First time laser...er. Advice on buying gear?

Hi!

This is my... second post. I have had a search around the forums, trying to find some info on if there is one site that sells all the things I need all in one place. That'd be nice to try and cut down on postage, make tracking easier, and just generally make me happier.

I have browsed through O-Like, and they have nice modules, lenses and filter crystals, but they only seem to sell 4 different diodes. 3 very expensive and one comes in a pack of 25... slightly more than I really want, to be honest. I'd like, say, 3. I also found This. They look like pretty nice diodes at tasty low prices (I'm a tightarse... I want to make any mistakes I'm going to make on cheap crap. Then use the good stuff right.) but I do get the impression you have to buy then in handfuls...

Could I get some advice? Thank you very much in advance.

First .. what color are we talking about ? And what power ? In other words .. what are you planing to build ? It's rather unclear from your post.

DrSid said:

First .. what color are we talking about ? And what power ? In other words .. what are you planing to build ? It's rather unclear from your post.

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Huh, very good point. I feel a bit silly now. Note to self; just because *I* know what I mean, doesn't mean anyone else does. Sorry all.


I'd like to build two 5mW red pointers, bit of practice and I'm sure the GF will appreciate one. Hmm. I will have to make a mental note of a 1.5W IR one for mum.... Later.

I'd also like to make my own laser-Tag set, with some visible beams (probably not day-beam though. I value my eyesight highly.) I'd be leaning towards blue for this, so as to negate the ir problem green has.

And add next on the list a nice 445nm 200mW once I've had some practice.

With the two practice ones the main aim is to learn by doing, while keeping the costs as low as possible.

is there any more information I should add?

Nik

That is some reasonable approach not seen very often here.
For 5mW red you don't usually buy diodes. You buy complete modules with drivers and optics. Like this ones:

10pack 5mW red laser module/dot/adjustable lens [OLRLM05] - $25.00 : Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

As for the IR in green lasers .. it's not usually problem, as it is usually (not always) not well focused, and it spread in wide cone. IR itself is no more dangerous than visible wavelengths. And you can always buy and mount IR filter if there is not one already inside the laser.

As for visible beam, you definitely want green laser. Blue disperse nicely in air (unlike red), but eye has very low sensitivity to blue light. Greens has the best beams. Even 5mW might make visible beams with enough smoke in the air.

@Sid: Congrats on your 1000th or 1001th post! You're now eligible for the vet section!

@Nikko: Wow, this is a very good first/second/third post, which is rare nowadays.
Looks like you've done your research! :thanks:

Anyhow, personally I think a 5mW red is slightly dull. I would go for something like 50-100mW for a first build. Plus, 20-30mW pointers are very cheap here from Amazon. Plus, they also come with two more green and violet lasers.
(Uh oh, just realized that Straya meant Australia, and I don't think customs will let them in. :thinking

Even though these don't come as a single package, maybe get a red diode from DTR here in a module. Then get yourself a kit, where all you do is pop in the diode and solder the leads.

Let us know how everything goes!

Cheers mate! :beer:

ryansoh3 said:

@Sid: Congrats on your 1000th or 1001th post! You're now eligible for the vet section!

@Nikko: Wow, this is a very good first/second/third post, which is rare nowadays.
Looks like you've done your research! :thanks:

Anyhow, personally I think a 5mW red is slightly dull. I would go for something like 50-100mW for a first build. Plus, 20-30mW pointers are very cheap here from Amazon. Plus, they also come with two more green and violet lasers.
(Uh oh, just realized that Straya meant Australia, and I don't think customs will let them in. :thinking

Even though these don't come as a single package, maybe get a red diode from DTR here in a module. Then get yourself a kit, where all you do is pop in the diode and solder the leads.

Let us know how everything goes!

Cheers mate! :beer:

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I'm so proud to have pushed Sid into the vet zone :angel:
Don't give me all the credit Ryansoh. I had a bit of a conversation with Lazy Laser before posting.

Yeah, anything >5mW gets eaten by customs and you get a record. Since I already import borderline stuff every now and then and I'm in the Reserves, I *really* don't want a record. (PS: Aussie readers, PM me for info on thermite)

@Sid: I did notice the 10 pack you linked previously.... but ten sounds like an awful lot, especially since getting the low power red was meant to teach me what to do, and they come all finished, driver and all. And again, I really don't know what I'd do with ten.

I might have to up the stakes then... O-Like has a nice selection of collimation lenses ('collimation' comes up as a spelling error... not good for a laser forum) and hosts but.... I guess what I really want then are a few low-cost diodes I can learn the ropes on, no matter the colour. I specified 5mW because that seems to make people happy, but you're right. even as a pointer they suck hairy balls. Can someone suggest to me somewhere I can buy diodes AS SINGLES (sick of seeing "minimum 100 order") in a nice range of colours and powers? And, if we're being particularly picky, drivers as well?

Though, if I aim to teach myself... perhaps I should build the drivers too, if someone would give me pointers....

Nik.

You're too modest. :crackup: +1 rep for you.

Lazerer.com is a great company, although it might be a higher power than you're looking for.

Red Laser Module

Cheers! :beer:

If I want cheap red lasers, I buy cheap complete pointers. I haven't seen 5mW diodes being sold individually.

As for collimation being spelling error .. it is not forum problem. Your browser does spell-checking.

This is kind of a generic post, and you seem like you have a good Idea of whats going on, but just remember to use eye protection when you get to the more powerful lasers.

DrSid said:

As for collimation being spelling error .. it is not forum problem. Your browser does spell-checking.

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Just because I can, I'm going to go full Wrath of Khan here:

CHROOOOOOME!!

source

Nikko said:

Just because I can, I'm going to go full Wrath of Khan here:

CHROOOOOOME!!

source

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I'm using Firefox, and it knows 'collimating'. But I'm pretty sure it did not, so I guess they fixed it. I had problems with heatsink .. but then I learned it knows heat-sink .. and you can always add your own words into dictionary .. :beer:

DrSid said:

I'm using Firefox, and it knows 'collimating'. But I'm pretty sure it did not, so I guess they fixed it. I had problems with heatsink .. but then I learned it knows heat-sink .. and you can always add your own words into dictionary .. :beer:

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http://i.imgur.com/7pOwI.jpg

I will go into in no further :umbrella: