Been away for a while

Some of you may remember me or maybe not. For the 6 months I spent in this forum a couple three years ago I spent about $2500 on lasers, beam expanders and batteries. My 450mw 532nm was about $1600 if I remember correctly. Of all the lasers I have the little 405nm was THE most useful laser I ever owned. I still have one, a 405nm, was 200mw but not anymore. It wont even burn my skin now. I went through about 4 as I recall. All of them eventually burning out from heat I presume. There's a camping site called Lower falls that has love messages burned into the railings of stairs with one of those. Into the wooden tables at the campsites too. When we went up there this year they were still there after 2 or 3 years
Whats up with these now? Are they more powerful? Has the price come down for a homegrown version?
I would be interested in buying another 405nm. Do they last longer now or are they still pretty sensitive to heat exposure? Has the power come up on them?
Thanks, Craig

Hey..... where you been....
Welcome back...:wave:


Jerry

usakicksass said:

...another 405nm. Do they last longer now or are they still pretty sensitive to heat exposure? Has the power come up on them?
Thanks, Craig

Click to expand...

750mW of 405nm can be purchased at the diode level for ~$50, and in an assembled build for around $200, from the forum.

If you like going a bit more blue, you can have 1,500 mW of 445nm, for about the same price.

It's a fun world

As I recall the 445's were just a dream a couple years ago. Now 1.5W? I was looking over the for sale, jayrob, yobresol seem to be industrious men. Will a 445nm burn a pinhole line like the 405nm would? That is the blue sky color, not?

I remember you, welcome back!

The 445nm lasers seemed to have come out of nowhere, now 5.6mm 445nm laser diodes capable of 2W are available for $35. 445nm will burn very well but only up close, the beam specs are not great so distance burning is fairly difficult with these.

Make sure you use goggles when working with these class IV lasers!