series slide inserts sold above to make an XZ translation configuration. Additionally it features two 8-32 (M4 x 0.7) tapped mounting holes (one on each end of the male dovetail) and a 0.63" long #8 (M4) counterbored slot along the vertical female dovetail. Slide inserts that are mounted to these dovetails can be locked in place via the 6-32 locking setscrew on the female dovetail with torque up to 1.0 N•m using a 5/64" (2.0 mm) hex key.
Ø1" Dovetail Sliding Post Bases and Slide Inserts