For my first 445nm build I wanted a good custom host so I choose Ehgemus and he does not disappoint!!!




It has everything I asked for. The easy-focus adapter is set up so I can screw the aixiz lens nut right into it, no gluing the aixiz focus ring into it. The threads are smooth as can be and when its all screwed together you can't even see where the different parts fit together.

It's a direct-press with the diode for the best heatsinking. I don't even want to say direct-press into the heatsink because once this all aluminum host is a put together, the whole thing is a heatsink!!!

I didn't want to mess with adding a spring to my boost drive so he was kind enough to add a rubber stopper of some kind with a spring mounted underneath with a wire for the driver positive soldered onto it.




Here is a shot of the boost driver attached and the obligatory beam shot (my camera doesn't take very good ones)




And here is one more beam shot with my 155mW green, 220mW 6X (jayrob), and my LOC-815@434mA



I couldn't happier with this build!! I would recommend an Ehgemus build to anyone wanting an all custom host. Everything was smooth from telling him to what I wanted to getting exactly as I requested. The attention to detail is top-notch. I can't wait to order another.

Nice host you've got there! Ehgemus makes some quality hosts. I've bought three from him and all of them are perfect. I'm just waiting on my 445nm diode and I'll have my Ehgemus 445 build running too.

-Tony

Yea sooooo I think my first portable build will be with one of these hosts...

yup, check out his albums on his member page, soooo many to choose from. AND he will build it to you specifications!!!! Cheap too, this host only cost me $45.00 shipped!!!!

Honestly I don't know why people make flashlight into lasers when there are guys like Harold that can hook you up immensely!!!

Think about it
The flashlight ~10-15 bucks
Custom heatsink ~20-30 bucks
Aixiz Module ~ 3-5 bucks

It'll be about 40 bucks all in all. And you'll have a cheap DX clicky and often times gritty threads too.

Now behold this beauty:


42 bucks shipped!!!
WOW!!! You'll get a beautifully polished host exactly how you want it, with a focusing ring, and a 120VAC 3A quality clicky, with smooth threads, direct press diode for better heatsinking, all for about the same price.

Yeah it's a no brainer.

-Tony

you got it!!! I don't know if I'll ever convert another torch into a laser again...

Oh, and you forgot the easy-focus adapter ;-)

yup Ehgemus really makes awesome host i got some of his work to, i just wish i had the material and skills to anodise these beauties

Me too, I wouldn't mind a dark matte charcoal gray anodizing. Although I like the bare aluminum too. If you take some Mothers Metal Polish to it you can really get the aluminum to shine up to a mirror finish. It leaves prints but it still looks awesome!

-Tony

That is simply amazing ^^




I think after my labbies, I will concetrate my efforts to make a 445nm portible build!

Thanks for all the kind words.

Is there anyone on here that can anodize? I thank this option would be great.

My friend owns a machine shop and anything he needs anodized he sends it out to a local shop around here. If anyone is interested I can get the contact info.

find out what they would charge for a host if you can.

Your friend doesn't send anything off for true type III anodizing does he? Its type II or "type II and a half"?

I'll look into it next week and get back to you guys. Have a happy 4th!!

i would love to have a nice Ehgemus host with a anodise finish from some one like Dark_Horse

something like Dark_Horse shows here - Sneak-Peak From the"'Dark Horse" labs
go to page 2 and look what he did with a dorcy jr, imagine that with a 445nm in it

I not sure if darkhorse is doing anything right now. I hope he is because he is good at anodizing

Last I heard Dark_Horse had to tear down his shop, which is why his site is down.

yah I heard that to.

Harold,
I've got a couple of your hosts i've still to anodize & feature from some time back.. just need the distilled water now & some practice on scrap.

Got 25L of sulphuric acid, Sodium hydroxide, Black/Blue/Gold powder dyes.. just red to get now & a bag of bicarb incase of spillage
need to find out if the dyes I got can be mixed eg: gold and blue for a green effect n' maybe red & gold for an orange(ish) dye.

I got a pot of rubber latex paint off eBay too so I can mask the pre-installed switch and threads before submerging in chemical's.
Is that JB weld you used to mount the clicky switch?
Ile ask if you can build one without gluing in the switch next time to make anodizing your hosts simpler, Hopefully things will still go to plan with the latex.

atm I'm polishing mine up with autosol which works a dream at getting out those tiny surface scratches & gives a deep constant shine.

During my research I discovered DrLava did some anodizing & a write up on anodizing some time back which was an interesting read in the old archives.

Kevlar your new host looks awesome and that center wire is what Im currently sorting out with an m3 solderable wire tab rivited to a cut down plastic disc & spring.
cutting the plastic discs out of rod lengths is proving hard atm as I need a square block up to the saw fence with same dia hole as the rod to firmly hold the rod steady while cross cutting out the desired length discs.
without this the rods slip & rotate on the smooth alloy saw bed so getting all this pre-made was huge bonus.
Good Job.

Ok, everyone that was looking for anodizing I found out some info. Basically its not worth it for single units. In order for it to be reasonable, the more units the better because both companies I checked with have minimums.

Company #1
Poly Metal Finishing
Website here: Poly-Metal Finishing Inc. Aluminum Anodizing Specialists
They do both Type II & Type III anodizing.
Colors: Black, Clear, Red, Green, Blue
Type II minimum: $75; Type III minimum $85. So 1 unit would be $85 but so would 20 units, at least thats what they told me.

Company #2
Valley Plating
Website: Electroplating Services - Military & Aerospace Industries Vendor
These guys are a lot more expensive so I would go with company #1.
They do Type II & Type III but the minimum is $150.00 for Type III for black and $135.00 for clear (yes, they only do black and clear)
Type II minimum is $75.00 for black and $70.00 for clear.

So again, its only worth it if this is done in bulk by Ehgemus or if someone wants to get a GB together then it would be reasonable.

Hope this information helps.

Thanks for the info, I figured it would be that way.

There is a scientific channel on youtube called "nurdrage". One of their viedos is how to anodize a silver bar. Other viedos they made earlier show how to make the chemicals needed from house hold or easliy obtainable chemicals. I would suggest trying a few dozen times with scrap pieces of aluminum before anodizing your laser case in order to get the concept down. Researhcing electrochemistry and electroplating is also helpfull. I understand electroplating well enough to plate metal objects in copper if anyone would like i could do that for them or I could explain the chemistry to anyone who would like to do it themselves.
Btw those are awesome lasers and at that price it's unbeatable.