The Cyan Cannon Vll Build

Re: The Cyan Cannon II Build

Alaskan said:

Very nice, is it possible to push the diode modules a little further to the side of the heat sink so the output is in the center of the axis?

Click to expand...

AK...I understand why you would want this....makes good sense !!! Slap a Linos on the end....is surly made a snap....when the beam axis is right on the unit centre !!!

SOoooo...I DID IT...a little right....a little down....now the combined output is dead centre !!!. BUT....as one moves things around...in a confined geometry...there are consequences !!

Although I do not think this will cause a structural issue....when moving the LD modules downward...this caused a reduction in the cord thickness of the connector section.....down from 19.84mm to 13.56mm. Oh well....nothing I can do about that !! Even at that thickness, still a very rigid section !!

If one wanted to machine out a recess pocket for the Linos end....eazy/sleezy !!!

I keep trying to refine...and cover ALL the bases....a tall order indeed !!! See the attached pic....CC lll V5....and this is what I will build !!! Beam out !!

Re: The Cyan Cannon II Build

LOL I know all too well that. Oh $h&1 it's not going to fit in mid build feeling.
Luckily with the caveman stuff I build I can just hog it out with a spud.


So I appreciate all the more the detailed close tolerance work you do, it's physical music, mechanical art the work you do, and we are all enjoy seeing it, thanks for bringing us along. :beer:

Re: The Cyan Cannon II Build

Alaskan said:

AutoCAD by a company called Autodesk is the premium software most people use, I'm going to be learning it soon too (don't hold your breath, I keep saying that). You can get free instruction at www.mycadsite.com - Although it is completely free on their web site, I ordered everything they have on a CDROM to make it easier for 20 bucks, maybe it was less than that, don't remember now, it's sitting right here at my desk unopened for the last 9 months. They don't provide the software though, but if you are a student you can DL a student copy free at Free Student Software Downloads | Autodesk Education Community

Click to expand...

@Alaskan I appreciate your help. There certainly are a lot of programs available. I keep thinking that perhaps a bunch of guys here should form a small company in a state that has a low, like $10 Annual Report fee that also has a member so there would be no need for a registered agent. The entity should be scientific, educational. Then we can order lasers, laser parts, get educational materials like this gratis:crackup: Nothin like having a little company!

Re: The Cyan Cannon II Build

Great CDBEAM777 - You understood right away why I wanted the output in the center
I like all of my lasers to have the output smack in the middle so I can use beam expanders on them too, low divergence is a top concern to me, I don't need skinny little beams, I like to put a spot on the under side of a 5,000 feet high cloud deck, without low divergence, you can't.

Andrew, glad I could help. I see there are lots of CAD programs out there, I like AutoCAD because it is so universally used.

Re: The Cyan Cannon III Build

Well.... a little progress/update. I have just finished this week a commission build....that you will see a thread on shortly....so....now....I can resume my efforts on the Cyan Cannon lll build.

See the attached pic....beam propagating thru the Cylindrical set....and then thru the Dichroic filter-mirror I plan to use !!! A crude set-up....but I am able to put the power meter on it !!

No filter...1320mW....with Dichroic...1225mW....not bad....95mW loss....less than 10%....typical of what you would predict !!

And...the cylindrical optics do a great job in taming the output of the
NUBM01T LD !!!!....Tight !! Will measure tomorrow...but I am sure under 1.0 mRad !!

Anyway....finally...work continues !!:san::san::san:

Beam Out

Re: The Cyan Cannon III Build

Wow, that's quite the solid set up you have going on there. Great to see a photo update!

Re: The Cyan Cannon III Build

Thanx Dr.U !! Well....yes....seems like a lot of metal...just to move around a few small pcs. of glass.....But....the need for an adjustable and stable set-up to provide precise movement/alignment is required. Accurate measurement of those movements and how they effect the farfield beam geometry demands the structure/translation tables.

