My Monster 6+ watt Laser Build Has Started !

Very nice setup, RC! That's looking great! :beer:

Thanks, it's always fun.

I'm about to use a jam nut on my BE mounting plate like I did on my other build like this because I cant find a tap for the sawnu BE,

DOES ANYONE KNOW THE TAP SIZE???

I'ts not M12 anything and I don't think M11

It's some 29/64 or something odd.

RedCowboy said:

Thanks, it's always fun.

I'm about to use a jam nut on my BE mounting plate like I did on my other build like this because I cant find a tap for the sawnu BE,

DOES ANYONE KNOW THE TAP SIZE???

I'ts not M12 anything and I don't think M11

It's some 29/64 or something odd.

Click to expand...

I haven't got to know the measurement(s) for it myself, I've always just been too lazy and used the adapter podo sells. A good idea would be too see if Podo can give you the numbers for it or maybe go to the home depot and look around to see if different nuts fit and get the measurement off that. The most ideal way to find the threading on it might be to use a thread gauge or find someone locally who has one for you to use.

RedCowboy said:

Thanks, it's always fun.

I'm about to use a jam nut on my BE mounting plate like I did on my other build like this because I cant find a tap for the sawnu BE,

DOES ANYONE KNOW THE TAP SIZE???

I'ts not M12 anything and I don't think M11

It's some 29/64 or something odd.

Click to expand...

As E.P. said, the best way would be to use a thread gauge, it'll be a metric thread, and generally they're a finer pitch than what you'll be able to find at the hardware store.
I've found a lot of optical type hardware uses a 0.5mm pitch, as in the 9mm x 0.5mm threaded lens holders.
As a matter of fact, you can actually use a lens barrel as a makeshift thread gauge, if it's a match, you know you've got a 0.5mm thread.

Edit: Sanwu's info. page on the 3x B.E. gives some sizes, it looks like it is an 0.5mm pitch, the 11.4mm hole size is real close to the tap drill size (11.5mm) used for a 12mm dia. thread.
Without actually having one in hand, it's all still a guess, unfortunately I don't own one, or I'd measure one up.

Yea, thanks guys, I have asked podo before and bought a M12 x 0.5 and M12 x 1.0 but it's not either, it may be a half size such 10.5mm x 0.75 is what the pitch looks like, but I kind of want to go with an even bigger home made expander or I can just rob a jam nut from a toggle switch, those are close enough to hold tight, the threads are not very deep so I have to mount to thin material using a jam nut.

I will probably take an adaptor by the hardware and try to match it for later use, I don't know what diodes are next to come, but the little 3X BE is a real gem.

LOL I set a white paper towel from my trash can on the table to give a blue back glow and I heard pop, pop.

i was thinking of getting the X3 beam expander but have no idea if it fits direct on the lens or how to get it on !!
the 3 options are
with spike adapter,M9*05,Excluded, was planing to send you a massage RC since you have more experience in this field !

This has a NUBM44 with a 3-element and the adaptor attaches the 3-element to the BE.

The 3-element is screwed into the adaptor until it bottoms out, about 3mm, then you set your focus of the 3 e-element with the adaptor attached, I used the washers to hold the focus distance, or you could loosen your 12mm module set screw and push it into your host heat sink there by holding the focus as the adaptor is wider than 12mm.

Then screw the 3X BE into the other side of the adaptor, now you can focus the BE by turning it's upper body, it is a 2 part expander and the 3-element is now stationary, all focusing is done with the expander.

i have to get another 44 and try the X3 Beam Expander
the 6X must be cool :friend:

RedCowboy said:

You're still waiting for parts?

I just ordered a NUBM44/47 from DTR and a 4.5a SXD, the 44 is the best repurposed MM projector diode in my opinion.

Here's a sneak peak at a build that I could have made more compact, but I like long duty cycles once the fun starts, it will run 3 x 26650's, a well heat sinked SXD and a 44 with a 6X cyl pair and a 3X BE, it's not my first set up of this RX, I use podo's G2 and 3X and it will set cardboard on fire across my backyard at 75 feet, and it's even more fun up close scorching and slicing, I really should be doing a double soon.

