LOC build in a project box

This is my very first successful portable laser build! There are links in my signature (the letters 'DIY' are the links) to the albums. I thought I'd post it up in a thread and have some more info. A huge thanx to everyone on #laserchat and here who helped me get this working!:beer:

Videos (no more burning after these vids, bought and waiting for goggles now):
Lighting match
Beam with some smoke

LPF equivalent of an "executive summary" - beamshot! Lasers in the picture are the DIY LOC set to 390mA, LPM verified 40mW green, DIY PHR set to 125mA.





TOTAL COST: $34
----------------------------
$8.14 LOC sled
$5.00 Moh heatsink
$5.00 650nm glass lens
$2.50 Aixiz module
$0.32 LM317
$0.09 Resistors
$2.66 Enclosure
$6.00 Batteries
$2.00 Battery holder
$2.32 On/Off Button

I used an aluminum heatsink made my Mohrenberg, Flaminpyro's wire, LiIon batteries from DX, button+box form RadioShack, LM+resistors from mouser.com.


The driver consists of 2 parts: the LM317 chip and a 3Ohm resistor. This gives me a constant current of 390mA. This laser has been on for over 2 hours total and has yet to start loosing any power. I have no LPM (yet), but it sure would be nice to know the output power as well... Above is a picture borrowed from a thread by 'laseerer', I hope you dont mind me borrowing it!

His name is Mr. Tophat, just look at him with that rubber cap, what else could I have named him?



Mr. Tophat with no hat:



Internals:



Beamshot!



Testing before assembly:

Looks very pretty. I am still playing with my red laser almost every night especially now when it is foggy in Philadelphia

Thanx! Yea, I saw your build thread for that red host, excellent work!

Great photos and even better tut-- I can see many doing this-- my first two porta-labbies looked similar but you have done a better job of it.

rep to you for the work--len

comradmax said:

Thanx! Yea, I saw your build thread for that red host, excellent work!

Click to expand...

Thank you!

By the way about your 405nm DIY build. I have a similar setup but I always thought that it was more than 30mW, actually closer to 100mw. Did you get it LPMed?

Nice job my fellow Masshole!! LOL :crackup:

Looks very clean and the beam shots are great!!

+1 for the good beam shots bro. GO CELTICS!!!!!

gillza said:

By the way about your 405nm DIY build. I have a similar setup but I always thought that it was more than 30mW, actually closer to 100mw. Did you get it LPMed?

Click to expand...

My DIY build isnt LPM'ed yet, I only list the current it's running at. There is a second 405 in my sig, the $9 one is ~30mW. I estimated it based on other people's results from the same seller, and also using an IR-thermometer method by Warske. I however do not trust the latter results anymore and now trying to build a real LPM...

Kevlar said:

Nice job my fellow Masshole!! LOL :crackup:

Looks very clean and the beam shots are great!!

Click to expand...

:wave: The only 2 people here from MA! Thank you for the comments, I learned it is not easy to take beamshots...

Measured divergence now that I have goggles. This is either a very tight beam or I am doing it wrong

Calculator: Laser Pointer Divergence Calculator
Parameters: 5mm@0.15m, 8mm@8.89m
Result: 0.34 mRad

I have tried searching for more info on LOC divergence, but couldn't find anything. I was hoping there's been a thread like, "post your LOC divergence" or something...

Good work!

looks similar in style to my first red laser build which is still going strong after more than a year. I'm using an lm317t based current regulator, radioshack parts and project box. I think the key to a long life is not to overpower the diode -- 125mA of current to the 16x Sony diode (about spec) and it's lasted for 100's of hours now. Had to glue a new switch onto it but it still works.

Red lasers are very impressive an smoky and foggy (even a little bit) conditions.

Thanks, flogged! Yea, those reds are hard to see, I have yet to try steam. With smoke the red beams look beautiful

Nice work on the red! I'm trying to figure out where you got that heatsink... Is it a solid piece of aluminum that you drilled out with a 12mm bit?

Heat sink? That's something I ordered from Meredith lasers - brass mounting block ($5.00):
Meredith Instruments : Mounting Block for LDC-1 & 2 [LDC-MB-1] - $5.00 - The source for laser surplus

The Meredith diode housing and lens assembly fits above heatsink.
(glass)
Meredith Instruments : Laser Diode Collimating Lens (Glass) [LDC-2] - $35.00 - The source for laser surplus
(acryilic)
Meredith Instruments : Laser Diode Collimating Lens (Acryilic) [LDC-1] - $25.00 - The source for laser surplus

I'm using the acryilic lens as it focuses to a very tight spot - better for burning. The Meredith lasers stuff is a lot more expensive than the more common AixiZ housings. However you do get what you pay for. Better machining and optics, easy to adjust focus.

I can run mine indefinitely, though I usually don't run it more than 15 minutes at a time. Then again I'm only pushing 125mA through the diode (80-100 mW laser). The diode is glued into place using arctic silver epoxy (excellent heat conductor), so the diode stays cool.. though it would be harder to replace if it did expire..