Newport 411-05s Miniature Ball Bearing Linear Stage

[Smokedaddy]

For those that might know,

Can this stage be mounted in a vertical position as opposed to flat and work as intended? Also, do you think it can handle the weight of a Nikon Optiphot condenser holder, condenser and stage mounted in that position? I want to mount a X axis stage to a vertical steel column, then adapt a Nikon Optiphot microscope stage arrangement (condenser holder and condenser etc.) to the linear x-axis stage for adjustment purposes (left and right).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/322536525053?ul_noapp=true

-JW:

[Saul]

Hi James,

I do not own Newport, but maybe it will help:
In the bag are more than 3lb of apples with pretty long shoulder on the screw...and it moves (little bit stiffer, looks like because of higher friction between micrometer tip and rail surface)

[ray_parkhurst]

Usually the bigger issue with linear rails is torque, not weight. That's a pretty fair moment arm on that poor little stage. If you plan to do something like that, I would recommend adding a cheap idler rail to eliminate the torque.

[Smokedaddy]

Thanks Saul.

[Macro_Cosmos]

The vertical load capacity of this stage is 22 Newtons, which dividing by 9.8067 gives a mass of 2.2434 kg, which is roughly a bit less than 5 pounds.

As long as your setup doesn't exceed that, there should be no problems in theory.