STINGRAY-3 Review " Hercules Killer"

STINGRAY-3 Review " The Hercules Killer"

Finally done.

version 1.0

The main reason I built this thing was to keep upgrading it Oh ye, also to beat the only other active fan cooled hand held laser in power, and make it smaller! For that, and to keep that up, it had to be upgradeable unlike Hercules!
Basically I wanted to build the best STINGRAY-2 I could. One of the reasons I stopped doing STINGRAY-2 mods was because back then I was pissed off that I didn't have resources to make best I can make it.

Specs and features:

- Host originally used Twintask 2D. Amazon.com: Streamlight 51001 TT-2D 2 D-Cell Xenon/10-LED Twin-Task Flashlight, Anodized Black: Home Improvement

- Driver: FlexModP3 thanks DRLava
- Batteries: two 32600 lithium-ion rechargeables
- v1.0 Diode: ~445nm M140
- v1.0 current: 2A
- Power output: Peak 2.5W, 2.2W after 10 min.
- Fan cooled ( 5V, 40mm x 10mmm 5.7CFM 20dBA fan) There are 18 holes behind the switch for air intake
- Heat sink: Custom fan cooled Stingray3 design, with 16 air exhaust holes.
- Focus ring
- The whole heat sink assembly is very solid and tight in tolerances. Outer ring fits main heat sink very tightly, and is joined together wih 4 steel screws with helicoil thread holes.
- All front heat sink and focus ring is type-3 anodized.
- Spray painted everything behind anodized front end with primer plus two coat semi gloss black paint.
- Constant and momentary ON/OFF switch. Single switch: Push forward to lock ON, or press back for momentary ON
- Thick steel rear end ring around key lock so it can sit on the back pointing up with good balance. (just thought that would be cool to do)
- Key switch for safety lock. Key can be removed to operate laser.
- Threaded hole for aixiz diode module, or DTRs copper diode modules for 5.6mm or 9mm diodes.
- Total weight of the laser with batteries = 900g or 2lb

- Stand made hybrid combining a cast iron round base microphone stand with camera fit arm mount. Painted same as laser. Quick release plate is used between stand and mounting plate of the laser for super easy removal and attachment to stand.

- Designed to be upgraded easily for A LOT more powerful diodes.

I also plan on getting a more powerful fan, if it becomes available, as long as i don't mind the loudness. So it needs to be pretty quiet. Fan is very easily exchangeable as well.

Any questions, and comments are welcome.

cheers.

See what is inside, and how it was built: CLICK THIS LINK http://laserpointerforums.com/f42/introducing-stingray-3-development-hercules-killer-72167.html





















And a much smaller and inferior STINGRAY-2 from back in the days


now, I'm waiting for new higher power diodes to become available. Single mode I hope!!



cheers

These are awesome lasers. Such beasts have unlimited duty cycles. The anodizing is also perfectly done. Very nice !

What beauties! :drool:
Amazing JObn sir!

Wow what beautiful craftsmanship! Fantastic idea making it user upgradeable too...+1 :beer:

Now slip a 9mm in there with TEC. Using the 9mm lens might depending on how efficient the diode is net more than 3W. Looking at a record build there what 550.00 800.00 bucks sound right.

Yea, anything less than 3 Watt is a shame to use with this massive host. But a 9mm diode that does 3 Watt are hard to find. I don't have luck lately with the 9mm diode.

Thanks a lot guys.

added weight and fan specs above.


I spent many lunch hours doing this, and waiting for the next day to continue. Its hard to achieve much in 1h at the time in a machine shop. I had to train my patience to work like this, because i am usually too eager to finish something like this in few days, not few months with too many breaks.

Anodizing is nice but not perfect. You can see some light strokes on the image, and one hole was a bit damaged by a "genius" who hang it by the front exhaust hole. I did some detailing with razor blade and paint on one spot.

Duty cycle is great, but sending 2A to diode that should begetting less than 1A is not going to produce unlimited duty cycle ))

Currently I don't know of diodes i would want inside. I guess i have to wait, and enjoy the fact i will upgrade it as soon as it becomes available.

Blord, thanks for confirming that 9mm are a long shot. I don't think I want to buy one to maybe get 500-600mW more peak power. I hink i will upgrade when i know it will easily output at least 3W-3.5W.

I would go for 1.5-2W in single mode diode upgrade. These 405nm ( soj6 i think) are very tempting.

cheers

Great review. Love the pics.

I know you took a good quality pics but you better resize it......

Anyway thanks for nice reviews :gj:

Nice clean work as usual Milos...:gj:
Yeah.. I wouldn't bother modifying your Laser for
a 9mm LD just for ~500mW either.
2.5W is plenty of power for a handheld Laser... IMO


Jerry

You can contact us at any time on our Website: J.BAUER Electronics

Thanks all!!
Special thanks to Jerry for helping me upgrade, and calibrate my laser power meter to a new 10W !!

p.s.
Are photos too slow to load, or too big for your monitor. Looks and loads normal and very fast on my wife's computer, as well as my laptop I used to post. Maybe your resolution is set too low?

The normal size that seems to fit all monitors is 800 X 600 pixels.
It is also the recommended size to use on the Forum.
Your images are 1200 X 800.

They are just a bit larger than my screen and it makes it difficult
to read the text in your posts because I need to scan the screen
from left to right for each line if text.

BTW you're more than welcome Milos..


Jerry

You can contact us at any time on our Website: J.BAUER Electronics

Nice host! Great combo (power + size + shape of the host).

Thanks Cel. POwer is just for starters over 2 W and I am over driving diode with 2A on purpose to see how well fan cooling works with heat sink.

next is photo with RPL-425, as soon as i get chance.

p.s.
I resized photos. Is that better fit for your monitors? Text still looks much wider on mine.

cheers.

Milos said:

p.s.
I resi(z)ed photos. Is that better fit for your monitors? Text still looks much wider on mine.

cheers.

Click to expand...

Yeah... that did it...:thanks:
The pics now fit comfortable on my screen and
the text wraps easily on the screen to read...:beer:


Jerry

You can contact us at any time on our Website: J.BAUER Electronics

The host looks like a turbo compressor with an anti-surge housing.