Well, the module arrived yesterday and it's now together. I sacred the hell out of myself when I first put it together. I soldered the leads together and coated them with a thin layer of silicone sealant, to keep them from shorting, and assembled it. I hit the button and nothing, so I shut it off and got out the battery pack as quick as I could. It turned out, the leads from the diode were so thin, that one of them broke near where I soldered it during reassembly. I re-soldered the leads, hoping to hell I hadn't burned out the driver. This time it worked.
Apparently I got one on the very low end of the spectrum. I can't see the beam, even at night, unless I'm looking down the barrel of the host. When I put the beam through smoke, it's the same color as the bulb of a black-light. Even the spot, when slightly out of focus,is barely visible from a fairly short distance. I knew that it wasn't goung to be nearly as bright as a green, but I thought that even BluRay beams became visible at around 70-80mW at night, and mine should be at least 170mW. It will, however, light matches and I even popped a balloon from 18ft.

I do have a couple of questions:

1. Is my diode abnormally low on the spectrum? There is nothing blue about it.
2. On the sheet that came with the module it said that at 190mA the diode should draw about 5V, but the combination of 3 AAAs is only 4.5V. The fact that the laser is working, means it must be getting enough current but is it really enough? Will that affect the power output of the laser? I seem to remember seeing somewhere AAA size batteries that were 3+ volts each. If they exist, should that work better?
3. The laser has a very distinct focal point. I have to adjust the focus differently at 1ft, 5ft, 10ft, etc... to get a dot as opposed to a relatively dim violet blur. Is this an inherent problem with focusable lenses? Is it even possible to get a relatively parallel beam like most pointers?

All the same, I really do like it (it happens to be my favorite color), and shining it on anything florescent is just insanely bright. I was really hoping the beam would be visible but I guess that gives me an excuse to build another one later (hopefully with a higher wavelength).

Thanks again.

P.S. You weren't kidding about removing the back of the acrylic lens. It was easily twice as bright.

Good job on your build!

405nm Blu-ray is not blue, but more violet... And it is very close to UV. Because of that, it is difficult for our eyes to see it. Some see it different than others.

Most will see the beam reaching out into the night sky on a 100mW+ blu-ray. If your popping a balloon at 18', I would imagine that you have at least that much power. Probably more.

About the voltage, the FlexDrive is a boost circuit that uses extra current to boost voltage to what the diode is asking for, so you don't have to worry about that, your diode is getting the correct voltage. It will work with as little as 2.5 volts supply.

Just a reminder, be careful with that thing! It can damage the eye instantly with a direct shot, or a reflection...

About your focusing question, this is normal. If you want it focused for a good all around pointer. Try getting it focused for the best 'visual dot' at about 25' or 30'. This seems to be a good place for general pointing. (IMO)

Hey Jay. I do have one more question about output vs. input. I just tried lighting a match with my newly built laser, and held it well focused for 20+ seconds, from a foot away, with no real effect. I then swapped the old ones with brand new batteries (I had to scavenge batteries last night, before I could get to the store to get new batteries this morning), and there was smoke the moment it hit the head of the match. I noticed this effect on my newer high power green one a while ago (the low battery effect, not the match thing) and, just to test if it was the same, I swapped the batteries and it was,in fact, a lot stronger. If the Flex-Drive keeps the power stable, why does a new set of batteries make it noticeably stronger? I suppose that it could be variations in the diode's output , but it is repeatable when I swap the batteries back and forth. I have been reading the thread about you guys passing around a couple of "standard" lasers to calibrate/compare your LPMs. Power Meter Calibration and Comparison (I still haven't finished reading it (A.D.D.? (oh look, a bunny))). Anyways, you all seemed to agree that the Flex-Drive would provide the same power output despite the battery's charge. Did I misread that? I'm just wondering if I'm going to have to worry about changing out half used batteries to get it to do it's "tricks" (my 5yr old <5mW is on maybe it's 3rd set of AAAs).