By getting rid of the factory springboard I don't need the extra battery tube extension that's hard to find, I've also started to rebuild the tail cap with a much tougher switch, not that the factory switch is bad, they work fine, but when I start combining 2 diodes I think it will be a good idea.

I also may add a little led voltmeter to monitor the battery sag under load, it really shows which cells are the toughest.

I will put my diode module/heatsink and 6x cyl pair in the box so I can change it out later if I want to, and it will be easier to align with the 3X BE that's getting mounted on the front.

Click to expand...

looking at your builds makes me wish I still had a machine shop at my disposal !

RedCowboy said:

I will when I get it done, the one on the right in this pic has the 6X in it and it will reach out to the back fence and burn where the others with just 3 elements and 3X's struggle past 50 feet, now at the 20 foot mark it's really fun, but I still want to cube a pair and I am more than ready for a single 40w diode, but as always laser fans, SAFETY FIRST. :beer:

p.s. I do hold one in each hand and 12 watts in place of 6 makes a quite noticeable difference in lighting stubborn cardboard boxes. :eg:

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single 40w diode !!! what diode is that ?

Alien Laser said:

i was thinking he already ordered the module on monday or something or its coming on monday, your paying for the driver hmmm let me check i may need some parts :friend:

Click to expand...

No I have to wait until the first of the month..... :cryyy:

Alaskan said:

Jordon doesn't seem to know anything about it.

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I've talked to him through email ?

Crazlaser said:

Maybe Accuntronitis is not replying because his doctor diagnosed him with the disease called accutronitis, the rupturing of the tibia bone and the tympanic membrane at the same time.

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Accutronitis is a disease of collecting too many Accutron 214 watches but I'm cured of that but now I'm coming down with laser fever which has the same symptoms of chronic draining of the wallet ! And these days the wallet is much thinner to start with.....

RedCowboy said:

Shout out to DTR, Thanks for another great diode. :beer:
The NUBM44 is a workhorse diode that lasts and lasts and is my favorite, all it needs it that gargantuan divergence corrected a little bit, then add a sanwu 3X BE and you will have a lot of fun, the moisture in wet green leaves explodes and fizzles with such rewarding sounds, and dry leaves across the yard release their fire and smoke that holds them together....yes leaves are really made out of ashes, its just the smoke and fire that's holding the ashes together.

Please remember SAFETY FIRST, always protect your eyes and know your backstop, a moments laps in safety can cause a lifetime of disability, don't let it happen.

OK so even a simpleton as myself with not much tools can get some fun out of these amazing diodes, here's how.
Next will be adding a sanwu 3X, everyone should get one, they are fantastic.
Also the top cover plate and the front cover plate that the 3X BE will mount to, run out can be adjusted with set screws in the corners if you need to, but covering your optics is important, dust, smoke basically every contaminant will become a problem in time..... but not if you cover your optics and seal the output with a sanwu BE. YES the fantastic BE adds protection as well, it really is a win win.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRffU9KMkSI

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LOL laserbee, as Al Bundy's father once said: There's rarely a mix up that a sander cant fix up.


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EDIT : I said perpendicular, I meant parallel, your diode should be focused to a horizontal line centered at a distant point, then center your lenses as you set them, I use UV glue and set the lenses with a couple little steel files while it's running of course, then I use a 365nm FL and 405nm laser to cure the UV glue.

Click to expand...

RC your builds can be used for home defense !

RedCowboy said:

This has a NUBM44 with a 3-element and the adaptor attaches the 3-element to the BE.

The 3-element is screwed into the adaptor until it bottoms out, about 3mm, then you set your focus of the 3 e-element with the adaptor attached, I used the washers to hold the focus distance, or you could loosen your 12mm module set screw and push it into your host heat sink there by holding the focus as the adaptor is wider than 12mm.

Then screw the 3X BE into the other side of the adaptor, now you can focus the BE by turning it's upper body, it is a 2 part expander and the 3-element is now stationary, all focusing is done with the expander.

Click to expand...

Dang I want my machine shop back !



