3W 445nm Survival laser Stainless Steel build!

After looking at the diode it looks like the small glass window on the diode might be cracked or chipped away, what is the glass for and can i remove it?

I believe that small glass window in the diode is called the facet. It's possible it could have been contaminated then when you turned the laser on it fried onto the window. Was there any debris between the lens and diode? Did you use thread tape or try to clean the diode? I'm sorry I am unable to view the video on my mobile phone, I'm just going on what you say.

Read this thread
http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/need-advice-pro-80371.html

I'm just going to clean the diode with alcohol a cotton bud(Q-tip) and a air duster
If that does not fix the beam I will probably just make it into a laser cutter
I do not want to try to break the glass as I have a very unsteady hand and I would rather have a laser that I can use then a broken one.

After taking a closer look there is no scratches in the glass it was just the silicon chip reflecting light, but I can see a layer of something on the glass, it sort of looks like oil and it has the same pattern of the laser light.
and i do remember having to clean the lens because of some sort of dirt.

Awe. Well at minimum the host and driver are still good. Best of luck

Thanks for the help, and I don't know what is wrong with me, I keep breaking diodes, so far I have broke
1x 1.5W 808nm diode - used a hammer to press it into a module
1x 100mw 808nm diode - my pliers fell on it
2x 500mw 650nm diodes - one of them solder went all over the diode and pins, and the other somehow the die fell off, and is still on my floor somewhere.
1x 300mw 650nm diode - I broke it open because I was board.

Go down to the local computer store and bribe them for a stack of DVD burner drivers. Sonys are a good place to start, Order up some modules and press a few. I'd avoid the 808s for now. Even building simple LM317 drivers are fun and great practice.
And don't worry it's not the first diode you'll kill and won't be the last. I personally have a grave yard. :cryyy: