- Joined
- Dec 27, 2015
- Messages
- 4
- Points
- 1
Hello there LPF members! Chaz here. Thanks for having me!! I was referred here by DTR's laser shop. I decided to start a laser build after being interested in lasers for a long time. Long story short, I always had admired the Wicked Lasers S3 line and ordered one last year. A 2w+ Arctic to be precise. After several months with no product and no updates, I begrudgingly cancelled my purchase. I didn't think I would ever end up getting a laser, but after seeing many youtube videos and finding online shops, I decided to build one. I do have a considerable amount of experience with electronics, soldering, and high powered LEDs.
As a hobby, I occasionally build very expensive and very realistic Lightsaber props. We are talking the fully illuminated ones made of machined aluminum and running Cree or Luxeon LEDs up to 12w. I have one saber that I custom designed and assembled over five months and runs a triple Cree RGB LED wide open for full color mixing. It has sound, all kinds of FX, and a computer board that allows me to plug it into my Mac and change settings and all kinds of stuff on the fly. I had to make a custom 2x 18650 for that bad boy as it sucks 2.5A all the time, with bursts up to (and sometimes exceeding) 3A. Here is a link to the project and pictures if you wish to see them. I am not attempting to brag, just give a bit of background.
"Creed, Blade of Harmony" UPDATED WITH PICS!!! | Imperial Royal Arms
Although, to brag a bit I guess, if you were to commission a saber with the same level of detail and features from one of the career builders, it would cost well over $3,000. I simply build them for my own pleasure. Anywhoo, not relevant here.
I shared that to mainly shed light on the project I am starting. I recently purchased an NDB7875 445nm laser diode (Nichia?) with G2 lens and driver from DTR. As I understand, it is rated up to 3W with the 2.4 amp driver that I also purchased. Probably totally STUPID for me to be starting with such a death ray of a laser, but I have no excuse. I have always been an all or nothing type. I am having a custom copper heatsink made so that I can incorporate the laser into my host of choice... A custom machined Lightsaber body, since I have a heaping pile of spare parts laying around. It isn't going to be ridiculously fancy, but, its going to look like a Lightsaber. Mildly fancy. It should be a very cool host. I will be sure to post build pictures and the final product on here when it is done. The main activation is going to be a 16mm Anti vandal switch (my fav for sabers).
All that being said, I am a hobbyist at heart, but by day I work 911 as a full time Paramedic. Safety and preventing injury is very important to me. I always knew lasers were very dangerous, but it really hit me after I ordered the thing. Had that "what the heck am I doing" moment after reading a bunch of stuff about lasers and eye injuries. Scary stuff. *winces*
So that brings me to a few questions. Please forgive me if I am resurrecting dead threads. I did actually look through the archives here for a good while, and learned a lot. Especially about eye injuries... *winces again*
1. Can anyone recommend a high quality pair of glasses for such a powerful laser? I see a lot online, I just want to do it right the first time, and not end up with junky glasses. I am a gear snob. Guilty. I plan to get several pairs and hand them to anyone around me when using my laser. Damaging my eyes is bad enough, hurting someone else would be so terrible I cannot even imagine...
2. I can't get a straight answer online... Is it safe to view the beam for a moment without glasses? As in take it outside and point it at the sky or a tree, and view the beam itself as it passes by me? I know ANY reflections or viewing of the spot is a big NO NO. Just had to ask as I hear the blues above 1W have beautiful and visible beams, and I also hear viewing them with glasses makes it very hard to see the beam at all. Both of those statements could be totally false, as I have never seen a laser above 100mw in person.
3. More of an inquiry. I want to incorporate a secondary safety circuit, namely a key switch, into the build. I plan to hide the key switch under the pommel. I am looking for a nice Anti Vandal style key switch that is rated for the current this thing would require. Preferably something compact-ish that would make it easier for me to fit it into the build and minimize the amount of "kram-fu" I have to exercise. Do any of you know of a specific switch or place where I can get one? I see a lot of chinese supply websites but ordering just one isn't an option.
4. Battery... That diode needs between 6v and 9v according to DTR. I have a protected rechargeable Li-ion 7.4v pack made of two 18650 cells, 2600mah. Go or No-Go?
5. Recharge port. I use these on my sabers and wire them in a way that all power is cut off when charging or when a nylon "kill key" is inserted. Kind of a reverse of the way some of the safety dongles that I have seen for lasers work. Kill key out, activation switch is live. Kill key in, dead device. I can't think of a specific reason why I shouldn't use an in-body recharge setup without removable batteries, but you guys might. It would be easier for me to do than design and 3D print battery holders, but I can do that if I need to.
