Red DIY DVD laser burner.

Kenom can you give me an estimate for:

1 Dorcy mini torch + postage to Melbourne, Australia &
2 Dorcy mini torches + postage ....

Thanx

Say.... if you just bought them at you're cheapest local retailer.... (Not Online Store)

they get new ones in every week. Here are some pictures of my latest complete work of art.


By kenkassdy


By kenkassdy


By kenkassdy

I'm not sure if you were replying to me but I meant estimate total price for torch + Postage from US to Australia

SenKat was actualy very generous in sending me one in the past. I like these torches so much, I may be tempted to buy another one and a couple more diodes from the GB if the opportunity comes along Keep me informed please ;D

I'm in contact with the Australian Rep for Dorcy to see if/where these Dorcy torches (model #'s 41-4234 and 41-4262) are available he in Oz.

I also just popped in to a BIG W store on my way home from work and they stock a few Dorcy torches but none looked suitable (cheapo looking).

Just to help, but ANY 1 Watt Luxeon LED (or similar clone no name white LED) flashlight that has a driver circuit will be a potentially good candidate to host a DVD burner or group buy diode.

Generally you want to look for a single-cell flashlight as that's more likely to need a voltage booster/current regulator circuit. A cheap two or more multi-celled light stands a bigger chance of being direct-drive, or only has a driver for strobe modes and PWM dimming etc. but does nothing for the amperage.

DealExtreme and Kaidomain have several suitable flashlights from the MXDL "Elly" line that would work. Most single-cell regulated/driver 1W LED lights probably put out somewhere around 200-500mA at 3V depending if under load. That's overdriven from the "Daedal circuit" ideal,   but if your build goes okay, you'll still get lots of life from your diode when using it to burn and point one minute at a time. And at any rate you're still taking a much smaller gamble than the mini-mag direct drive build. (It seems like the consensus, at least on GB diodes is to try and keep it around 250mA or under. 350mA might kill a diode, but you might get lucky too, from what I've been reading an "open can" DVD burner diode might take 500mA…)

So if you get desperate you could buy any cheap Chinese 1W LED you see, and test it with a multimeter. For the approximate $20 US+ shipping for a Dorcy Mini, you could buy 3 or 4 of the MXDL-types and odds are one of them ought to be outputting something useful to run a DVD or GB diode. You could then just eBay off the others to recoup your money, or perhaps just a simple pot in series with the diode would be enough to reduce the driver output to the useable range.

What I'd suggest is a "thread of interest" that lists suitably driven LED flashlights. Known supplier locations, voltage and mA under load and any notes about construction or ease of disassembly etc. that are good alternatives to the "known Dorcy's" such as the Mini and the (possibly discontinued) Metal Gear.

(editied to get some semblance of the right damn mA's in there )

AJ,
Good post, but the recommended max current for the GB diodes is around 250ma's, and for the open can around 350ma's.
Personally I do not recommend running the GB diode much over 160ma's for long life. I know everyone wants to push the diode to the limits, but at 160ma's the diode should do just about everything anyone wants it to do.

Whups total brainfart. I knew that. My fingers just wouldn't type it...

Dorcy Jr torch - $25.00 US shipped worldwide (via USPS First class mail)

I know that is a little bit more, but as many trips as I am making to the post office, I may need new tires soon ! LOL !!

Thanks everyone for your help.

I'm keen on the dorcy mini cause I kinda like the look of it and believe it's driver circuit would be somewhat more stable then a cheaper chinese torch.

I've got friends all interested in these lasers now - I'll have to wait for them all to make up their minds on what they want and then make one order (for GB diodes and Torches etc.)

Again, Thanx guys.. you rock!!

I'm posting this here as I don't know as to where else to post it:

Would it actually be possible to put a diode like the GB one into a keychain module?

I know that it is bad to power the diode w/o proper heatsinking or with button cells, but it would just be cool to have a keychain laser that is able to burn...
So ould that work, or am I gonna use a diode for that all for nothing?

I doubt the batteries can give you all that much power... but it would be interesting

--DDL

Yeah, I was all set to build into a little Penguin mints box using 2 2032 batts, but I found that their max current is pitiful. Oh well, maybe I'll use that box when the Blu-rays come in.

Actually the CR2032s inital current would be too much for the diode (prob. instant death w/out a regulator), but they don't hold voltage under a load higher than about 20mA.

Hi guys, I asked this question earlier on in this topic but never got an answer so I thought I would try asking again, sorry if i'm getting repetitive.
How important is it to use thermal epoxy? I can only find normal heat resistant epoxy so will that be fine?
Thanks and sorry again, I realise all my questions must be getting pretty annoying :-X