First build! =D

So I got all my parts (minus the battery I'm waiting for) in yesterday. Today I got around to setting the current on the flexdrive and soldering everything together today at school. I can't wait until the batteries come in.
The diode is a sf-aw210. I set the current to 180ma's.. should I maybe set it higher for balloon poppin'? or should this be ok?
Anyways I'm sure everything enjoys pictures! So here they are:

Index of /media/pictures/laser_1

on the last picture do I have the lens in the correct way? just wanting to double check.

Also these glasses should be good for a blu ray laser right? : Multiple Wavelength

Let me know what you guys think! =D
Thanks.


Chris

180mA is a bit too much for SF-AW, you should keep it below 170mA.

160mA is a good long life current.

The goggles are very good if they are as they are advertised.

i belive i read somewhere the 'kink' is at 185mA on the SF, anything over that will not last long, im going to run my SF at 177mA, ill see how long it lasts, good luck!!!

kingdave2357 said:

i belive i read somewhere the 'kink' is at 185mA on the SF, anything over that will not last long, im going to run my SF at 177mA, ill see how long it lasts, good luck!!!

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from reading on the forums I got a general idea that it sounds like the 180 area was a good lace to keep it. Worse comes to worst I just replace the diode for a new one.

its a high current, but can still give a nice life. incase you havent come accoss this yet: http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/diodes-compilation-all-diodes-data-one-thread-45042.html
it has a good graph of the SF, though i wouldnt push it if you want it to live a while. if it burns out on you consider this: 405nm GGW-H20L 6x Blu Ray Diode in Aixiz Module +650nm LCC diode [GGW-H20L] - $56.82 : High Tech DealZ, Simplifying the LASER Hobby!
the GGW is less than the price of two SFs and will take 190mA rather well for a long life, this one comes in an aixiz module with the sled containing a LCC red diode (and an IR) there is a code to get 10% off as well. i just bought one myself!

I just bought one of the GGW sleds from hightechdealz this morning. I tried to get as much info on the 6x diodes that i could and came to the conclusion that the GGW seems the better choice.

buster7467 said:

I just bought one of the GGW sleds from hightechdealz this morning. I tried to get as much info on the 6x diodes that i could and came to the conclusion that the GGW seems the better choice.

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GGWs are much more sturdier diodes!

200mA for them is 'safe current' while 200mA will kill your SF-AW in a week. They are very well worth the purchase, and glad you pick our trusted forum guys to buy from!
hightechdealz.com <-Kendall
stonetek.org <-Greg
modwerx.com <-Andrew

All swell guys that will get your ball rolling in this hobby

Just be careful, get some good eye protection, you don't want to put your eyes at risk, you only have two that are non replaceable!

You can go to focalprice.com and get a pair of 'Antigreen goggles' for $8, they protect very well from bluray and green for the price... I purchased ones my self and they came crushed in the envelope... you should buy some stuff with it so it is padded well.
Or...
Or you can go to Laser Pro Shop here on the forum and pick up a pair of bluray blocking yellow goggles from Glenn if I'm not mistakin', scopeguy20.
Dirt cheap too.

Enjoy your laser!

i certainly will. I've already got my eye on building another one. looking at those 12x but I'm sure by the time I get the money for it they'll have something better which I'l end up putting my money into.

Scopeguy's anti-405 glasses are very good, by all accounts (and very cheap). I got a pair myself, and I can tell you they cut the glare from a focused burning dot at arm's-length down to virtually nothing.

The multi-wavelength glasses you mentioned don't seem to be specifically rated against 405nm, which is around what most BluRay diodes will emit..But I guess OD4 at 414.5nm is probably close enough.