"KISS" guide to building a laser

The point of this thread which will be a work in progress is to help anyone to build a laser keeping things as simple as possible. It's come to my attention over the few years that I have been here and all the never ending questions like "I want to build a laser with this diode so which driver do I use and how do I wire it?" that we need a guide that isn't spread out all over the place. There's tons of great information here about specific things such as how a driver works but reality is you don't need to know how to build one yourself to pick out the parts and put them together properly. I know from asking the questions myself that many of us that have been around for years still rely on someone else either telling us what driver to buy, purchasing the driver with the diode or searching around to see what others have done.
So, what I'm looking to do here is keep things as simple as possible but also add links at the bottom to threads that cover things like how a driver works so anyone can learn more about those things if they want too.
What I NEED though is as much help as I can get to make this a success and hopefully turn it into something sticky worthy. I have put together some information so far and in particular Grainde has been a great help and if it is possible somehow to RE him, please give him props.
Help means corrections, additions, making the format great etc... I find it hard to believe that this wouldn't be a great help for so many present and future members. I have lots of experience spending hours with the search function trying to get the information that I need on my own and I'm sure many would agree with that.
A few things we really need are a SIMPLE guide to how to choose which driver for which diode such as with "this" diode I list do you use a boost, buck, linear etc. I know that some of you out there know that information and could probably say it in you sleep. The question is will you help make this a great help for everyone or not?
What I would really like to see is a list of every driver we can come up with just as I did for the diodes and give their dimensions, type (such as boost/buck), continuous positive, negative or neutral, output range, input range etc.
What I would like added to the diodes is manufacturers rating, recommended setting and output and pinout using and showing a pic of a standard 3 pin diode.
I'm looking for suggestions for anything that is really necessary to complete a build without the "fluff" which will be in links at the bottom.
This is what I have so far using copy/paste from a different thread I had started and was putting this together in. WILL KEEP ADDING INFORMATION AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE

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Here's the list I have of diodes and if I don't have a -,+ or n then I need others to verify what they are and of course also correct any mistakes. Also need to know if the diode is single mode and the can size.

405nm
BDR-209 (16x) n (single mode) 3.8mm recommended max current 600mA
BDR-203 (8x) n
BDR-s03 (8x) n
GGW-H20L (6x) n
PHR-803T n
PHR-805T n
SLD3234VF n
SF-AW210 (4x) n
S06J (12x) n (single mode) 5.6mm recommended max current 450mA (700mW G2 lens)

445nm
9MM n 9mm suggested current 2.4A (3W)
A130 n 5.6mm
A140 n 5.6mm recommended 1.2A
M140 n 5.6mm recommended max 1.8A (2.2W)

450nm
NDB7A75 n 9mm recommended 3.5A with a max of 4A for 5W+
NDB7K75 n 9mm recommended 3.5A with a max of 4A for 5W+
NUBM44 n 9mm at 4.5A 6.8W but will output over 7W no problem
PL450 n 3.8mm
PL450B n (single mode) 3.8mm recommended 200mA
PLP450 n (single mode) 5.6mm recommended max 300mA 325mW
PLTB450B n 5.6mm recommended 1.8A 2W

462nm
M462 n 5.6mm recommended 1.8A 2W
NDB7675 n 9mm recommended 1.8A 1.9W

465nm
NUBM07E n 9mm 2.3A 2.9W recommended max 3.5A 4.4W

515nm
JLD5130A-O1Y n
NDG4216 n (single mode) 3.8mm 350mA 120mW

520nm
NDG7475 n 9mm 1.8A for 1.1W and 2.4A for 1.4W
NDG700 n 9mm 1.4A 80mW but capable of over 1W
NUGM01T n 9mm 1.8A for 1.1W and 2.4A for 1.4W
PLP520-B1 n 5.6mm recommended 400mA
PL520 n 3.8mm 250mA 96mW

532nm modules + (popular Fasttech modules set provided driver pot to 430mA complete module amp draw for recommended max output potentially over 100mW)

635nm
HL638DG -
HL6388MG -
Sanyo 20mW -
Sanyo 40mW -

638nm
HL63133DG (Opnext/Oclaro) n (single mode) 5.6mm 400mA 250mW
HL63193MG (Oclaro) n 5.6mm 900mA-1.2A 825mW-1W
HL63603TG (Opnext/Oclaro) n (single mode) 3.8mm recommended 250mA 187mW
HL6388MG (Opnext/Oclaro) - 5.6mm recommended 300mA 250mW
ML520G55 (Mitsubishi) n (single mode) 5.6mm 215mA 180mW
ML501P73 (Mitsubishi) n 5.6mm recommended 1.2A 1W

650nm
what happened to all these diodes?

660nm
BDR-203 -
BDR-205 -
LPC-815 - 5.6mm
LPC-826 - 5.6mm 350mA 250mW max suggested 500mA 325mW (single mode)
LPC-836 - 5.6mm
LPC-840 - 5.6mm
ML101J27 -

685nm
HLD68503SKSJ n 5.6mm

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Assuming standard battery configuration of positive to head and negative to tail cap ie case negative host:

Driver neither continuous negative, nor case positive:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - isolate
Diode positive - isolate

Driver continuous negative:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - ok
Diode positive - isolate (current will flow from driver L+ to bat -) Diode will probably survive

Driver continuous positive:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - isolate (direct short over diode - not regulated will kill diode)
Diode positive - isolate (battery direct short) Battery will get very hot and could vent, but diode might survive

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Assuming IR laser configuration negative to head and positive to tail cap ie case positive host:

