Diode Casings for the DYI Mag light lazer mod

I had to print this  -----

1: DDL's driver circuit is a basic current source.  It really works and I used this circuit for over a year before he posted it.  He has gone on to carefully explain the how and why and answer Soooo many questions.  YES - It is the same as what I use for testing.  It will start at about 50 mA and crank them to over 500 mA !!!  I'm using TEC at 500 mA  

Your "cheapo" diode is a good start but at the bottom of the range for this.  Use this diode to test your hookup.

2:  I use a proper sized nail head in my drill press to push out the 5 mW puppy.  Mine still work for future ?????'s....  Remove the lens and spring untill the new diode is inserted in the module.  I use Arctic 5 for heatsinking the new LD to the module..   You will understand when it's in your hand.

IF the weather is DRY --- or otherwise ---  Handle the new LD carefully to protect from static discharge. Even a small wad of foil over the leads will help.  In the weather I have here now -- HUMID --  I handle them like popcorn.  

Mike

Soo many questions !!  Pressing in the new diode can be done with wood blocks and a small piece of tubing.  My drill press jaws will close enough to pass the leads and contact the body of the LD.  PROTECT THE THREADS at all cost with wood blocks.

Yeah, those little suckers can be a bear to press in if you don't have the right stuff. I use a small socket nut driver to press mine in with a small vise. As far as removing them from the aixiz module, personally I don't save them. I use one of the laser guides I removed from a DVD burner, my hammer and vise to pound it out. Once you have the module in hand, I am sure all of this will make more sense.

We have a press for seating ICs on circuit boards at work (and nobody can figure out why or where it came from since we don't do that), so I might "borrow" that for a few days to do my pressing. A drill press is on my "long list" of things to buy, but I don't have access to one at the moment.

How much force are we talking about here? Also, which way do you push on the diode to seat it (push on the leads or push on the top of the can)?

It takes a lot of force to get it seated all the way in, and you press it in from the same end that has the leads. So whatever you are pressing it in with must accommodate the length of the leads. A small socket will work perfectly. If you are planning on doing this for awhile, I would recommend you get a small vice, and a pair of helping hands. This is of course in addition to all of the other obvious tools we need, like a soldering iron and so on. I bought my small vice at Sears. It has a suction thingy on the bottom so it will clamp itself to a table with suction, but I rarely need to clamp it. It and the helping hands have been invaluable to me...I don't know how I could do what I do without them.

I have access to suction bottom vices at work too (again, we don't use them, so I can borrow them). I have a multimeter, soldering iron, helping hands, and about every other hand tool I would ever need. I'm an electrical engineer, so I have experience working with electronics, but I'm new to lasers.

wilheldp said:

I have access to suction bottom vices at work too (again, we don't use them, so I can borrow them). I have a multimeter, soldering iron, helping hands, and about every other hand tool I would ever need. I'm an electrical engineer, so I have experience working with electronics, but I'm new to lasers.

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Cool, well you have everything you need.... The only thing I wish I did have is a scope... It is on my list of things to get and I hope I can get one soon.

WoHooo We have a genuwine Engineer here ;D

I graduated from ISU in 1972 -- I had just learned to spell enginrer !!

Mike

Guys (and Gals !)

A little clarification is needed regarding my previous post -

It was NOT directed at Gazoo and Will - it was directed at EVERYONE !

I have seen an alarming trend of open bashing of folks....we ALL have bad days (If you don't have bad days, gimme a holler - you can have some of MINE !) and we all get snippity towards each other on occassion - let's not lose sight of why we are all here, that is our love of lasers ! Seriously - I personally and openly apologize if my statement offended anyone, I sincerely hope all it did was get the point across that life is too short to stay pissed off at folks ! Now, let's have some fun !

Will - who was it over at spectraforums that said that about the glass lenses, do you recall ?

G !

SenKat -- No problems here now -- We gots an enginrer here -- 2 of usuns !!

Will -- You are lucky to have that tooling available !!  Use the small arbor press with a small tube to press the LD FLAT into the holder portion of the module.  The lens ass'y must be removed ( there may be a spring in there).  
Make sure that the lens end is on wood or something to prevent damage to the threads on the lens end.  It will take several hundred pounds (not tons) to force the LD into the press fit housing.  It will look flat when done.

Avail yourself of all the equipment there.  Other engineers should be interested and you will have a bunch of fun.  Be sure to use all safety described on the forum.

Mike

Oh by the way -- point the other engineer folks this way too.  They will be hooked if they are into science !!!

Can you use machine shop equipment there too ?? If so -- you are way ahead for building stuff !!!

It would be great if all you enginrs could put your heads together and develop a pulsed circuit for our diodes.. ;D Imagine the power we could get by overdriving with pw...hmmmmm.

Gazoo --

We are pumping these poor critters CW to the MAX. If pulsed, the AVREAGE output power is about the same depending on the pulse width ratios.
If I pulsed a LD at 300 mW 50% duty cycle, my average output is only 150 mW.

I prefer to kick ass at 300 mW CW ;D

Mike

I see. So from your explanation using a pulsed circuit would probably not extend the life of the diode either Well, I do agree...more power is better power ;D I hope to get my rheostats tomorrow and I will then be pushing my diode with my TEC cooling. I am very curious to see what 400ma's will do ;D

Gazoo --

POOP - I'm trying to remember ---The GB diode with TEC cooling at 400 mA gave me about 300 mW if I remember from the other night. going over 400 mA did not increase output.
I'm finding that there is a leveling of output prior to failure. IR may go up as those fine wires start to glow however ;D

Mike

Mike,
I do remember you posting that earlier...I can't wait for my LPM-1. But you have given me a good idea of what to expect. It would be neat to be able to watch those wires glow with all the IR ;D

Do I need to make a new How-To? :-/

I'm thinking of making a thread for it all... one big thread that shows the steps one by one with a nice and laid out procedure for the lazy laserists :-?

Every time I start, I stop and think of how much someone would be missing out on by simply following a guide rather than learning the stuff as they go by it all...

I may just end up going against my better judgment and make one to be a kind of an "Answer it all" thread. What do you guys think? Honestly...

P.S. I agree with SenKat about the bashing... I didn't see why there was an explosion of arrogant members lately that are very sensitive atop all other things. It seems kind of odd and, honestly, repulsive. I try to be as civilized as possible, and regardless of who I am talking to, I maintain a level of professionalism in all my posts... PM's on the other hand... these fly in the "private" zone of things... hence the name

Thanx all;
DDL

Mike,

Make that 3.

Hemlock Mike said:

SenKat -- No problems here now -- We gots an enginrer here -- 2 of usuns !!

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