Yesterday's Bluray Project.

It rained here yesterday, so I took a bluray diode installed in an aixiz housing over to the machine shop, and spent a few hours making up a nice little powerful bluray laser. This laser is machined from 1" aluminum stock, which should provide more than adequate heatsinking. Power is three 10440 lithium batteries in series, giving me 12 v.

Power 3 x 10440 lithium
Regulator LM317 set for 95 ma.
Diode PHR-803T diode bench tested at 100 ma, using 95 ma in laser
Lens aixiz glass lens
Host custom machined 1" diameter,4 5/8 " long aluminum

This little laser is very bright, I can see the beam crossing my basement if I dim the lights down. I had some red and white tipped wood matches. The laser has trouble lighting the match by the red part of the head, but easily ignites the white part of the head.
A cut of electric tape proceeded very slowly, but was sucessful. A green balloon was easily popped from ten feet. Any fluorescent items exposed to the beam of this laser glow very brightly. The attached photo shows the completed bluray laser and for size comparison, the very familiar DX200 red laser.

Nice work -- I love to see machining like that. Not everyone can run a lathe.

Mike

Very cool. What did you use as a host?

Mike - Thanks !! I was going to put this into a small flashlight host, and had even machined a heatsink for same. I knew that I had a very nice diode onhand, so I changed plans and went with machining my own host. I am happy that I did, the laser is much nicer although more work to make.

Midknight - I used custom machined host that I made myself.

-Bill-

As always, very impressive

Very nice I'm trying to build one from scratch too, sure as hell won't be able to do it in a couple of hours though.

Whoa! That is one killer lazor!

Looks great! Nice work!

nice to see more custom machine work

Did you have a side by side holder for the batteries?
Very neat very nice

Regards rog8811

rog811 - Yes, you are correct. To keep the overall length of the laser short, i used a 3 x AAA battery holder that keeps the 3 cells side by side. I then had to make the laser from 1" aluminum stock, because the diameter of the battery holder required a battery chamber 0.880" diameter. Attached photo shows laser with an extra battery holder. I of course use 10440 lithium rechargeables so I get 12 v. total to feed into my LM317 regulator.

junkmonger - I'm very lucky in that I have a small machine shop to work in. The work can be done quickly, as I can leave a lathe set up just to do laser hosts, c-mount heads, diode heatsinks, etc. I then bring the machined parts home, and do the final assembly in my basement electronics shop. I have to be set up to work quickly as my day job sadly leaves little time for laser fabrication. I get time to make one laser a week if I'm lucky.

GooeyGus, IgorT, MarioMaster - I thank you for your feedback. I've only been at this a few months, so it's nice to hear what others think of my efforts. To make nicer hosts, I will soon add color anodizing ability to my machine shop. My next project, hopefully successful with luck, will be a pair of 4 watt IR small form factor handhelds, one at 808 nm, one at 950 nm. When I'm done, maybe 2 more weeks, I'll make a project thread.

I must have a look on ebay, see if anyone is selling those holders, I want to try 2 10440's with the driver built into the space for the third battery....

Regards rog8811

That holder is the same as in an MXDL from DX i think.

It can also take three 10440s and could drive a Blu Ray with a 317.

rog8811 - I got my holders by grabbing a dozen small aluminum LED flashlights from a local surplus store, very cheaply. I have a couple spare. PM me if you want one like in the photo. The flashlights were to be used as hosts, but I decided since that I like to machine the host myself. So, I disassemble these for switches, battery holders, etc. I also made a low power bluray in one. You could certainly make a laser of small form factor by putting the driver in the battery holder ! Great idea !

PM me if you want one like in the photo.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer Bill, the UK is a long way to send one, I will have a look around and see what I can find here.
I too would make my own host as that is all part of the fun of laser building.

It can also take three 10440s and could drive a Blu Ray with a 317.

Click to expand...

Ah yes, the maths doesn't quite work with an LM317/ 2X 3.6v/blueray... rethink needed, thanks Igor....I have used the 7805/2 X 3.6v/Blue ray many times with the PS3 bluerays I am not happy with it for the high power Br's we are awaiting now.....

Regards rog8811

rog8811 - Try looking around in bargain or thrift type stores. Some cheap little import flashlight costing nearly nothing will have this holder in it. Then, grab a dozen like I did ! Very useful for getting 12 v from a small space.