IR laser from Samsung Laser printer

This is my first real try to do a laser the right way with a driver and all. But I have some questions about what power my little precious might be.  There are markings on the diode reading 5A1A 312, any help?  Also I know the dangers of IR so I might just scavenge some reds instead but this has just got me wondering. And would taking the cheap laser off a dollar store pointer and soldering this one or others work. (as a driver ofcourse). I have read through this forum and learned much, and now joined to get the help I need and maybe one day help others. Thank You

you need to do some more reading... you could replace the diode on a cheap $1 laser.. but you'd still only get like 2-5mA power out of the driver, meaning it would probably not even turn on your IR laser. I'd recommend taking apart a 16x or 20x DVD burner and getting the red laser diode out of there to be your laser. much more fun, and not as dangerous as IR.

look in the BST section on here, there are many good drivers to use. rkcstr & DrLava both make some great drivers.

also, http://www.google.com is your friend for searching part / model numbers

The power from that laser is most likely very weak, and would most likely not work with a dollar store red laser (usually those drivers are only just a resistor).

sk8er4514 said:

you could replace the diode on a cheap $1 laser.. but you'd still only get like 2-5mA power out of the driver, meaning it would probably not even turn on your IR laser.

Click to expand...

Drivers on cheap laser pointers usually put out around 40mA to a red laser diode, because the "drivers" are usually just a resistor, it would put even more current into an IR diode.

I am currently building the LM317 driver and getting 6 scrap dvd burners so thats my plan there. Honestly I didn't see anything on a cheap laser pointer driver but only went about 5 pages in on most posts. As far as the IR goes google is no help I spent 4 hours digging through places to buy a printer looking for any kind of laser schematics. And the numbers come up with nothing.

So I would be better off trashing the IR as its pretty useless?

jonrobertd said:

I am currently building the LM317 driver and getting 6 scrap dvd burners so thats my plan there. Honestly I didn't see anything on a cheap laser pointer driver but only went about 5 pages in on most posts. As far as the IR goes google is no help I spent 4 hours digging through places to buy a printer looking for any kind of laser schematics. And the numbers come up with nothing.

So I would be better off trashing the IR as its pretty useless?

Click to expand...

If you really want an IR laser, if you don't want an IR laser, driver.

Artix said:

[quote author=jonrobertd link=1217531904/0#3 date=1217533267]I am currently building the LM317 driver and getting 6 scrap dvd burners so thats my plan there. Honestly I didn't see anything on a cheap laser pointer driver but only went about 5 pages in on most posts. As far as the IR goes google is no help I spent 4 hours digging through places to buy a printer looking for any kind of laser schematics. And the numbers come up with nothing.

So I would be better off trashing the IR as its pretty useless?

Click to expand...

If you really want an IR laser, if you don't want an IR laser, driver.[/quote]
[link=http://www.hightechdealz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=49]Another red diode (from 20x DVD Burner capable of 250-300mW) already installed in Aixiz Module Optics Housing[/link]
[link=http://www.hightechdealz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=48]Just the 20x burner diode[/link]
[link=http://www.hightechdealz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=9]Aixiz laser module (needed to hold & focus any standard size laser diode)[/link]

I am gonna just buy a few but i figured with all the junk I have laying around I might already have something decent to "play" with. Any ideas with the printer laser? Maybe the average mW for most.