Also...some time in 2016, my goal is to assemble a CCD based beam analyser....to more accurately measure the geometry of the farfield beam target. This can be done for a very reasonable cost ! It is amazing what can be done, with help from other members, some surplus equipment....and the will to make it happen !! Just another project on a long list !

Also, see attached the latest render of the Cyan Cannon lll design. The build evolves...many
times....even B4 any metal is machined.

OH...Added note...even though this is difficult to believe...the mRad on the NUBM01T is 0.38....
measured at 6.7M farfield...5.6mm beam diameter...nearfield ( just after Cylinderical optics)...2.7mm.

That calculates out to a divergence of 0.38 mRad ! That is tight !.....and the good news is that the NUBM07E Blue LD corrects almost as well....with a measured divergence of 0.65 mRad.

While not a perfect 1:1 aspect ratio (round)...on either LD corrected beam...well...as they say..." Close enough for Jazz " !

The goal of obtaining a pencil thin Cyan beam is within reach....and at around 6W ...out the front door !

Beam Out

Re: The Cyan Cannon III Build

Great news CDBEAM, I hope to see photo's of the project you just finished for our friend in Pizza-land, when he has it in hand and can do some beam shots. I'm please to see you will pickup on the cannon project now!

Re: The Cyan Cannon III Build

Well...possibly yet another twist. I am now thinking back on the Tridentis build. If you recall....I used a modified Sky Ray host.....which used four (4) 18650 cells !!

See the attached pic....showing the Sky Ray host....for what I now am naming...The Cyan Cannon V build....ya....I had a Cyan Cannon llll....but....I chucked that too !!

I like a shorter design !!! BUT....I want the efficiency of buck drives.....and the use of the higher current 18650 cells !!!......SO....I have this host on order !
Yes...I will need to change out the wimpy switch...OK......but....I have reduced to overall length down to 228 mm

The Sky Ray host unit used in the Tridentis build was of very good construction...and I know how to modify the host and mount the Ally front unit to the host....so....some experience will go a long way there !!!

So...bear with me....it will happen !!! This is the last change....well....for today anyway !!! hahaha:san::san::san:

Re: The Cyan Cannon III Build

definately looking forward to it the finished product, love me some cyan man. keep up the good work.

Re: The Cyan Cannon V Build

I have been thinking much as of late .....as to what factors are considered when I design any build.
So...see the list below.....it is quite long !! The design should have;


Some aspect of our HH format that has not previously been achieved
Aesthetic beauty ( very subjective)
Full functionality
Best design for ergonomic considerations
As balanced as possible
As small/short as possible
As lite weight as possible
Skeleton Open Design coupled with Acrylic canopy or shroud for full display of the optics
Easy access to adjust optical alignment
Use off the shelf components whenever possible
Use High current LiPo cells
Use corrective optics when appropriate
Good thermal management incorporated in the design
As low cost as possible


SOOooooo....we serve many masters !!!!!
As of late....my particular focus has been that of ergonomics !!
As in how easy is the unit to handle ?
How easy is it to turn the unit on and off ?
How does unit feel as far as balance is concerned ?

After many discussions with my friend ....Minamoto Kobayashi...who has inspired my thinking...I have come to some conclusions.

The Cyan Cannon V design may be somewhat front heavy and a bit too large diameter to easily grip. SOoooooo..... I have decided that it may be desirable to add a handle to the design.

See the handle to host connection point....where the handle connects to the flashlight body !! See how FAR forward this lift point is shifted when a handle is incorporated !!! I feel this adaptation would greatly modify/improve the overall balance of the Cyan Cannon V.

SOOOOooo...if the balance of a build is off....a handle arrangement....will shift the balance point...forward.....like one is picking the unit up....much more forward....but from the handle position....which is shifted back.

I also think...a smaller handle will be much more ergonomically " friendly".....being much more correct (natural) for a hand to grip and control.

SOooo see the pic.....something like this is what I will likely do !!.....and I will incorporate the main I/O switch in the handle front/lower presentation.

