LtSurge - First Laser Gun (Burning Yellow)

Preface: Why Am I Doing This?
I have decided the first build: A Yellow Burning Laser Pistol. This pistol will be a precursor to what I hope to achieve, which is a Laser Rifle. The details of those plans will be featured in a separate thread.

I have a dire need of assistance in itemizing what I need, concerning Tools, Supplies and any other things that I could be missing. And if you happen to know of anything I could use to modify such a laser, that would be extra helpful!

This Thread will be used to formulate some form of Guide for anyone else interested in building a Yellow Laser Gun, consequently this post will be edited several billion times and hopefully generate interest amongst the top skilled builders of this Forum.

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Getting Started: What do I need?

.Define Your Budget: How much should I spend?

.What is a decent Burning Yellow Laser/ Diode?:
.Specifications:

EDIT: Ash prty much helped a huge load here!


---Thanks to all who contribute!

I can think of a simple way to achieve this with very little cost.
First you need to specify what power you want to output (mW)
Lets say, for the sake of this example, we will go with the maximum power you can get with your $300 budget.
To make yellow, the simplest way is to combine red and green, because a DPSS yellow is almost impossible to DIY. The ratio you should use is 4:1 (red:green mW)
Parts list:
- a ~100mW green module for about $50
- build a 400mW red from a BR-combo burner (or have it built for you by a member for about $100-150)
- you also want to buy (or make) heat-sinks for the modules (make=$5, buy=$20 each):
- use a dichro mirror (found on PHR [or similar] sled) to combine the red and green beams into yellow (the most difficult part is to get them lined up perfectly),
alternately, you could purchase a pre-made sled w/heatsinks that is used for the white fusion: , and just use the red and green module locations, and leave the bluray location empty, (but that would be an extra $140 or so)
- much difficulty lies in successfully combining the beams using a dichro (you would probably have to construct a tiny optical-table, and spend a few hours)
-once you have the two modules mounted and the beams combined to make yellow, you just need to construct a gun-shaped housing (or take apart a toy gun).
- add a power supply, and a trigger, assemble it, and you should be done
500mW burning laser-gun:

500mW for $300.
Or you could spend an extra $200 and use a 150mW to 200mW green and a 600mW to 800mW red (or use the fusion sled and 2x 400mW reds).

Good luck :beer:

Yellow is difficult, the only way to get any real power out of it is the way Ash suggested. You need to combine green and red lasers to make yellow.

I don't think you will get anything like a gun, more like a hold that match really still while I light it. It won't act in any way like a gun is what I am trying to say. There is no way to make that into a gun sized device, especially in the visible spectrum.

That was REALLY informative Ash! :yh:
Thank you.

Pontiac, I've seen burning yellow lasers before, but are you saying that if I want to achieve a stronger output I should consider using a different colour?

yes. as of right now violet is the best in the lower mw visible spectrum. but if you stepped up to the ir region you could get 1 watt 808nm diodes. look up jay robs star trek 12x gun.


michael

:bowdown:

Why yellow?
I would combine 200mW red with a powerful infrared laserdiode. 250mW IR plus 200mW red...that should burn a lil.

Btw: Your goverment has a nice laser-rifle, but mine will whip its ass xD

yeah it'll burn at like 3 feet after 10 seconds. I think some people are over estimating the power of 250mw. if you want burning over a real distance and focused to infinity it seems like you need at least 500mw.


michael

Dude...you cant even hold that still! Smallest movement and you can forget about burning anything! even 500mW need some time to heat up the target.
Plus: Focussed to infinity..no diode will burn unfocussed on a distance. Beyond 1000mW the diodes are way to incoherent to get a beam able to burn...

AnselmoFanZero said:

Dude...you cant even hold that still! Smallest movement and you can forget about burning anything! even 500mW need some time to heat up the target.
Plus: Focussed to infinity..no diode will burn unfocussed on a distance. Beyond 1000mW the diodes are way to incoherent to get a beam able to burn...

Click to expand...

go youtube jayrob's 12x star trek phazer. it is instantly popping balloons from over 10 feet.

also beside ir, what diodes are over 1000mw? unfocussed? who said anything about unfocussed? in laser burning conversations it is safe to assume that it is a complete laser assembly. I won't touch on the incoherent part.


michael

There are 660nm diodes over 1W but they are c-mount and have very crappy beams that will do nothing without adjusting for every foot of distance. At the moment, the only way to get something that is even somewhat like a gun is what AnselmoFanZero has made. It can't be done in a portable size while still being visible.

Balloons are very easy to pop, I wouldn't put any "ooh it burns" qualifications on popping a balloon. I've done so with a 7mW laser focused properly.

The only thing I think would slightly work would be a whole bunch of 12X diodes with the beams combined, however that is not yellow and can't be done for 40 bucks. If you could spend more, probably around $150-$200 you could do a whole bunch of LOC red diodes through beam combiners. 10 of those would be 2 watts, but it would still need to be focused.

Popping baloons...yay. Thats what I am talking about.
Seriously...dont wanna "sound" cocky, but dont tell me you call that BURNING , Chip!?

I like 20 watts of CO2, THAT is burning! I could set the whole bag of balloons on fire from 5 feet.

I have a 40 watt tube now with no power supply, I can't wait to see what it will trash

seriously don't tell me that you are secretly optimistic about carrying around a real "burning" laser that can destroy 2x4's? :crackup::crackup::crackup:

michel

Thats what I wrote in his other thread...but: I guess I am the one who is closer doing something like this with a "gun-style-laser" than you, CHIP.

Lasers are tools...far away from being weapons.

I plan on having a portable laser that can destroy 2x4s but I'll probably be wearing it as a backpack

I had a car mounted 20W CO2 laser that comprised of 2 crt monitors and a power inverter. I guess I could have drove up to a 2X4 and ignited it, but wheres the fun in that?

Wait, that was really fun