That's all I have for now. I greatly appreciate any advise and/or answers to the questions I have posted here. All info is gladly absorbed! I sincerely apologize for the MILE long post. I am excited about this project and very bored at work... Yes, at 3am. Don't ask. We Paramedics are very strange nocturnal creatures. I have been on duty for 48 hours. Going a bit nuts. :crackup:
Thanks all!!
As a hobby, I occasionally build very expensive and very realistic Lightsaber props. We are talking the fully illuminated ones made of machined aluminum and running Cree or Luxeon LEDs up to 12w. I have one saber that I custom designed and assembled over five months and runs a triple Cree RGB LED wide open for full color mixing. It has sound, all kinds of FX, and a computer board that allows me to plug it into my Mac and change settings and all kinds of stuff on the fly. I had to make a custom 2x 18650 for that bad boy as it sucks 2.5A all the time, with bursts up to (and sometimes exceeding) 3A. Here is a link to the project and pictures if you wish to see them. I am not attempting to brag, just give a bit of background.
"Creed, Blade of Harmony" UPDATED WITH PICS!!! | Imperial Royal Arms
Although, to brag a bit I guess, if you were to commission a saber with the same level of detail and features from one of the career builders, it would cost well over $3,000. I simply build them for my own pleasure. Anywhoo, not relevant here.
I shared that to mainly shed light on the project I am starting. I recently purchased an NDB7875 445nm laser diode (Nichia?) with G2 lens and driver from DTR. As I understand, it is rated up to 3W with the 2.4 amp driver that I also purchased. Probably totally STUPID for me to be starting with such a death ray of a laser, but I have no excuse. I have always been an all or nothing type. I am having a custom copper heatsink made so that I can incorporate the laser into my host of choice... A custom machined Lightsaber body, since I have a heaping pile of spare parts laying around. It isn't going to be ridiculously fancy, but, its going to look like a Lightsaber. Mildly fancy. It should be a very cool host. I will be sure to post build pictures and the final product on here when it is done. The main activation is going to be a 16mm Anti vandal switch (my fav for sabers).
All that being said, I am a hobbyist at heart, but by day I work 911 as a full time Paramedic. Safety and preventing injury is very important to me. I always knew lasers were very dangerous, but it really hit me after I ordered the thing. Had that "what the heck am I doing" moment after reading a bunch of stuff about lasers and eye injuries. Scary stuff. *winces*
So that brings me to a few questions. Please forgive me if I am resurrecting dead threads. I did actually look through the archives here for a good while, and learned a lot. Especially about eye injuries... *winces again*
1. Can anyone recommend a high quality pair of glasses for such a powerful laser? I see a lot online, I just want to do it right the first time, and not end up with junky glasses. I am a gear snob. Guilty. I plan to get several pairs and hand them to anyone around me when using my laser. Damaging my eyes is bad enough, hurting someone else would be so terrible I cannot even imagine...
2. I can't get a straight answer online... Is it safe to view the beam for a moment without glasses? As in take it outside and point it at the sky or a tree, and view the beam itself as it passes by me? I know ANY reflections or viewing of the spot is a big NO NO. Just had to ask as I hear the blues above 1W have beautiful and visible beams, and I also hear viewing them with glasses makes it very hard to see the beam at all. Both of those statements could be totally false, as I have never seen a laser above 100mw in person.
3. More of an inquiry. I want to incorporate a secondary safety circuit, namely a key switch, into the build. I plan to hide the key switch under the pommel. I am looking for a nice Anti Vandal style key switch that is rated for the current this thing would require. Preferably something compact-ish that would make it easier for me to fit it into the build and minimize the amount of "kram-fu" I have to exercise. Do any of you know of a specific switch or place where I can get one? I see a lot of chinese supply websites but ordering just one isn't an option.
4. Battery... That diode needs between 6v and 9v according to DTR. I have a protected rechargeable Li-ion 7.4v pack made of two 18650 cells, 2600mah. Go or No-Go?
5. Recharge port. I use these on my sabers and wire them in a way that all power is cut off when charging or when a nylon "kill key" is inserted. Kind of a reverse of the way some of the safety dongles that I have seen for lasers work. Kill key out, activation switch is live. Kill key in, dead device. I can't think of a specific reason why I shouldn't use an in-body recharge setup without removable batteries, but you guys might. It would be easier for me to do than design and 3D print battery holders, but I can do that if I need to.
That's all I have for now. I greatly appreciate any advise and/or answers to the questions I have posted here. All info is gladly absorbed! I sincerely apologize for the MILE long post. I am excited about this project and very bored at work... Yes, at 3am. Don't ask. We Paramedics are very strange nocturnal creatures. I have been on duty for 48 hours. Going a bit nuts. :crackup:
Thanks all!!