Talk:Optical table

message: Somebody must have a decent photo of an optical table. Useful for someone who has never seen one.--Srleffler 16:42, 30 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Is this an optical table? -SCEhardT 05:25, 31 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Yes, thanks.--Srleffler 05:35, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

message: How do the "air springs" work? It allows some damped motion in x and y as well as maintaining pressure to keep the table at a fixed z. How does it work? —Ben FrantzDale 02:49, 2 November 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Mechanism? 

message: I'd guess that there are no mixed versions, i.e M6 holes on an inch grid, or 1/4" holes on a 25mm grid, but I don't know this for sure. It is possible to make one but I've never seen one advertised. 
I'd also imagine that metric tables are the modern preference, and that imperial ones are more prevalent in the USA.
Perhaps an experienced optical engineer could clarify the situation.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by SpareHeadOne (talk • contribs) 13:11, 3 July 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: I have never seen a mixed version. In the US 1/4-20" on a 1" grid is prevalent. That form is common in Canada as well. --Srleffler (talk) 15:28, 3 July 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Hole thread and grid 

message: I was loking for an image of table, and, by google-image search engine, I found a lot of objects with a Brand, like this or this.
In now days the optical tables and  optical benches are products (!).
As we see, there are inherent properties, 
* rigid planar surface;
* mechanical isolation;
* ...
* standard shapes and sizes, and standard holes "M6 on a 25 mm grid" (like a LEGO plataform)
And, as a product, the table manufacturer offers diferents variations and relatins of quality/price for users...  The needs of users bring the requirements of optical tables and benches as products... There are some main groups of users and uses,
kind of user                                                     	general needs                                                                                                                                                                   	need of optical system changes
Scientific researcher:                                           	do "so generic" and high precision experiments in their research laboratories.                                                                                                  	HIGH (all month ou year and many elements change).
   Scientific teaching:                                	the researcher can be a professor, that usually do old (lo precision) experiments with their students in a teaching laboratory.                                                 	HIGH (all week or month, less complexity and less element-changes)
Engineering researcher:                                          	do "specialized" experiments in their research laboratories.                                                                                                                    	medium or low
Optical system user of a (handmade or) low scale industry poduct:	the optical system is a final product, not changes, but need some "standard platform" (standard table or  bench), because is cheaper than build a new/specific one.             	no change
   (idem) of a mass production:                        	optical systems produced in a assembly line ... No need for "standard platform", because the "specific/simpler platform" is cheeper than an standard one in the mass production.	no change
Summary: we can use something like the introdutory explanation, "an optical table is (...) used (...) for optics experiments and engineering". We can use this two "classes of use and users" as taxonomic groups:
* tables and benches for optics experiments: the uses ranging from high precision scientific research to scientific teaching and student work. The optical system changes with high frequency (from weeks to semesters).
* tables and benches for optics engineering: the uses ranging from  engineering research to  low scale industry production.  Some optical systems (of research) changes with low frequency (from months to years); some (of final products) never changes.
I think that in the current state the article have some bias to "(scholar) optics experiments" view, and not show aspects of "engineering needs".This will be a "front door" for new encyclopedic information (expand article) about table and bench of engineering and industrial applications.--Krauss (talk) 16:14, 3 January 2014 (UTC)
replies: text: You are probably right that engineering and manufacturing use of optical tables, breadboards, and rails is underrepresented in the article. I don't think the table above would be a good addition, but some discussion of the various uses would be useful.--Srleffler (talk) 03:23, 5 January 2014 (UTC)
thread_title: Optical table as a product

message: Could someone with expertise, add an article on "air table"?  Air tables are those devices used in physics labs to demonstrate motion without friction.
An air table is described at this page
https://www.eiscolabs.com/products/airtbl
Right now, a search for "Air table" redirects to the article on "Optical table", a completely different device.
136.53.61.128 (talk) 09:39, 13 October 2019 (UTC)
thread_title:  Could someone with expertise, add an article about "air table", that physics lab device