First Build: Go big or go home!

First "real" laser build, decided to go for an M-140 445nm build
Now, I'm somewhat of a n00b so I probably took a lot of wrong steps or was careless, either way this was a learning experience for me.

First step: Purchased an m140 diode pressed into an aixiz module with a three-element glass lens from DTR ($59 w/ship)

Second step: Purchased a 1.7amp boost drive from cajunlasers ($24.98 w/ship)

Third step: Ordered a custom C6 copper heatsink from Jayrob ($38 w/ship)

Fourth step: Ordered a DIY C6 host from survivallasers ($17.39 w/ship)

Fifth step: Ordered an AW 18650 from lighthound ($21.95 w/ship)

Sixth step: Ordered cheap laser goggles, the uvex ones until I can afford some eaglepair ($12.43 w/ship)







Things I've learned or would change for next time:
I was really anxious to get the build going and didn't shop around first for the best prices on items, so for a few of them I realize I overpaid. I recently picked up a panasonic 3400 18650 and a dual charger from larrydfw, totaled like $24

I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to link the positive terminal of the battery to the driver board, the negative lead I soldered on to the brass ring and pressed it into the pill, and on the positive I soldered a washer on to the end, and made a little foam insert for the pill for it to sit in without shorting to the case. It seems to work pretty well, but for the next build if I'll probably pick up a "blank battery contact board" from survival lasers to make things clean and easy.

I used quite a bit of arctic silver thermal paste between the the copper laser module and copper heatsink, I was adamant on ensuring good heatsinking since the host is quite small. I also applied a bunch between the bottom of the driver board and the aluminum pill, though I should have used thermal adhesive, but didn't have any available.

I had to drill out the holes on the pill to be larger to feed the diode leads through properly without pinching/crimping them.

Anyways, everything works, but next time I'll go for the proper way to do everything, no half-ass ghettorigging to get it to work. It looks fine from the outside, but I'd be more comfortable with a legitimate positive contact and a more secure driver contact with the pill.

Any thoughts/tips/advice/comments let me know!

This is my first build, so go easy. I'll be picking up a certified pair of goggles soon, hopefully y'all won't harass me too much for being irresponsible.

Thanks!

-AdamC


EDIT:
Holy hell, did not realize the pictures were so huge, but I'm too lazy to go re-size them all and re-upload.
EDIT2: Resized all the pics, but only some of them uploaded for some reason.. put up the successfully uploaded pics, should be easier to scroll.

AdamC said:

EDIT:
Holy hell, did not realize the pictures were so huge, but I'm too lazy to go re-size them all and re-upload.

Click to expand...

Oh! I am too lazy to scroll right .. maybe later i'll leave you a rep for this awesome build when you resize them!

sinner said:

Oh! I am too lazy to scroll right .. maybe later i'll leave you a rep for this awesome build when you resize them!

Click to expand...

...touche. I'll get on that.

re-size or NO ONE will read this. i saw one huge picture followed by another and didnt even bother to read anything. could be the best build in the world but we here at LPF dont scroll right. pictures need to be roughly 800x600 or they get ignored.

Awesome build dude, nice job

No doubt about it, for a first build a non-Jad style such skills should be appreciated and should get all the reps.. Be sure to use those goggles at ALL times!!

ahhhh now i see what you built :beer: looks good to me. congrats on your first build!
good to see you didnt try and guess the output of the laser. find the list of members with LPMs and send it to one of them to be metered (btw i link to that list in my thread ***yellow link in my signature***)

sinner said:

No doubt about it, for a first build a non-Jad style such skills should be appreciated and should get all the reps.. Be sure to use those goggles at ALL times!!

Click to expand...

Thanks! Doing JAD style just seemed... boring, haha.
The goggles have already become habit when working with the laser, but sometimes you just have to admire the beauty of that magnificent blue beam.