Thanks again, again.

With a FlexDrive build, the driver will be regulating constant current until the supply voltage drops to 2.5 volts under load.

I have tested this with power readings. The battery you have, must be very low is all.

You can't always go by what the voltage reads on the battery. If the battery is not performing well, it can show a good voltage, but as soon as you put a load on it, it will not handle the current.

Unless the driver is damaged, the issue you are having, is simply the battery, not the driver...

Crazy Jay, I am sending your Side Button combo (and other item) today. (Friday)

I have the 'Hot' option set at 300mA's per your request.

Hope your 8X build goes well!

Freakin sweet. Thanks Jay. Dave suggested that I run it safely at 300ma so hopefully with that lens it will be around 400mw

Should be right in there!

I got it today and put it together. Let me just say it like this.

It gives off such a professional and expensive feel. What an amazing thing it is. The 405g1 lens makes a really thin beam. The diode itself fits perfectly and it never gets hot. It even smells nice. I might be able to get one of your green builds this month. Well see.

It feels nice and heavy but lightweight and its all metal.

It is my first 405mn laser and I spent around 304 dollars.
Last I check, a laser like this cost over a thousand dollars.

With your kits around, I won't buy an official laser ever again

Your first blu-ray build is an 8X?!

Nice! Be careful with that thing...

Glad you like the host.

Thanks for posting back!

HAHA well the bigger the better

Your right about being careful .. that thing stings on the skin without being focused. Yet I can't seem to stop doing it

Your spoiled on power now...




Scotoma, I sent your Side Button kit (and other items) today. (Monday)

Thanks!

wow... as soon as I can save a bit, I'm seriously considering this.....
looks great!

It's a great host!

I have them on hand, just let me know when your ready.

Only thing is though, it will be a really close fit to put a full length AixiZ module in there. I think it can be done by moving the pill a little lower in the host. But a FlexDrive build would be my recommendation for this host...

My plan is to put one of moh's modules in here... do you think that might be a bit big?

Yes, it can work...

The full length AixiZ module would be at the bottom of the pill. So all you would have to do, is screw the pill a little farther down to make more room. It would be tight, but it would work using fine wire to the rkcstr. If it is thick wire, then it may not fit. Fine wire, it would fit...

One other way that it would work, is to remove the pill. And set up your rkcstr module, so that there is a positive contact point at the back of the module for the battery pack.

In this set up, you would get your ground from the diode case pin. (to feed the negative input on the driver) I know for sure this could work in a blu-ray/rkcstr build. Not sure how rkcstr the driver is working for a red build in this configuration. But I know it would work for red with a DDL driver. Just not sure if the rkcstr negative input and output are continuous.

If it were me, I would make it work by moving the pill lower, and using fine wire for my leads to the rkcstr driver. I know for sure it could work this way...

In fact, for an extra $10 bucks, I could solder on positive and negative leads for you, and set the pill low enough to fit a full length AixiZ module. Then you would just have to make sure your wires from your module are fine enough to bend and not take up much room under the module... (between the module, and the round board at the bottom of the pill)

fusionfab, I am sending your Side Button host/heatsink kit today. (Monday)

dhj, I sent your Side Button host/heatsink with 'Hot' option and other items today. (Saturday)

I have the driver set at 190mA's per our discussion...

Hope you like it!

Man, how did I miss this host? How's the heatsinking compared to your 3405 host?

The heatsink is just as massive!

The main difference besides the side button, is that there is less room inside the head compared to the 3405, which has a ton of room inside...

The Side button host will fit a full length AixiZ module if the pill were to be positioned a little closer to the tail cap. Then it could be done.

I recommend the FlexDrive for this build, and it is a great host!

Nefarious, I sent your side button host/heatsink combo today. (Tuesday)

You got my last one that I had 'on hand'. And DX is back ordered...

Hopefully they get more soon, because it is a nice host!

Let me know how you like it!

will do! Thanks!