I've been laying low because I felt the forum was too over saturated with Accutronitis and I don't think anyone would disagree with that assessment...... :undecided:

Accutronitis welcome back

RedCowBoy, what a beast you have made with that laser, very nice brother of the light. Ya, Acc. was miffing people off left and right, me too, I wanted to neg him red, but he did post some nice pix today so I gave him some points.

Yea Acc has made some good points, and provided some entertainment too, LOL.

I want to work with some bigger expanders, not just higher power, but wider optics, I wonder how important the AR coating is, I have used 808nm coated glass with RGB diodes before, but I don't know what the loss was, I am looking at a 2-8x linos on flebay but it's not 450nm coated, I think it's 532, any idea how much loss there could be? Would it be more than the 5-8% of normal glass or would it be no worse than uncoated glass?

When I was investigating the use of a lens with a narrow band 1064nm AR coating for use at vis wavelengths, it had slightly less loss than an uncoated lens, except at 532nm where it was good. However, there are so many different types of coating I don't dare give a rule of thumb with the amount of knowledge I have. Here's a link showing the percentage of reflection across wavelengths for several different types of AR coating:

Coating - Technology support - Claser Photonics, Inc

If you are using a lens coated for 808nm at vis wavelengths, my guess is the coating was better than none at all, maybe reflecting somewhere between 2 and 5%, the shorter wavelengths such as blue reflecting more than red which might be quite good and under 2%. Interestingly, my 1064nm AR coated lens had very little loss at exactly half the wavlength, or 532nm green. I read why once, but my RAM must have dumped it long ago.

Acc.. the problem on some of those posts, at least for me, wasn't content so much as that some of the responses appeared to be from a long banned prior member who had been attacking the forum off and on for years, so you were paying for someone else's past sins. LPF members can sometimes be a bit anal over things too, double posts always gets peoples hackles up and our troll who likes to visit knows that, you were doing that too and having been in many forums in the past should have known better, I think you did.

What he does is come into the forum as a newbie, double posts to be sure he acts like one, then starts posting to threads that are years old with comments which do not add to the thread, or looks at what current long term members are posting and seeks to find prior posts where they contradict themselves, bringing them back up again.... and a few other little annoyances such as getting people to jump through hoops with stupid questions, or pretending they hit themselves with a beam in the eye and asking for advice.. Once he came in here pretending to sell a laser I was looking for cheap, but then kept raising the price. Sometimes he comes in and makes a member name which can be taken as some kind of insult to someone in particular. In general, just an ass, that's all. I thought you were him, if not, my bad. I don't stay mad forever and you did post some good stuff, so repped you.

The only other concern would be burning an AR coating that's designed for other than the laser I am firing through it, 5% loss I can live with.

I think minimoto kobyashi burned the coating of a nice BE with one of our MM diodes, I wish we had a good Chinese source for expanders, I want to pop a balloon at 1 mile. I know I will need a scope to see it.

Alaskan said:

Acc.. double posts always gets peoples hackles up and our troll who likes to visit knows that, you were doing that too and having been in many forums in the past should have known better, I think you did.

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no other forum I've ever been a member of has any problem with double posting, That why I had to ask what it was.

in other forums double posting is when you post the same post word for word back to back, usually accidently....

This forum is the first I've been in with a "multiquote" button......

I have wondered how Roberto/Minimoto K burned the coating off, at first I suspected he focused to a point on the lens instead of infinity focus, but he says not. Then I thought it might have been dirty, but I am sure he wouldn't shoot into a dirty lens. Still not sure what happened, but when I bought a beam expander for a similar pointer I made sure I got one which was made for high power YAG pulses, that won't burn. If you have expanded your beam to a few mm the coating is much harder to burn, so maybe after your cylinder pairs a lens with an AR coating with a relatively low power density rating won't be hurt by it.

As far as cheap expanders go, you can't get cheaper than buying a relatively long focal length large diameter PCX lens, then just take the raw output of your diode and shoot into it. Then you have a one lens expander for cheap with very low loss, especially if AR coated, but those are not as easy to find on ebay. I know you can't do it that way with your NUBM44 due to the beam correcting optics, needs a two lens expander for that.