IsaacT
0
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2010
- Messages
- 5,947
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THE LIBERTY CANNON!!!!
Birthday: 4th of July, 2013
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello LPF! I would like to share with you my most recent build that I have taken to
calling "The Liberty Cannon". The reason for this is that it is massive, and I built it
on the 4th of July.
This laser is one I have been drooling over building for awhile now....
I mean, what better host to use for a BEAST 445 laser than an MS-SSW Host from
Sinner?
Here is the end video for those who don't want to read my wonderful write-up
If you are still reading, it means you are not a Lemming. Please continue with my deepest gratitude for making my pride and joy part of your day!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The parts required:
MS-SSW JAD Kit from Sinner(driver @ 2.25A)
9mm Diode in Copper Module from DTR
2 x 26650 Batteries from FastTech
1pkg J-B Weld from Walmart('Merica')
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Build....hopefully a nice read
I have no pictures of this part,
as I was concentrating on NOT ruining almost 300 dollars in parts!
1. The build was actually not as difficult as I feared. Time consuming and tedious?
Definitely! But everything ended up great. First, I opened up my 9mm diode package and pushed
the end in the hole in the head of the host to see how the fit was. Due to the softness of
these modules, the threads in the lens area can warp if the fit is too tight. So I used my dremel
tool to grind away at the inside of this hole very carefully until I felt that I could maintain a
pressfit without risking module damage.
2. Next, I used a C clamp vice to press the module into the head of the
MS-SSW, being careful to keep it centered(not easy with innacurate tools like that: if you
have the funds and plan on doing a lot of pressfit builds, spring for a drill press). Once the
module was in the head correctly I shortened the lead wires to a more manageable length
and soldered them to the appropriate driver wires. I then shrunk the heatshrink tubing
around the joints and tested my connections to make sure that:
A. The Diode was Alive
B. The Driver was Working
C. The Connections were Sound
3. At this point I had an issue with my tailcap. I discovered there were a lot
of burrs in the threads left over from the machining process. Determined to not have to wait
for a replacement tailcap, I followed some directions DTR gave me for fixing module threads once.
I screwed the tailcap in, and whenever I felt it encountering a burr, I carefully twisted the
tailcap and the host back and forth to loosen the burrs. After I did that a lot, I went in and
used canned air and a toothpick to carefully scrape the loosened burrs out of the threads. I will
need lubricant for the threads, but they work now.
4. The focus adapter included with the MS-SSW host looks sick! But it is not
threaded in and of itself. One must press in an aixiz focus ring in the hole that lies in the back
of the focus adapter. This is fairly easy, and even easier if you do what I do and grind down the
circumference of the aixiz focus ring. Making the "ridges" on the focus ring begin to blur
together is enough to SIGNIFICANTLY ease the press. Otherwise it is very difficult without
very good tools.
5. My last trial was to screw the head of the laser onto the body and complete
the build(mostly....we'll get to that later). This was very hard because while the build is massive,
the space that lies between the heatsink and the pill when assembled is NOT. After having a near
diode-death experience when a lead wire popped off of the diode pin(I bout near shat my pants),
I grabbed my keys, went to Walmart(at 2am), and purchased some J-B Weld Two Part Epoxy.
I came home, soldered the lead back on, tested for connectivity and diode life, mixed up the J-B Weld,
and applied it heavily
to the diode pins. This thing had better not go anywhere! Well, I jerry rigged an area for it to sit
and dry for the 25 minutes it needed, and I went inside and laid down on the floor to await the
final minute of salvation........
..........and then I woke up almost 4 hours later. And you know what? That may have been my salvation.
You see, J-B Weld dries in 25 minutes. But it doesn't get to full strength until up to 24 hours later.
When I went outside to twist the head on, it was just to the point where it didn't allow anything
to snap off, but it did mess with my connection.
I said screw it, I will fix it in the morning. So I went and slept.
11 o'clock rolls around and I pull my ass outta bed, ready to face my challenges
anew. Rested and patient, I consulted some members here and made a decision to counter
twist the wires even further than I had been. Counter twisting is what I call twisting the wires in
such a way that when you screw on the head of the laser, the wires have to untwist before they
twist up as per usual. This gives you more leeway and reduces the risk of diode pins being ripped
from their lairs. You
know their lairs? The things that solder cannot penetrate? The things that will never accept a
diode pin back in after its area is vacated(presumably by mistreated diode pins?)?
And I twisted the head on. Going slowly, and keeping most of my brain on monitoring the torque
resistance in the threads, as I know that when the wires become dangerously close
to breaking, the head becomes harder to turn....
And then the head slid home! I said a prayer and tapped the tailclicky and brilliant
445nm light spewed forth unto my world, lighting the day brighter than any star.
So there you have it! That is my build story! I still need to affix the metal tailclicky cover, but
for now I am content to have a working laser....which spews many a photon....all the
photons in fact!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LPM...How Badass is It???
Well, I metered this baby in at 2.5W....but the batteries died minutes after. So, they are currently
in a charger charging up to full power so that I can get a good topped out reading. I also need
to figure out my G9 lens so that I can get that reading. I think I may have put it in backwards
as the LPM gave me 1.9W and dropping fast with the G9.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mad Photons Yo!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those are all of the beamshots for now, I hope you all enjoyed my build write-up; even though
I had no pics of the assembly, I attempted to paint word pictures for yall! I am uploading a video
right now and it will be placed at the top so that those who only care about the burning don't
have to scroll. Those who did, thank you for reading!!! Also, this Patriot has already drawn blood.
This laser opened a small gash along my right "pinky" finger. I was so intent on my work that I only
noticed because there was much blood on my host. So my host has bathed in blood. I then Christened
my laser by shooting off fireworks.....and lit my bushes on fire....with the fireworks. But that is a story
for another day.
