Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea! :-)

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

nice, nice! What did you do, just focus all beams on one spot?

You could try and go outside with it, to see whetrer you can see (parts of) the beam, as if these were 5mW diodes, you should theoretically have 15mW (if there isn't some coherence-intensity-problem).

But, lookin' good, go on!

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

I have had a good play with this setup, with the cone at 90 degrees it sends out 3 parallel beams which I have been unable to bring together......I have a cunning plan

I will re-machine the cone to 91 degrees, this will make the beams converge at an effective focal point which can be adjusted by moving the cone back and forward.

I will keep you posted

Regards rog8811

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

very nice!!! can you show a picture of the focusing cone you made?

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

I will take a photo when I get in from work today....

Regards rog8811
*Edit....am home

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Very nice Rog! Is that silver steel? Or nickle plated of some sort? I take it you made it on a lathe. Tell me more!!!

I'm annoyed I can't get to work now! I've got to wait a few weeks for my modules from the US. + the postage strike in the UK isn't helping.

Does anyone in the UK have some plain stock Aixiz modules, (exactly the same as the ones SenKat sells on his site) that I can buy off them, or that they want to donate to the super duper hex burner project?

I've got a little roadmap lined up in my head:

Now -> Wait for diodes, Plan Hex Burner. I'm going to get 7 Aixis Housings and assemble the hex/hept array.
In 4 Weeks -> Test optics with lens' and stock Aixiz diodes from America.
In 6 Weeks -> Start making the circuits for each diode and make them SUPER small + compact + build array/electronics into D Cell Maglite with some CR123A's instead of 4xD's to make more space!
In 8 Weeks -> Swap out the Aixiz diodes one by one with Burner diodes!!!!!!!!!
Before Christmas -> Scale up to what I can afford e.g. I'll start with 3, then add more SenKat Diodes as and when. Upto the max limit of 7 for this design.

Like this:
  * *
 * * * = 1.4 Watts of power
  * *

After Christmas..... RGB tests???
And possibly this:

  * * *
* * * *
* * * * *   = 3.8 Watts of power!  
* * * *
  * * *

Once I get the design good, and the lens' system working, I'll have a scalable laser where I can just pop in another 200mW when I can afford it!

I can't wait to get going!


Dan

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

@DB, yes turned on a lathe, it is made from stainless steel.

May I suggest a simple in for you?
Start with a couple of standard ,5mw Aixiz modules taped together to see if you can bring the beams together before building up the higher powered stuff.  If something goes wrong you will only lose a cheap bit of kit.

Regards rog8811

*Edit...just reread your roadmap....I see you are going to use the modules as delivered to start with....

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

@ Rog - Thanks, I assume you used a buffer to shine it up - what kind of mop did you use? Did you use a Calico G or a Sisal mop? * Just interested in the machining side a bit *


Dan

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

I have a 6" calico mop used with a medium grade wax. When I make the final one I will get a much finer finish, if you look closely at the one above you can still see machining marks....

Regards rog8811

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Experiment No 2:- Cone remachined to 91 degrees, sliding cone in and out does move the images as expected but is maybe a bit course.... 90 degrees 30 mins would make it finer.

The cone needs to be a bigger diameter as at 12mm dia a very small adjustment allows part of the beam to miss the cone, reducing the output light.

Regards rog8811

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

How about channeling all the diodes' output into an optical fiber and then collimating the output at the other end? Well they have fiber coupled IR lasers but I don't know if those fibers work for red.

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

rog8811 said:

Experiment No 2:- Cone remachined to 91 degrees, sliding cone in and out does move the images as expected but is maybe a bit course.... 90 degrees 30 mins would make it finer.

The cone needs to be a bigger diameter as at 12mm dia a very small adjustment  allows part of the beam to miss  the cone, reducing the output light.

Click to expand...

maybe if you facet it like a diamond it would reflect the direction you want a little easier.

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

@xarylx It is not something that I have played with......maybe someone on the forum has some info on Fibre optic coupling.

@ ST I have been mulling over how to accurately mill flats as you suggest, I think first I will go for the larger diameter cone and see where it gets me.

Below is a photo which shows how light falls on the cone......flats would improve the shape of the light........

Regards rog8811

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

I can't believe I've not tried the fibre idea! I've got bags (literally) of that lying around. I'll have to work out which is the best connector to use. Flexible burning cable.... nice!

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Awwriiight!!! Have the huge laser sitting in your bag, channel the fiber up to your hand inside your clothing, and then say "Oh, look, I have an inkless pen!" and "write" on paper "wireless".

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

man that is impressive Rog. I'm absolutly amazed at the progress you've made. I though this was just gonna be one of those things were we all just sit around and talk about how to do it but never really do it. Hehe. I agree with whomever above mentioned a faceted cone. I am sure that it will clean up teh dot quite a bit I'm actually suprised it's not turning your dot into a line. I'm not sure how you would do that with metal but I know it's certainly not easy with jems. I once had someone show me on his machine how to turn out facets and I carried around the saphire I made for YEARS. Good luck to ya!

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

@kenom I tried a large gem right at the start of this, as I knew the facets should be pretty accurate....I would need to get it silvered to get it working.

Having thought about this I may try to do a four facet, which was suggested earlier, as I have the wherewithal to machine it....I think :-/, If I get anywhere with it I will post the results.

Regards rog8811