Homemade 445nm labby (PIC HEAVY)

:eg:
Well I wanted to enjoy the beam for lenghts of time without the worry bout overheating. So I used a heatsink I got from another host. Biggest I could find. I had ordered a Marlow RC6-4 TEC modules attached with a fan and heatsink. But the size was bulky and didnt fit my needs. So I dismantled it. Popped off a few fins of the heat sink to fit the driver. I also had on hand a
Blue Aluminum Motor Heat Sink Cooling Fan 540 Motor. It just so happens to fit over the heatsink top. Reversed the fan so it Draws in downward and out the back. Found a case for some drill bits that was prefect to keeping everything tidy. I covered inside with liquid tape. When it drys it kinda feels like rhino spray in liner for trucks.. I had to cut a slit where the beam comes out cause the heat started to melt the case. I took some Aluminum Flashing for roofs (super easy to bend and cut with scissors) and made a hood for the beam, and also a Tunnel to direct flow of air out the back.
Works great. Heatsink doesnt get warm at all at 15 min runs. I even got room for Two 18650's just n case I wanna make it portable.
Thanks for looking.
:thanks:

RDCII

Redneck laser building at it's finest! +1

Turned out quite unique, not bad looking.
Have you let it run for hours, check how warm it gets?
How much current you set it at?

Thanks, it is very redneck.. used stuff I had available and repurposed others things I didnt need. In true Redneck fashion. :beer:
Havent gone passed like 15mins so far. Im currently at work on a drilling rig, and I gotta leave the office every 15 mins or so. Im to afraid to leave a 1+W laser going while im not around... Alot of ppl pop up in my office all day..wouldnt want them walking in on it and not know the dangers of it.
Not sure on what is set at now. I put in on my laserbee and just turned it up till about 1.3W.

RDCII

very creative. I love DIY build.

It almost looks like a tank. from the side.

:gj:

How is the heat with it. Its is continuous or is there a duty cycle.?

+

Great build there!:beer::beer:
I love to see builds done with what ever a person can find to make it happen!:gj:

Very creative build, but, no offense, was that all necessary?

lazeerer: Im so going to add some tracks now with the beam coming out the turrent.. lol be awesome.

532 with Envy: Ya Im a master of refurbishing things..
Obtainium is the greatest stuff ever

Hell no it wasnt necessary, but I always go over the top... Its better that way
Look at the laptop cooler I built years ago...
YouTube - Insane laptop Cooler
This thing cools the entire room down.
Still runs today, 2 years straight over 12hrs aday 7 days a week..


RDCII

Ok I couldnt leave well enought alone.. lol
I had a lumia wheel and a PBS cube, so I decided to make something
useful outta the unlimited duty cycle im getting for this homemade labby.
So here some pics of it almost completed.
It would seem when the beam hits the cube, not only did it go through,
and split the beam, but it did so in both directions, and backwards..?? so I added
a mirror to bounce the beam back in to the lumia wheel. Still need to add two more mirrors for a total of 4 beams hitting wheel of off one laser...
Its an Ugly beast, but makes up for it with the light show it creates.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-NapBQGQok

Thanks
RDCII

That is very cool, I love lumia.
Was that a kit you got off ebay?
Does the motor run off wall AC?

I'd love to find a cheap and slow DC motor, the textured glass wheel is easy to obtain as scrap from a glass shop.

Ya its 120v AC, 1/3 turn a min. It came ready to go with glass on it for around 32 bucks Glass is nice and thick.
Here: he has 5 left

RDCII