Anyone have any thoughts on how the addition of a handle will look ??? Good, OK, Steampunk, .....or.....Clunky, Bad....stupid, Ugly ?? I cannot decide ????....But....I do believe a handle will improve the ergonomics of the CCV.....

Beam Out.:eg::eg:

Re: The Cyan Cannon III Build

It'll look like you're wielding a minigun! Neat! Keep up the pioneering, man

Re: The Cyan Cannon V Build

Thanx for the words of encouragement...I will forge ahead...

The drawing showing the handle (V10 )was inspired by a host I found on Ebay....see the DSLR pic. This is a two (2) 18650 cell unit....so....it is not packing enough LiPo power......or maybe it is....just with a reduced run time ???.....Perhaps....I will adapt this host....for the CCV ????

How long will two (2) h1gh capacity 18650's power a NUBM07E and a
NUBM01T ??????? Anybody have any insight on this question ??? :thinking:

Beam out

Re: The Cyan Cannon V Build

CDBEAM777 said:

How long will two (2) h1gh capacity 18650's power a NUBM07E and a
NUBM01T ??????? Anybody have any insight on this question ??? :thinking:

Beam out

Click to expand...

Let's see...
A true high capacity 18650 can output up to 3400mAh. We can approximate how long a battery will last by dividing the mAh rating by the load it's under... So for the NUBM07E you're probably running it somewhere around 4000mA, maybe 4500 but let's call it 4000. For the NDG7475 you're prolly running it between 1.8-2.4A, I've no idea what. So let's take the average, 2100mA. So a combined load of around 5100mA. Two 18650s, so a capacity of max 6800mAh...

6800mAh
----------- = 1.3333...
5100mA

If my guesstimate math checks out, that's roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Re: The Cyan Cannon V Build

Gabe said:

Let's see...
A true high capacity 18650 can output up to 3400mAh. We can approximate how long a battery will last by dividing the mAh rating by the load it's under... So for the NUBM07E you're probably running it somewhere around 4000mA, maybe 4500 but let's call it 4000. For the NDG7475 you're prolly running it between 1.8-2.4A, I've no idea what. So let's take the average, 2100mA. I dunno if this is how you do it, don't hold this against me. So a combined load of around 5100mA. Two 18650s, so a capacity of max 6800mAh...

6800mAh
----------- = 1.3333...
5100mAh

If my guesstimate math checks out, that's roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Click to expand...

Well...Thank you for that info !!! My driver setting are:

NUBM07E @ 4.5 A ( Load )
NUBM01T @ 2.15 A ( Load )
------------------------------
Combined Load @ 6650 mAh....So..

6800 mAh
----------- =1.038 so....just over one (1) hour predicted run time !!
6650 mAh

One hour run time is just fine......

I have made yet another CAD drawing showing this new Cree Host with handle....see V14...Looks good to me !....and I get to keep the more efficient Buck drivers with a two (2) cell 18650 arrangement !

I have ordered this new host....so....we will see what the quality is sometime in early January when it gets to the USA. This is just a slowly unfolding journey...and for now....I am at almost a full stop until I have the host in hand.

When the unit arrives...I can design and machine the physical connection between the host and the HSOP front end !

Because of the add-on optics...we cannot eliminate these larger host diameter demands....and the larger diameters....are less ergonomic....less natural to hold.

The add on optics also cause more weight on the build front....which makes the overall build tend to be front-heavy....unbalanced !!

It is my hope...that a simple host + handle approach may be a good work around these issues. The handle attach point will shift the weight pick point forward to give the build a good balance and the much reduced cross section dimension of the handle will make the grip much more natural. MMMmmm...I guess....that is why...it is called a ... handle !! haha.

Stay tuned... op:.... Thanx again for your help !

Beam out

Re: The Cyan Cannon V Build

Forgot about this one. You've got too many! (implying there is such thing as "too many!"). Will we get to see all of them on side by side? Or do the old ones get dismantled?