Tutorial: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

This is my version of the yellow pointer project shown by the one and only rog8811.

He always comes up with such cool projects. I pretty much followed his tutorial. Just a different style on the machine work.

And I used different optics...

Two turning mirrors from PHR sleds. And some thin copper wire that I have. Plus another little coated optic from a GGW 6X sled...

Also, I show a 10440 battery mod at the bottom of this post for another option!

Here is the red/green pointer from DX that is used to do the three color yellow mod... It uses 2 X N size batteries. (LR1)

Nice little pointer!



* DX pointer:
DealExtreme: $31.07 2-in-1 Hybrid 5mW Red + 5mW Green Laser (Supports Dual Laser Mode)

* Original tutorial from rog8811: (using dichro's from PS3 sleds)
It can be done - Low cost yellow pointer





Here are the pictures of my modification...







Really a cool project! I like it so much that I had to show it!

Thanks for yet another great project Rog!







Beam shots: (with some smoke)





In this beam shot, the yellow, is a little on the green side. But it is still pretty cool! This picture was taken without the 'dichroic mirror' used. (shown below)

The yellow is much better now with my new optic installed! See 'Update' below, and other pictures taken with the dichroic mirror installed! (See below)

One other thing worth mentioning... I noticed that visually, the lasers seem really stable for long on times!






Update: (Add a tiny dichroic mirror for a much better color blend!)

I just discovered a great modification for this build! Using a 'dichroic mirror' from a GGW sled. (thanks for identifying it HIMNL9)

I have a bunch of optics that came from various sleds and was experimenting to see if any would make the combined beam more yellow.

I found the perfect optic. I didn't know what it was until HIMNL9 identified it, but I knew what it does for this mod! It is from a GGW-H20L sled.

Here are the pictures...







I just glued it to the inside of my custom cap... Really cool!

I was thinking about possible reflection....

And I concluded that since the green is already passing through the turning mirror, before it reaches this 'dichroic mirror', there is very little chance of any reflection going to the green module.

Because it would hit the mirror side of the turning mirror, and not pass through much, if at all...

Anyway, as I mentioned, I did not know what the optic was for, only that I could not measure any loss on my meter for red, and only measured a 1mW loss for green. So it seems to be the perfect little 'helper' for giving more 'yellow' on the blend for this mod!





Results!

These pictures are taken with the tiny dichroic mirror from the GGW 6X sled installed in my custom cap as shown above...

Taken in complete darkness. And yes, these are the real colors!

These pictures show how nice the yellow is now!

Power measured with the GGW dicroic mirror installed:

Red - 3.8mW
Green - 2.4mW
Yellow - 6.2mW




SCHWEET!

(Perfect alignment needed for these results)





P.S.

I thought of selling the custom tips (with some copper wire), but when I built this thing, and realized how difficult it is to get those turning mirrors adjusted just right. I figured that most people will give up! And then they would regret buying the custom tip from me. Although the red/green pointer is really a pretty cool unit in itself!

Anyway, if you try this, just be warned that it is very meticulous and difficult to get good alignment. But in the words of rog8811, 'it can be done'!





Build tips:

My method of 'micro adjustment', was using pins...

After I got the adjustment almost perfect, I used a toothpick to build up silicone glue on the sides of the mirrors, and under the sides as well. (the glue is stuck to the inside walls of the aluminum custom tip)

Then, I could poke a pin into the silicone glue here and there (trial and error) to make very minute adjustments. Once I knew where the pin would need to be, I would cut the tip off, and use fine tweezers to insert the pin tip into the area. I have it 'dialed' in to a single dot at 70'. It is pretty much perfect. I ended up using 3 'pins shims' to get it right.

But of course there is more than one way to succeed. This is just what seemed to work for me...

In this picture you can see how I have some clear silicone at the sides of the mirrors, and under the sides.

At the front edge too. (see where I have one of my 'pin shims' there as well...



* I also recommend taking the laser apart before you do this beam combining mod...

You want to make sure that nothing can move inside. I found that the red laser was fit kind of loose. So I used thermal adhesive to make it stay put.