Cheers,
Isaac
Birthday: 4th of July, 2013
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello LPF! I would like to share with you my most recent build that I have taken to
calling "The Liberty Cannon". The reason for this is that it is massive, and I built it
on the 4th of July.
This laser is one I have been drooling over building for awhile now....
I mean, what better host to use for a BEAST 445 laser than an MS-SSW Host from
Sinner?
Here is the end video for those who don't want to read my wonderful write-up
If you are still reading, it means you are not a Lemming. Please continue with my deepest gratitude for making my pride and joy part of your day!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The parts required:
MS-SSW JAD Kit from Sinner(driver @ 2.25A)
9mm Diode in Copper Module from DTR
2 x 26650 Batteries from FastTech
1pkg J-B Weld from Walmart('Merica')
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Build....hopefully a nice read
I have no pictures of this part,as I was concentrating on NOT ruining almost 300 dollars in parts!
1. The build was actually not as difficult as I feared. Time consuming and tedious?
Definitely! But everything ended up great. First, I opened up my 9mm diode package and pushed
the end in the hole in the head of the host to see how the fit was. Due to the softness of
these modules, the threads in the lens area can warp if the fit is too tight. So I used my dremel
tool to grind away at the inside of this hole very carefully until I felt that I could maintain a
pressfit without risking module damage.
2. Next, I used a C clamp vice to press the module into the head of the
MS-SSW, being careful to keep it centered(not easy with innacurate tools like that: if you
have the funds and plan on doing a lot of pressfit builds, spring for a drill press). Once the
module was in the head correctly I shortened the lead wires to a more manageable length
and soldered them to the appropriate driver wires. I then shrunk the heatshrink tubing
around the joints and tested my connections to make sure that:
A. The Diode was Alive
B. The Driver was Working
C. The Connections were Sound
3. At this point I had an issue with my tailcap. I discovered there were a lot
of burrs in the threads left over from the machining process. Determined to not have to wait
for a replacement tailcap, I followed some directions DTR gave me for fixing module threads once.
I screwed the tailcap in, and whenever I felt it encountering a burr, I carefully twisted the
tailcap and the host back and forth to loosen the burrs. After I did that a lot, I went in and
used canned air and a toothpick to carefully scrape the loosened burrs out of the threads. I will
need lubricant for the threads, but they work now.
4. The focus adapter included with the MS-SSW host looks sick! But it is not
threaded in and of itself. One must press in an aixiz focus ring in the hole that lies in the back
of the focus adapter. This is fairly easy, and even easier if you do what I do and grind down the
circumference of the aixiz focus ring. Making the "ridges" on the focus ring begin to blur
together is enough to SIGNIFICANTLY ease the press. Otherwise it is very difficult without
very good tools.
5. My last trial was to screw the head of the laser onto the body and complete
the build(mostly....we'll get to that later). This was very hard because while the build is massive,
the space that lies between the heatsink and the pill when assembled is NOT. After having a near
diode-death experience when a lead wire popped off of the diode pin(I bout near shat my pants),
I grabbed my keys, went to Walmart(at 2am), and purchased some J-B Weld Two Part Epoxy.
I came home, soldered the lead back on, tested for connectivity and diode life, mixed up the J-B Weld,
and applied it heavily
to the diode pins. This thing had better not go anywhere! Well, I jerry rigged an area for it to sit
and dry for the 25 minutes it needed, and I went inside and laid down on the floor to await the
final minute of salvation........
..........and then I woke up almost 4 hours later. And you know what? That may have been my salvation.
You see, J-B Weld dries in 25 minutes. But it doesn't get to full strength until up to 24 hours later.
When I went outside to twist the head on, it was just to the point where it didn't allow anything
to snap off, but it did mess with my connection.
I said screw it, I will fix it in the morning. So I went and slept.
11 o'clock rolls around and I pull my ass outta bed, ready to face my challenges
anew. Rested and patient, I consulted some members here and made a decision to counter
twist the wires even further than I had been. Counter twisting is what I call twisting the wires in
such a way that when you screw on the head of the laser, the wires have to untwist before they
twist up as per usual. This gives you more leeway and reduces the risk of diode pins being ripped
from their lairs. You
know their lairs? The things that solder cannot penetrate? The things that will never accept a
diode pin back in after its area is vacated(presumably by mistreated diode pins?)?
And I twisted the head on. Going slowly, and keeping most of my brain on monitoring the torque
resistance in the threads, as I know that when the wires become dangerously close
to breaking, the head becomes harder to turn....
And then the head slid home! I said a prayer and tapped the tailclicky and brilliant
445nm light spewed forth unto my world, lighting the day brighter than any star.
So there you have it! That is my build story! I still need to affix the metal tailclicky cover, but
for now I am content to have a working laser....which spews many a photon....all the
photons in fact!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LPM...How Badass is It???
Well, I metered this baby in at 2.5W....but the batteries died minutes after. So, they are currently
in a charger charging up to full power so that I can get a good topped out reading. I also need
to figure out my G9 lens so that I can get that reading. I think I may have put it in backwards
as the LPM gave me 1.9W and dropping fast with the G9.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mad Photons Yo!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those are all of the beamshots for now, I hope you all enjoyed my build write-up; even though
I had no pics of the assembly, I attempted to paint word pictures for yall! I am uploading a video
right now and it will be placed at the top so that those who only care about the burning don't
have to scroll. Those who did, thank you for reading!!! Also, this Patriot has already drawn blood.
This laser opened a small gash along my right "pinky" finger. I was so intent on my work that I only
noticed because there was much blood on my host. So my host has bathed in blood. I then Christened
my laser by shooting off fireworks.....and lit my bushes on fire....with the fireworks. But that is a story
for another day.
Cheers,
Isaac
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