10-12 watt 450nm review

Hello,my first review so I'll do the best I can. This is my 10- 12 watt 450 nm laser, depending on what lens you put in. ( 3 element you get a little over 10 watts, g2 you get a little over 12 watts ). Right now I have the 3 elements in for this review,prettier beam. [/URL][/IMG] They are pbs's together, using two 044's.[/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG] you align the beams together by the eight adjustment screws ( 4 on each cube) really quite easy. took me about five minutes to learn. It has a potentimeter on the side that make it simple you can just turn it down till you can just barely see the two lines and you just get them to form a cross[/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG] It's a real burner and the beam at night is just awesome. I live in the suburb's so it's hard to get night time beam shots.[/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG] I can't seem to figure out how to get the pictures to show up where I want them, oh well. It's a beauty of a build. Hope it was worth reading![/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG][/URL][/IMG] For your viewing pleasure the one on the left is the dual diode the one on the right is one I got off Alien says to be 7 watts plus. Don't know how well it shows up but the dual has a much brighter and denser beam. Just awesome at night. Wished I lived where I could shine more at night,but when I can, awesome!!

Nice build! Seen a video of this one the other day, Rick Trent comes up with some cool things. Must be nice to have that pot on there!

I will pick out one thing ... this doesn't use knife edging, it uses a PBS. I can tell from the design, but your description also points to PBS (two lines, forming a cross, doesn't happen with knife edge).

diachi said:

Nice build! Seen a video of this one the other day, Rick Trent comes up with some cool things. Must be nice to have that pot on there!

I will pick out one thing ... this doesn't use knife edging, it uses a PBS. I can tell from the design, but your description also points to PBS (two lines, forming a cross, doesn't happen with knife edge).

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Oops thanks, Ill have to remember that. I can change that in the review. It is real nice to have the potentimeter it makes aligning the beams a snap!

BobMc said:

Oops thanks, Ill have to remember that. I can change that in the review.

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No worries, wasn't criticizing at all, just an FYI. Have fun!

diachi said:

No worries, wasn't criticizing at all, just an FYI. Have fun!

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Shall do! ( can't speak for my neighbors though ) hee hee

Brother of the light, could you please do something for me? I have wanted to see what the beam from two diodes look like at night for a long time now, but can't build one myself for awhile. Would you please do some night beam shots, either inside, or outside, which show what the beam looks like when having a crossed bar shaped output like that? Maybe be willing to post a short video showing it while shooting through the dark and turning the laser so we can see what it looks like?

Alaskan said:

Brother of the light, could you please do something for me? I have wanted to see what the beam from two diodes look like at night for a long time now, but can't build one myself for awhile. Would you please do some night beam shots, either inside, or outside, which show what the beam looks like when having a crossed bar shaped output like that? Maybe be willing to post a short video showing it while shooting through the dark and turning the laser so we can see what it looks like?

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Posted some pics for you. The cross doesn't show up, just a real solid beam. Hope you enjoy them !

Nice photos op:

Hi Bob,

This handheld looks really small, smaller than devices I have done before.
How many cells are in the host and what type?

Have you built it by yourself? Probably not, otherwise why would you start this thread it in the review section and not in the 445nm section. I understand that reviews are reports about things purchased from others...

And what LPM do you have to mesure 10-12W power? What is its range - if capable up to 50W and well calibrated, I could be interested.

Light superglue said:

Hi Bob,

This handheld looks really small, smaller than devices I have done before.
How many cells are in the host and what type?

Have you built it by yourself? Probably not, otherwise why would you start this thread it in the review section and not in the 445nm section. I understand that reviews are reports about things purchased from others...

And what LPM do you have to mesure 10-12W power? What is its range - if capable up to 50W and well calibrated, I could be interested.

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You are correct I did not build it. It was built by Rick Trent. He's a member here but doesn't come very often. He has a YouTube channel where I met him. He's got some really nice videos of his builds if your interested. Rick lpm'd it for me, his lpm measures up to 200 watts. I'm just the beneficiary of his skill. Thanks for looking! Oh yea, it's a mx900 host takes two 26650 or 18650 with a sleeve .

2 cells, of anything except high drain ultra low resistance 26650's such as EFest IMR/INR 26650's can sag a lot under load, or you could possibly use high drain 18650's of IMR/INR formulation if you are running 2 x NUBM44 diodes with say SXD 4.5a drivers your draw for both diodes will be 48 watts into the pair of drivers, that is 6 amps at 8 volts if both cells are fully charged.