Also, I used thermal glue to put the head back on. I realize that It would be very difficult to take apart if I ever had to. But I wanted to make sure that nothing would move.

I can fit the custom tip with a small set screw, but I would recommend making it a permanent fixture with thermal adhesive as well. Maybe just a little. So that the tip could be removed if ever needed. But you don't want any movement anywhere once you get the mirrors aligned...






10440 Battery Mod:

Here's a nice modification for using a rechargeable 10440 battery instead of the stock batteries.

This modification uses a silicon diode (1N4001) to drop voltage on the 10440...













Current Draw:

With this mod (using the silicon diode), the battery current draw on the 10440 battery, with both lasers on, is 175mA's... It is the same current draw using the 2 X 'N' size stock batteries. (with no silicon diode) This tells me that the dual driver board on this little pointer is regulating very well! (or this mod mimics the stock batteries perfectly)

Now you have a choice of using the standard 'N' size batteries, or a 10440 rechargeable. Because as you can see from the pictures, the plastic sleeve that holds the custom spacer in place, is easily removable!


Hope you enjoyed this project!



Click here to see my list of projects and tutorials!

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Thats a pretty cool little tutorial that i will have to try at some point, nice one jayrob. How does the yellow beam compare to that of a true yellow pointer? do you have any pictures of the beam to show? :gj:

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

You know what's not cool though? That you didn't include some awesome beamshots on this page (I know there's one in the rog-tutorial).

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Dusty, I don't have a true yellow pointer to compare, but for this mod, yellow was a little heavy on the green side until I added the dichroic mirror. Still very nice though.

Bionic-Badger said:

You know what's not cool though? That you didn't include some awesome beamshots on this page (I know there's one in the rog-tutorial).

Click to expand...

Beam shots just added in the first post...

I had finished it late last night, so I took some beam shots this morning.

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

awsome...nice beam shots!! I really like the yellow beam, I will def have to do this...the true yellow pointers are so expensive. just out of interest how do you get such clear beam shots, what camera/settigns do you use?

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

I have two different digital cameras, and one works better for beam shots. It is the Olympus C-8080... (I don't think they make it anymore)

But I just set it on auto exposure, and of course have smoke in the area of my well lit garage. That's it!

Smoke always makes the beams look really nice...

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

cool, cheers for the info...ive been trying to get some beam shots of my PHR and i havnt managed to get any as good as those. would you recommend having the room well lit liike yours, or not so well lit to make the beam stand out?:thanks:

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Easier in a well lit room. The smoke is what makes the beam show bright...

If it was in the dark, you would most likely need a tripod for the camera, and have the laser on something solid. Because it would probably be a several second exposure.

In a well lit room with smoke, I can just hold the camera in one hand, and the laser in the other hand, because the exposure time is less than one second...

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

sweet, will give it a go the way you said and hopefully get some better shots......:thanks:

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Whoa, is that the real color? That's really yellow, not just some semi-yellow like I was expecting. Nice.

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Hey very cool Jay! I have seen the PGL R/G, and yours seems to be a very similar looking beam! -Glenn

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Cool Glenn... Plus I got three in one!




Bionic-Badger, yes those are the real colors. The pictures are not photo shopped...

I just tested power of all three and put the measurements on the beam shot pictures.

One other comment on power, I did notice that visually, the laser seems really stable for long on times!

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Jay -- Real nice work ---
You have too much spare time

HMike

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

:crackup: Ha ha! You got that right Mike! People can't get loans for me to build pools right now, and anybody hiring is looking for the younger guys that will take $15 bucks an hour.

Thanks for the compliment on my new pointer mod! I really like this one...

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Please sell your custom tip in a kit so we can all do this!

Re: Yellow Pointer Project - Cool!

Well, I did think about making the custom tip a kit, and include some copper wire...

But when I built this thing, and realized how difficult it is to get those turning mirrors adjusted just right. I figured that most people will give up! And then they would regret buying the custom tip from me. Although the red/green pointer is really a pretty cool unit in itself!


Anyway, if you try this, just be warned that it is very meticulous and difficult to get good alignment. But in the words of rog8811, 'it can be done'!