Ø1.5" Post Holders

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Mechanical Drawing

• Empty Post Holder with Included Post Collar
• Available in Four Heights
• Accepts Ø1.5" Stainless Steel Posts
• Compatible with 66 mm Rail Accessories and Mounts
• Translation Stages for Rigid Stand Post Holders Available

Thorlabs' Ø1.5" Post Holders provide a rigid and stable mounting solution for our Ø1.5" posts. They are offered in four stand heights (see mechanical drawing to the right for additional details) to meet the specific requirements of any system. Each post holder features a quick-release handle that locks and unlocks a Ø1.5" post. The included post collar with an alignment pin can be used to maintain a post's height during its rotation. The alignment pin acts as a hard mechanical stop that lets you quickly return to a previously set angle.

The base can be secured to a tabletop via four counterbored slots that accept 1/4"-20 (M6) cap screws. The base is also compatible with the MPA1(/M) adapter plate (sold below) that allows a post holder to be mounted on a translation stage; see the images below.

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The PF175B Secures a Ø1.5" Post to an Optical Table with a PB4 Base.

Ø1.5" Post Shown with PB4 Base

Each PB4(/M) and PB4R(/M) Pedestal Base Adapter has a threaded 1/4"-20 (M6) stud that is designed to thread onto the bottom of our P-Series Posts. For instance, the image to the right shows a P2 post with a PB4 pedestal base. The PB4(/M) can be tightened onto the post or postholder using a 1/8" (3 mm) hex key or ball driver, while the PB4R(/M) has a 3/16" (5 mm) hex socket as well as four high strength magnets in the base that are sufficiently strong to securely hold the base in place without clamping to an optical table.

The PB4(/M) and PB4R(/M) adapter allows our PF85B, PF125B, and PF175B clamping forks to be used to position the post assembly conveniently on your optical bench. These clamping forks create three points of contact with the table for high stability. For flexibility in the positioning of post assemblies, Thorlabs offers three sizes: the PF85B fork has a 0.85" (21.6 mm) long counterbored slot, the PF125B fork has a 1.25" (31.8 mm) long counterbored slot, and the PF175B fork has a 2.12" (53.8 mm) long counterbored slot. They are available individually or in packs of five.

Please note that significant overtightening of clamping forks can deform the surface of an optical table, which can cause misalignment of components and decrease stability of the clamping fork.

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The MPA1 Adapfter Used to Mount an LPH200 Post Holder onto an LX10 Translation Stage.

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The MPA1 Adapter Used to Mount an LPH150 Post Holder onto a XRN25P-K1 Translation Stage.

• Mount a Rigid Stand Post Holder onto a Translation Stage
• Matches the Compact Footprint of Post Holder
• Four 1/4" Counterbored Holes for Mounting to a Translation Stage
• Four 1/4"-20 (M6) Tapped Holes for Mounting a Post Holder

The MPA1(/M) Rigid Stand Post Holder Adapter Plate allows users to mount a post holder onto a translation stage that has four 1/4"-20 (M6) tapped holes with 1" spacing and a sufficient load capacity to support a post holder and additional components. Be sure to check a stage's specifications to determine compatibility. The combination of the adapter plate and a translation stage provides a manual solution for easily translating a post holder within a setup.

To assemble, attach the adapter plate onto the translation stage via the four 1/4" (M6) counterbored holes that accept 1/4"-20 (M6) cap screws. Then mount the rigid stand onto the adapter plate using the four 1/4"-20 (M6) tapped holes; see the images to the right.