ONGOING: Big Boy 3x18650 Host $30

Heatsinks arrived! Yay! Should get my PLTB450 going tonight...

Thanks for participating in this GB guys.

Glad to hear you're receiving your hosts and heatsinks sooner or later.

Cheers! :beer:

Well The build went decent except for the lens. I dont remember where I got this module from but the threads are pooched for the lens. I may have to try removing the diode and re-setting it in a new module (never removed a live diode b4 that I would re-use) or leaving it at a fixed focus I did manage to get a lens in with alot of force.

Just a NOTE to anyone building Check your modules B4 you build to make sure everything fits proper.

OK OK After painstakeingly pressing out the diode un soldering re pressing crushing like a can resoldering good G9 lens recharging re packing etc etc etc I should have added inner sanding.... We Have a Laser...!!! I also should say and borrowing a DMM... Friends much better dmm is reading alot different than my 20$ one I fried!!!

Poetry lesson 4 today done...


IMG_5407 by Kizdawg, on Flickr

A 1700mW PLTB450 Is Born.... on a FMT 1650ma 3x 3400mah 18650's from Larry
The module was a nightmare never had that happen b4.. it was like crossthreads gon wrong in the worst way..


IMG_5405 by Kizdawg, on Flickr


IMG_5397 by Kizdawg, on Flickr

Good result in the end. You manage to make the laser alive.
The color of the beam surely looks like it came from a 473nm laser. Nice work !

Yep I was impressed.. Now that I have a decent DMM I have been re-testing things.. Most everything tested the same as with the cheap 20$ one. I seriously had my doubts that this one would survive removal and re pressing. The can on the diode looks Sad.. Funny thing was that when I was doing some initial testing on this diode I wasnt getting the readings I am now... I saw 1400mw once and mostly about 1100mw.. now it's an easy 1600+mw.. I think my low reads were because I needed to change the 9V battery in the cheap DMM.

I handled the host and made two dozen heatsinks for it and yet, every time when I see it in photos, I can't believe it's THAT large.

Made a post on the 450 here http://laserpointerforums.com/f40/bigboy-450-a-77840.html#post1119601

I still have a bunch of shots I want to add in when I get a chance...

I hear ya Euda! They look huge in the pics... They are actually big hosts man...! lol Great job on the heatsinks.. There was a bit of damage on one but nothing that cant be buffed out.. I dont know what you have available for packaging but you may want to rethink the plastic wrap and tape and go for a little cardboard wrap or tubes with a cardboard spacer.. I think the heatsinks banged each other in transport and them being so heavy made marks.. but there sweet Good tight fit on the module I actually had to sand oh so slightly the inside of the heatsink to get a module with the back on.. but I would rather do that than have a sloppy .2mm gap.. I have 1 destined for a 9mm tec cooled build and the other I am saving for something new...

Again Great job Guys!!!


Euda!!! the dings are no problems at all Now I see that with the Focus adapters you dont see them anymore.. I love the FA's too they are so heavy I can spin them in saves alot of time when changing lenses.. I am going to fix 3 lenses to these. I may want another 3 focus adapters.. There awesome!


IMG_5420 by Kizdawg, on Flickr


IMG_5422 by Kizdawg, on Flickr

The heatsink does look good, especially the large focus adapters makes turning them alot easier.
Can't wait till mine arrive. :yh:

Euda did a great job.. I can think of some improvements but all mine fit... there was a GB that I was in l8tly that nothing fit and it all was a bug shmoz.. It's just like cooking a steak cook it a bit if it is too underdone you can allway's put it back on the grill if it is overdone your screwed... Too Long? No... it makes contact with the pill that heatsinks but we can do better than that Or can we this heat patway looks great... moves the heat away from the diode quickly... I duno I gota do more tests...?

and There is a HUGE pill behind it too!!! These are awesomo

Please by all means, put those improvement ideas on the table.

I'm always opened for feedback

You said that it was scratched when it arrived to you? Hmm, weren't the HS and FA individually wrapped up in plastic to prevent exactly that? :thinking:

Also, you can move the pill on it's threads a little, if you want a good thermal contact you can unscrew it just a little bit, few milimeters, the grip stays good (IIRC) so it won't wobble around but it will still press against the heatsink.

What's this GB you're talking about where nothing fitted together?

I'm really not that worried about it. There really nice.. The couple little things I noticed was that the main shaft of the sink was a little small I wrapped mine with a few wrapps of electrical tape to get a tight fit (Proabably smart on your part because of the way manufaturers change the hosts) The other little thing was that the lens screw that holds the sink in place doesnt thread all the way tight. I am not sure if this is because the heatsink is slightly too long or if it is because the collar is a little too thick.

Anyway's those were my observations. I really dont want you to take this all the wrong way because that is not my intention. I love the stuff you have done for us all. Just thaught if you wanted to make some improvements in the future these are some things you can look at.

The GB where things didnt fit were for the sh-032's the manufaturer change the dimentions of the hosts and the heatsinks all ended up being too large to fit in so it takes some sanding to get them to fit proper.

Anyway's Not complaining just trying to help out.

Oh, nobody is accusing you of complaining man, it's called "feedback" and I welcome it.

Say, how much exactly space is left when you screw back the retaining ring?

I always like to leave about 0.1-0.2mm space left (about that much short to threaded all the way), because, if for any reason the host is 0.1mm longer - boom, your heatsink will rattle around and not have a good electrical connection.

So I always like to leave tolerances for host factory deviations. Just to be on the safe side.

I do not understand what do you mean by "main shaft of the sink was little small"?

One thing I did notice was that I still had the 0-ring in the front cap and taking that out made a big difference to the fit.

Tee hee :na:

So how does it look now, any better?

Oh yeah it Looks alot better.. With that o-ring in I could see threading.. Now it's about .5mm and just looks like another slot. Eh it looks realy nice.. Love the PLTB450! definately different color than the 9mm 445 but it is also about 40% less the power..