Sharp looking 3-mode mini (pic heavy)

I have a review thread of a similar build that covers details on the host and driver, but this laser turned out so sharp I wanted to share a more in depth build thread. The other thread is here http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/cree-q5-made-into-3-mode-445nm-78739.html#post1132000



Here is the host I started with, has a nice silver finish. The pill with led just unscrews no breaking required. :yh:


The plastic lens pops out nice and easy.


The pill taken apart revealing the awesome "IMO" driver. Because I had chipped that driver I used an identical one from another light.



Onto the M140! I cut the aluminum back off the module to allow it to fit and to have better heat transfer from the copper modules threads to the heat sink, I'm a bit OCD about it I know.



I like to put arctic alumina epoxy on the backs of my diodes, I just don't like them to be open to air, I feel like they can be kept at a more stable temp this way. Anyways right or wrong of me I've done it to two M140's and a 9mm and they are all still running great.



This is the heat sink I pressed the module into, it was a nice press fit and I used arctic silver. (ty - flaminpyro and DTR)



Here I have the module partially pressed into the sink and began wiring the driver up. Afterwards I put the sink in with arctic alumina epoxy.



Finished! Triple trit focus ring with my personal touch of GITD applied to the inside.





Still puts out a good beam in a well lit night area.



Burn test video. It's got a 9mm stock lens and it was focused to a few inches away.

Awesome little laser. I love these hosts for size.

It looks about the same as the one in my sales thread. FP does an amazing job on focus knobs.

Sweet little Laser for sure. What current is the driver pushing?

It's driving about 330ma on high and about 90ma on low.

Very low power... nice

The MOAR power thing gets kind of old, sometimes it's nice to be able to just run a small laser for a long time.

Thanks! I couldn't agree more, I've been having a lot more fun with this lower power laser then my +2W laser. Easy to carry, long run time, not insanely bright but bright enough. Just a nice EDC laser.

Sweet build, I was looking at these hosts myself, they look pretty cool

Thanks, it really is a great host and driver, durable and portable. If we could now just figure out how to adjust the driver currents, it would be the best "small" host ever.

i'm sure there are drivers you could pop in there no problem

Nice build, im jealous of the size