Very Dim Laser Light on Makita LS1018

[Stevekane]

Hi I have a Makita Mitre saw with a Laser, its glowing red when switched on and Ive wiped the lens with a tissue, plus fitted new batteries, but even in a shady position its a barely visible red line. I have never bothered with it but today I thought I would look at it again, battery contacts seem to be clean, rotateing the batteries whilst its turned on doesnt result in any change and a quick look on the internet doesn't throw it up as a common problem. Anyone have any ideas or knowledge of these things?
Steve.

 

[Sandyn]

Unlikely, but they often have translucent covers over the laser. It could be used in test. shows it's working, but very diffused, so no danger. Make sure it's not got one.

 

[Stevekane]

Intresting and I will check, in a similer way a friend bought a fancy Sound Bar for her TV, it used an optical cable to connect to the TV, her and her tech savey friend couldnt get the plug to stay in the tv, it kept falling out, Currys where she bought it put her onto te tech dept but still not resolved,,,turned out that no one had removed a little rubber cover, a bit like a mini condom that protects the end of the lead,,,they were all forceing it into the tv,,where it worked but gradually made its way back out! The laser lens looks to be uncovered, a little brass bezel with a glass or plastic lens which shows a triangular patern of little holes,,,,hmmm starts to sound like a difusser! I will check it out.
Steve

 

[Sandyn]

The reason I suggested that is because I had a Saw and the laser was useless, very broad line. I never rely on them anyway. One day I decided to have a look to see what was wrong. It had a big plastic cover over the laser. D'oh!!!
I'm sure there was something in the instructions, but I never read instructions. I still don't use the laser.

 

[Stevekane]

Well I should be in the shed a bit later this morning so will check it out,,given our friends experience with the optical cable I was looking to see if there was perhaps a cover but I didnt look very carefully and as I could see the bare brass casing surrounding the lens I thought there was nothing there, I might try to get a photo of it too, interestingly I found someone on utube doing one of those “unboxing” videos of a Makita saw and although it was not the same model it looked very similar, except that the brass end of the laser tube looked much longer,,again made me wonder if mine might be covered,,we’ll see. I think I will have a pick at the lens with a little screwdriver too.

 

[Stevekane]

Started work in the garden and a fine mist is just like rain and is soaking everything, so pulling out the saw will have to wait a while, however whilst having a cup of tea I checked out replacement laser prices and Miles Machinery have an exploded diagram which Ive hopefully copied below,,
No66 is listed as the laser and a replacement is £7,,,and 194 looks like a securing or adjusting screw,,,Im guessing that the actual light is within 71 the body and that 66 is the brass barrel with perhaps a lens? As I said, my brass barrel is just showing out of the body, one I could see on the net had it sticking out quite a bit more,,,I wonder if my one needs focusing? I looked at the owners manual but no mention of this.
Steve.

 

[Sandyn]

Worth taking it to bits and see if you can find what's causing it. Could be the laser is faulty, or just needing the focus adjusted if it has adjustment. Check the voltage at the laser end £7 is OK for a replacement. 66 is the laser module with wires out the back like this

 

[Stevekane]

Well I still haven't wheeled the saw out, spent days clearing an unbelievable amount of rubbish from a flat,,the sort of thing you see on the telly, nutty old horders,,,but mostly beer cans old clothes and collapsed furniture,,,and still plenty to go, but I will check out the laser when Im next working in the shed and report back, it would be good to get it working even if Im not sure how accurate these things really are.
Steve.