A high quality pair of 26650's will hold above the 6.8v minimum of the driver while under a 6 amp load, but you will want to keep them as fully charged as possible, between 3.8v - 4.2v because as the batteries discharge they will have to put out more current to compensate.

I would run 3 cells with 2 diodes such as NUBM44's or at least keep the cells topped up, that is with the SXD drivers, what drivers are you using and what diodes ?

RedCowboy said:

2 cells, of anything except high drain ultra low resistance 26650's such as EFest IMR/INR 26650's will sag under load, or possibly high drain 18650's of IMR/INR formulation if you are running 2 x NUBM44 diodes with say SXD 4.5a drivers your draw for both diodes will be 48 watts into the pair of drivers, that is 6 amps at 4 volts if fully charged.

A high quality pair of 26650's will hold above the 6.8v minimum of the driver while under a 6 amp load, but you will want to keep them as fully charged as possible, between 3.8v - 4.2v

I would run 3 cells with 2 diodes such as NUBM44's or at least keep the cells topped up, that is with the SXD drivers, what drivers are you using and what diodes ?

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Wow, a lot of these questions you'll have to ask Rick the builder of it. Know he lpm'd it before he sent it. As far as batteries go yes I use imr batteries fully charged when I please the crowd with it. I think the drivers are the ones he gets from the Russian builder, he says he like them. Hope that helps. I'm sure you know Rick has a you tube channel where he explains his builds. Or pm him if your interested in more info on the build. I have to say she's a beauty of a build!! I'm real happy with it. I've been dealing with Rick for about a year and he's always fine fantastic work!

I meant to say 6 amps at 8 volts, but I did hear you say something about pleasing the crowd?

I hope you know how devastating a reflection can be to the human eye, also putting on a laser show requires a permit, I tell you this for your own knowledge, you risk a lot showing off a multi watt laser to strangers, especially if they are not wearing eye protection for the wavelength you are using.

Do you have the laser clamped down firing into a beam stop or do you show it off by moving the beam around?

If you want to display a laser burning or the beam moving I would do it by making a video, displaying something like that live is very risky, sure it's all fine until an accident and accidents do happen, this is why I make a video and post that for others to see, so they won't get hurt and can't claim to have been hurt, you must protect yourself and others, forgive the sermon, but I would want to hear it if I didn't know.

RedCowboy said:

I meant to say 6 amps at 8 volts, but I did hear you say something about pleasing the crowd?

I hope you know how devastating a reflection can be to the human eye, also putting on a laser show requires a permit, I tell you this for your own knowledge, you risk a lot showing off a multi watt laser to strangers, especially if they are not wearing eye protection for the wavelength you are using.

Do you have the laser clamped down firing into a beam stop or do you show it off by moving the beam around?

If you want to display a laser burning or the beam moving I would do it by making a video, displaying something like that live is very risky, sure it's all fine until an accident and accidents do happen, this is why I make a video and post that for others to see, so they won't get hurt.

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Please refer to my beams shots to see how I please the crowd. But I will always accept words of advice to keep safe. Thanks , and don't call my friends and relatives strange? ( on second thought, yes they are, never mind) heeee

Hi BobMc,

Now I see you have started 2 reviews of Ricktrent builds. It would be better anyway if you had precised the builder´s name in the thread titles. Otherwise all technical questions/suggestions will be addressed to you!

Sorry I do not watch YT very often.

You said that you do not see cross pattern. Do you mean that you do not see it when you look at the beam laterally or at full power?
But on some of your pictures (at low power) the spot is a cross - do not you see it on the wall ca. 5m away with protective googles on also at full power?

I would also make a picture through protective googles - in this way the spot shape is clearer.
And I would not go out with this thing unless in a deep deep forest...

Light superglue said:

Hi BobMc,

Now I see you have started 2 reviews of Ricktrent builds. It would be better anyway if you had precised the builder´s name in the thread titles. Otherwise all technical questions/suggestions will be addressed to you!

Sorry I do not watch YT very often.

You said that you do not see cross pattern. Do you mean that you do not see it when you look at the beam laterally or at full power?
But on some of your pictures (at low power) the spot is a cross - do not you see it on the wall ca. 5m away with protective googles on also at full power?

I would also make a picture through protective googles - in this way the spot shape is clearer.
And I would not go out with this thing unless in a deep deep forest...

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Sorry, hopefully my next review will be better. I think if you read the review I was talking about using the pot to turn down the output to a bare min. so you could align the beam prefectly . And no you can not see the cross pattern at full power.