Shortly after getting my CNC laser up and running, some of my research turned up a small quality of life improvement which allows for sending a visible red laser down the same beam path as the invisible cutting laser. By using a beam combiner designed for this purpose, the machine only required a few hardware modifications at the primary mirror for this to work. By installing this special standoff and optics, a visible laser can be added to the output which allows for both better alignment and focusing when preparing a job.
To achieve this task a special coated lens is required. This unique material will both allow the high power beam to pass through unobstructed, but at the same time reflect the red laser light like a mirror. With this unique property, the lens can be placed on a 45* angle to both the primary laser and the visible red laser; combining the two beams, the output will now contain components of both lasers.
