This is a base to hold rods attached to optics equipment for optical experiments.

This component is part of the Open-source optics project, whose goal is to radically reduce the cost of scientific optical hardware: by the Michigan Tech's Open Sustainability Technology Research Group.

For similar see the Open-Source Lab How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Research Costs

Use the OpenSCAD files to customize it for your application, print on your favorite open source 3-D printer and enjoy.

The optics base here comes in two flavors. In the first it is just flat to be used on a normal table. In the second it has a small cylinder cut out in the bottom meant to glue in a magnet - then quasi-permanently hold the position of the component on a magnetic surface.

If you wish to remove or add the hole for the Magnet in the .Scad file, change the line:

magnet_hole = true;

to:

magnet_hole = false;

Full information here: http://www.appropedia.org/Open-source_optics_base

Thanks to Xin and Nick for designs.

This component is part of the Open-source Optics Library: Zhang C, Anzalone NC, Faria RP, Pearce JM (2013) Open-Source 3D-Printable Optics Equipment. PLoS ONE 8(3): e59840.

This is part of a larger project to reduce the cost of scientific equipment using open-source hardware. Read more here