Morgan
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- Feb 5, 2009
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Hi All,
Thought you might like to see my latest build. A Scratch Built 8x Bluray!
The diode came from a BDR-203 sled supplied by Scopeguy20, (Thanks Glenn, it turned out to be a pearler!); driver is a Microboost from Dr.Lava; 11mm clicky switch is from Odicforce.com; module is from Aixiz; lens assemebly is a 405-G-1 from Jayrob; Silicon wire from FlaminPyro, (Get yourself some of this!); GITD button is from I don't know where!
The host and the rest of the parts were all made and assembled myself.
The driver was set to 365mA and the diode outputs a whopping 483mW after lens!
It also is the most easily visible BR I have seen so must be of longer wavelength. Much more blue than I expected.
I hope you enjoy... !
The clicky switch and pill
The tail cap and it's parts...
... all installed
... from the other end!
The main body and focus ring...
... from the other end!
All the host parts together. I used plastic for the focus ring because it wasn't going to affect heatsinking much and I noticed it fluoresced a lovely blue colour so thought I'd make it a feature.
The important bits! The driver cup was fairly difficult to machine so thinly but it turned out pretty well and works like a charm. The brass ring is the contact that makes it case positive. I chose this configuration so the spring could be attached and the negative contact made on the driver cup. Soldering a spring to the clicky switch was also deemed too problematic. The wire I used was sourced from FlaminPyro and is seriously the nicest wire I've ever worked with. It's narrow, really flexible and nigh-on burn proof from a soldering iron! If you like working small, this stuff is a godsend. None of the parts are permanently fixed inside the host so removal of all the electronics, module, driver cup, etc is just a matter of a gentle shake. This should make for easy repair, or upgrade. Tolerances were kept as close as possible to maintain good electrical continuity.
Assembly pic. As I have no way to cut threads at the moment, I could afford to make the host walls very thin. Therefore I chose to use three tiny grub screws, to attach the tail cap, that were hand filed to match the thickness of the host's skin. They are M2 threads and all were drilled and cut by hand. The diode assembly is fitted in one piece from the back and the brass ring and driver cup sit on a flange turned on the inside of the host. The module is fixed with another M2 grub screw.
Fully assembled!
Switched on! The focus ring really glows quite brightly but this is a very short exposure. It shows the fluorescent colour quite well though and you can see the violet coming through in the centre too. I cut the aperture a tiny bit small so the plastic would just catch the edge of the beam but not noticeably interfere.
All in all I am really pleased with the way this has turned out. Although the outside diameter is just under 20mm, duty cycles are not overly shortened and the optical output is just stunning considering the current. Battery life is never going to be huge in a build like this but that's fine. I just have to be careful not to wear the grub screws too much changing the battery!
I have yet to take some power output photos but will add these in due coarse and give a bit of information as to how this host stands for heating over time.
Your comments and questions are of course welcome and I hope you have enjoyed the pics.
Thanks for reading!
M
Thought you might like to see my latest build. A Scratch Built 8x Bluray!
The diode came from a BDR-203 sled supplied by Scopeguy20, (Thanks Glenn, it turned out to be a pearler!); driver is a Microboost from Dr.Lava; 11mm clicky switch is from Odicforce.com; module is from Aixiz; lens assemebly is a 405-G-1 from Jayrob; Silicon wire from FlaminPyro, (Get yourself some of this!); GITD button is from I don't know where!
The host and the rest of the parts were all made and assembled myself.
The driver was set to 365mA and the diode outputs a whopping 483mW after lens!
It also is the most easily visible BR I have seen so must be of longer wavelength. Much more blue than I expected.I hope you enjoy... !
The clicky switch and pill
The tail cap and it's parts...
... all installed
... from the other end!
The main body and focus ring...
... from the other end!
All the host parts together. I used plastic for the focus ring because it wasn't going to affect heatsinking much and I noticed it fluoresced a lovely blue colour so thought I'd make it a feature.
The important bits! The driver cup was fairly difficult to machine so thinly but it turned out pretty well and works like a charm. The brass ring is the contact that makes it case positive. I chose this configuration so the spring could be attached and the negative contact made on the driver cup. Soldering a spring to the clicky switch was also deemed too problematic. The wire I used was sourced from FlaminPyro and is seriously the nicest wire I've ever worked with. It's narrow, really flexible and nigh-on burn proof from a soldering iron! If you like working small, this stuff is a godsend. None of the parts are permanently fixed inside the host so removal of all the electronics, module, driver cup, etc is just a matter of a gentle shake. This should make for easy repair, or upgrade. Tolerances were kept as close as possible to maintain good electrical continuity.
Assembly pic. As I have no way to cut threads at the moment, I could afford to make the host walls very thin. Therefore I chose to use three tiny grub screws, to attach the tail cap, that were hand filed to match the thickness of the host's skin. They are M2 threads and all were drilled and cut by hand. The diode assembly is fitted in one piece from the back and the brass ring and driver cup sit on a flange turned on the inside of the host. The module is fixed with another M2 grub screw.
Fully assembled!
Switched on! The focus ring really glows quite brightly but this is a very short exposure. It shows the fluorescent colour quite well though and you can see the violet coming through in the centre too. I cut the aperture a tiny bit small so the plastic would just catch the edge of the beam but not noticeably interfere.
All in all I am really pleased with the way this has turned out. Although the outside diameter is just under 20mm, duty cycles are not overly shortened and the optical output is just stunning considering the current. Battery life is never going to be huge in a build like this but that's fine. I just have to be careful not to wear the grub screws too much changing the battery!
I have yet to take some power output photos but will add these in due coarse and give a bit of information as to how this host stands for heating over time.
Your comments and questions are of course welcome and I hope you have enjoyed the pics.
Thanks for reading!
M
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