Driver neither continuous negative, nor case positive:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - isolate
Diode positive - isolate

Driver continuous negative:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - isolate (battery direct short) Battery will get very hot and could vent, but diode might survive
Diode positive - isolate (direct short over diode - not regulated will kill diode)

Driver continuous positive:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - isolate (direct short over diode - not regulated will kill diode)
Diode positive - ok

I'm deliberately taking this second post area to state other information I'm looking for for clarity sake as some may not read all of the first post.
Things I am looking to add:
Corrections, additions, making the format great etc... I find it hard to believe that this wouldn't be a great help for so many present and future members. I have lots of experience spending hours with the search function trying to get the information that I need on my own and I'm sure many would agree with that.
A few things we really need are a SIMPLE guide to how to choose which driver for which diode such as with "this" diode I list do you use a boost, buck, linear etc. I know that some of you out there know that information and could probably say it in you sleep. The question is will you help make this a great help for everyone or not?
What I would really like to see is a list of every driver we can come up with just as I did for the diodes and give their dimensions, type (such as boost/buck), continuous positive, negative or neutral, output range, input range etc.
What I would like added to the diodes is manufacturers rating, recommended setting and output and pinout using and showing a pic of a standard 3 pin diode.
I'm looking for suggestions for anything that is really necessary to complete a build without the "fluff" which will be in links at the bottom.
Battery information with simple information such as high end cells/brands like Panasonic, Sanyo, AW, Samsung, Sony, Nitecore and mid-grade cells such as Efest along with crap cells such as anything with "fire" in it. Yes it's somewhat subjective but lets not fight over it. Certain things can be specific such as Samsung 25R 2600mAh.
Wire to use as in silicone with high strand count.
Solder, soldering irons paste.
BUT, it MUST be kept "KISS". Things like types of chemistry in a battery will be in a link.

Really Really good chart Pman Its absolutely going to be a go to guide for all level of builders.:beer::beer:......If only I could rep you again

There are a bunch of build threads already BUT- I STILL FIND THE MOST COMMON QUESTION TO BE ....ABOUT BUILDS--
SO-- good job Pete!! +7 for the hard work --will be linking this one from now on...

please--anyone finding/knowing about other build threads.. place links in this thread--hak

Updated some with suggested mA and suggested max mA settings with their respective mW with G2

This is an awesome guide/chart. I tried to +rep but yeah.... I can't yet. I think it would be beneficial (at least to me) to list the lasing threshold if we know it.

Thanks and certainly no surprise on the REP thing
That's another piece of information that could be added as I go through stuff. There's so much information out there but it can be really difficult to find. All I can do is keep plugging away at it but always in the spirit of "KISS" or this will turn into confusion.
The biggest thing we are missing at the moment is listing driver stuff and doing it in a way that will easily tell you what driver will work with what diode. I can go to Flaminpyros driver page and some other places but when you click on a driver the information that I want doesn't come up. I'm doing what I can.

Pman, add what you just taught me on the max mA on even the simple fastech or any other 532nm DPSS modules with a pot or not. There are tons of threads on these with that question at least from us noobs

Very nice collection of diode information!

Just a tidbit about this:

Driver continuous negative:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - isolate (battery direct short) Battery will get very hot and could vent, but diode might survive
Diode positive - isolate (direct short over diode - not regulated will kill diode)

Driver continuous positive:

Diode neutral - ok
Diode negative - isolate (direct short over diode - not regulated will kill diode)
Diode positive - ok

Click to expand...

It depends on what you mean with 'driver continous negative'. If it is a 'low side driver' (i.e. goes between battery cathode and LD cathode), you could still have the case-positive LD connected to the host, as long as you put in the batteries with the positive side connected to the host.

This is a fairly common arrangement in 532 nm dpss lasers.

"Low side driver" isn't a term I'm familiar with. Biggest issue here is all the driver stuff I want to add is the most confusing thing to me. The only things I'll be able to post on my own is drivers and whatever information I can find that has already been posted on them. There's a wide disconnect between those who can build their own and know immediately what a specific driver listed to sell with no or very little information provided is a propriety for a diode you would like to use.
I will be adding the information that Trevor has in his thread and that is huge help but it doesn't list anything like "this driver is a good choice for these diodes" or something to that nature. Remember that I'm trying to make it as simple as possible and what is more important is something like "this driver works with this diode, it will fit in a module and it takes 1 battery".
I'm not sure how to add what you just said BenM. I mentioned 532nm as a complete module as I don't have any idea who sells 532nm without the driver already. Just assume I'm ignorant. The only experience I have with building a 532nm is sticking a complete module in a host and either using the host as case positive for the diode/module positive or the host or whatever is isolating the module and it's wired whatever way you want too.
You are certainly someone who can help or at least look things over like you just did and tell me what's wrong and I greatly appreciate it
+5 REP

Edit: Lots of information to add. Been busy building and my wife is off work this week.

Edit: still have a couple builds to finish before getting back to this and like I said, spending time with wife. Finished a couple more laser66 builds with 515nm and PL450B yesterday. Will finish another single mode 638nm mits 180 today and maybe the 250mW 638nm diode too.

How do you identify the diode? I pulled one from a DVD-RW sled last night and the number that are on the thing do not bring up anything on google. I know most would just buy the diode from a reputable vendor, but IMO ripping one out of something and building it into something is so much more rewarding than buying one. Another thing that adds into this is maybe a guide on how to find max ratings on unknown diodes. Just an Idea. I do like the idea of the thread. Being new to this I am looking forward to its on going growth!