A Guide To Buying Your First Green Laser

Where did you get it? If it was from Ebay it's probably more than 5mW.

Just to second a few good reviews on the ebay reviews, I recently bought a green 5mW ebay model, as everyone else has said before the packing is nothing special but it works, pot modding can be done if the model you get is actually 5mw but most are overspec'd (As has already beesn said). As for Pot modding, if you do decide to, keep in mind that you can fry the diode so don't push it too far!!

This is the one I bought
Newest 5mw 532nm Green Beam Laser Pointer Pen - eBay (item 190412156329 end time Jul-30-10 18:20:08 PDT)

I've been in constant contact with the seller since I bought it and have since modified it into a flashlight housing, I posted it in the build your own green laser thread, it's not a true 'from scratch' build but I'm still proud of it seeing as it's my first!
Either way, if you're looking for a cheap pointer or something to modify for experiments to start you along the road to a 'scratch build' green, I'd recommend this seller!
He even offered me a discount on my next purchace!
As for the quality of the pointer it'sself see the review on the 405nm onehttp://laserpointerforums.com/f52/405nm-pen-etimeshop-ebay-51136.html
It's essentially the same, though I do have one thing to say, the paint scratches VERY easily.... Still, saying that the metal underneath still looks great if you get all the paint off properly and even with that in mind, I still recommend them!

Looks like you did a lot of work on that laser... congrats! So you actually replaced the diode, without replacing the crystals?

Yep, I replyed to your post before you deleted it lol, in the other thread!

Sorry, I posted it in the wrong tab! You could add a quote from this post and put it in the other.

here's what I wrote

Also randomlugia I did put quite a bit into it but, as qumefox pointed out, it's not a from scratch build though I maintain pride in it for the sole point that I think it's daym good for my first venture into green. As for extracting the diode, the design of the 'New wish' hosts means you can unscrew the bottom with the diode in it then it's a little bit of fiddley work getting the diode out and puttin a new one in, after that connect the new diode to the driver board with wires and try it out, luckily this didn't happen with mine, but if anything's mis-alligned that gives you a chance to streighten it without having to take the driver board off!

Ok, how was the beam from that module, before modification? Mode operation and divergence, things like that.

Ok, beforehand.
100% duty cycle,
around 30mW (I guess, looked brighter than a 5mW anyway, but no heat)
push-to-make switch (Annoying coz ya have to hold it down),
2xAAA batteries (I liked coz they're common enough),
looked pretty close to infinite focus (Better than most pointers anyway)
Acceptable sidesplash
Generally good enough quality, your basic 'New wish' model.

Now -
Still 100% duty cycle (My rudimentry heatsync seems to keep it at an optimum temp :yh
Around 80-100mW (With IR shield on it burns a match properly focused (Pinpoint))
Push locking switch! (Major plus for me, I'm actually too lazy to hold a button down)
2xAA batteries (Only 1 step up in size but has 2 advantages for me, I have over 100 rechargables and they hold more power!)
Better focus (Under 1mrad i think! I spent AGES setting the focus on my neighbours building)
ALMOST NO sidesplash (I'd like to claim genius for that one but it was more accident than design, other than some minor work on the lens I have no idea how I managed that)

Also I noticed you have an etimeshop laser in your list, I'm thinking of putting in a bulk order with them outside of e-bay (Yeah, I kknow you're not supposed to but they've offered me the lasers at $8 each)
Anyway, what's etimeshop like as a seller? Seem to have a lot of bad rep on the page and quite a few complaining about not recieving items so I'm a little concerned, especially as it was them that suggested the transaction outside of ebay

1mrad is really good! Sounds like a good module for the price.

I don't really have any comments about Etimeshop. I paid for the laser, the email notifying me of the shipment was sent in the next day or two, and the laser arrived 8 days later. It wasn't spectacular (they didn't send any personal messages or anything of the sort), but there weren't any problems either.

1mrad is after I'd worked on it, beforehand it's basically the same as the etimeshop pen you got. I've now replaced the lens for a modified axiz lens and I get better focusing!

The etimeshop pen I got was violet... completely different. I couldn't even get a divergence measurement. That's interesting that you're getting a better beam out of the acrylic lens though.

randomlugia said:

The etimeshop pen I got was violet... completely different. I couldn't even get a divergence measurement. That's interesting that you're getting a better beam out of the acrylic lens though.

Click to expand...

I know that by the writing colour lol, I meant external look/feel wise... And I did a divergance test by sitting it at my window and shining it on a neighbours block a few streets away (with permission) then going across and comparing the dot size to the one I had marked on paper. Not the most refined idea, but it worked!

@randomlugia
Will you please add
MILITARYLASERS to the bad/scam ccompanies?
I'm not 100% sure, but i ordered once from them - and i got nothing! over 6 months ago.
comunication is 0 as well.
i got lucky and only lost 5$.
regards.

Heleno said:

@randomlugia
Will you please add
MILITARYLASERS to the bad/scam ccompanies?
I'm not 100% sure, but i ordered once from them - and i got nothing! over 6 months ago.
comunication is 0 as well.
i got lucky and only lost 5$.
regards.

Click to expand...

Done.

I feel like no laser company I've talked to is being honest. How long does it take for them to complete an order? I ordered the >200mW FGB greenie from rayfoss and first they said the host was being modded cause they had complaints, then that they had massive storms and the shipping bay flooded so they couldn't ship anything. Now, according to Faona, my laser should be in the mail. They gave me a tracking number... doesn't work. Is it typical for companies to do that excuses thing, or just Wicked?
Ugh.

:anyone: