Ripping apart an AixiZ 5mw unit for DVD laser

Hey guys!

I am new here, and before now had no idea there were forums for fruitcakes (no offense) like me! (Although my hobbies also extend to pyrotechnics, partially why I am interested in lasers, I could light comps with matchheads!)

First off, I am 15, and while I think lasers really freakin' rock, I just cant afford to buy a commercial model.

I can afford a 57 dollar homemade model though!

I already have successfully extracted the IR and visible red diodes from the burner I purchased for that express purpose. (Though I have yet to extract them from the heatsink). My question is how you guys pulled the 5mw diode from an AixiZ unit. The usual page (Cant post link-- Its the Howto: Make a DVD Burner into a HE Laser page) has info on it, but its rather vague-- My problem is that the back is closed, and there doesn't appear to be a way to extract the diode without damaging the casing. And while I assume once the original diode is out, inserting the new one will be a no-problemo, if you have any tips there, that would be appreciated too.

If any of you could provide indicative pictures or a more detailed description of the process you used, I would greatly appreciate it!

In other news... this all started when I got a 15.66 inch Fresnel Lens, man, that thing freaking rawks!!! I have melted pennies, rocks, (It spit stuff everywhere then finally a small glob of molten rock ran down the side) started charcoal *very* quickly, and even roasted marshmallows! Oh, and of course, fried ants over a 3-5" square area!

One thing I cant wait to do with a laser is make a ton of 1/2" red stars (The things in the aerial shells that are really bright, usually seen at state fireworks shows! ) and then set them off with a laser!

Also... I hooked up the barebones AixiZ unit I got to a battery pack with momentary switch, and geez, when that thing is unfocused, its beam is 1.5" wide! But when its focused just right, I swear its >.2mm! However, none of the higher-end (150mW+) lasers I have seen have *that* small of a focus (Generally 1.5mm), yet theirs doesn't deteriorate (noticeably) with distance. Whats up with that?



Thanks for any and all help!

~
Xeno

PS: Can any of you give a reasonable argument to a non-laser-or-technical-literate person (my mom) as to why its safe to point a "burning laser" at a wall? Isn't it cause of the gloss coat finish? She says she doesn't want me to run it in the house *at all*.

Wow, that was a lot of reading. LOL. In getting an old laser out of an aixiz module I use a small flat blade screwdriver and tap it out. You do have to seperate the module from the base threaded piece. In order to tap it out I unscrew the lens from the module and tap the diode back out. I donno what you mean the back is closed. it should unscrew in half.

As far as the beam is concerned it's a matter of lenses and colimation. If you use a lens like the fresnel your playing with it focus's the sun's energy down to the size of a dot. If you use another lens at the same time you can focus that same light to be a consistent beam like so. dashes are light. ( and ) are lenses. >is light in >(--)----------
Now it's truly more involved than that and I really can't explain it better than that. with the aixiz module your just focusing the light to a point and using the right focus you can get a beam out of it for almost eternity. give or take 30 feet.

Oh and welcome to the forum.

Hey man, thanks a ton!! ;D

Sorry about the length, I had a lot to say... hehe!

As far as what I meant by the back is closed, the base piece is open on the lasing end, but the back end where the wires go through only has a big enough hole for the 2 wires... and I wouldn't have though the diode would fit... But looking at it again, it seems possible. I will try as soon as I can borrow my dads soldering iron, no sense breaking the only laser (that uses AA's) in my house before I can even mod it... (Thats sad =p) ;D :

Thanks again guys, I just wanted to be sure!

I use a wood dowel and a vice to press the LD out. That way I don't damage the diode ---- but I don't know what good they are - 3 or so mW !!!

Mike

Nope the thing unscrews at the center. The diode would never fit through the hole then into the other hole at the bottom of the module. If you look at the two peices I took pictures of there is the peice on the right that is the "module" contains diode (although the one pictured does not that is what the hole is at the bottom) and the focusing optics. The peice on the right is the barrel and serves no other purpose than to increase heatsinking and to tie a knot in your wiring so it doesn't pull on the pins on the diode. It's hollow and nothing goes in there but the wire and the bottom end of the module with the diode sitting inside it. Kapish?

I will make a quick movie showing the module.

Hello Kenom,
Thanks for posting the vid. The way the diode fits in the AixiZ module is better than the Meredith module I have. The main reason I ordered the Meredith was because I wanted a glass lens. I later found out that the Meredith module with an acrylic lens produces a smaller beam diameter, according to their specs. I will get an AixiZ to check out. They still haven't answered my emails regarding a glass lens, so I just might call them. I know they are on back order from reading about he GB in CPF, but I want one...lol

Thanks for the vid!

"This is not necessary, not necessary...not necessary."
"It is necessary only for..." ;D

Any chance you know if that is for 9mm or 5.6mm cans?

it is the 5.6mm cans In order to get the 9mm one's to fit you have to use a different module from aixiz. although I do not know which one. You can email him and wait the 3-4 weeks for him to get back to you!

Ok when I get going I forget what I'm saying and ramble. this was my rambling. hehe. I had fun doing it but someone told me it sounds condesending and that is not what I meant..

I called Aixiz last week - Told her I wanrted 5 empty modules with glass. She is sending 5 "regular ones and 5 glass lenses.
No Problem...

Mike

That lady is ticking me off - I have had twenty modules with glass lenses on back order for four weeks now....Time to write Dr. Chuck a nasty note....

Yeah we are all waiting for those one's you bought SenKat. We do however understand that it's not YOUR fault. Gets tiresome waiting for something you really want.

Yes, well - I have been emailing them about every other day - I will call them on Monday, and speak to Dr. Chuck about this - if they have enough lenses to ship out to others, they MUST ship mine out or I am gonna go NUTS !

Sorry-- I missed your post Kenom! :-[

Biggest thing that just totally freaked me out-- My module does not have, and did not come with, a spring. And originally I thought the diode was down in the back piece that "was not necessary"! Thats why I was so confused... Thanks a ton for the vid.

Still don't get the spring thing though? Mine has never changed focus on me yet, although with frequent adjusting, I imagine it will... maybe. :-?

So, I suppose for the Elly mod (If I decide on that... still deciding... Elly... Dorcy... GAH!) then I could just use the front end of the diode assembly instead of buying a new, unchromed, smaller AixiZ module... with a little duty cycle. Though I will probably get a 500mW IR diode too... Fire! ;D ;D

IF you see that the lack of the spring is an issue - you can remove the focusing assembly, and wrap a small piece of Teflon tape (that non-sticky white "tapish" stuff in the plumbing aisle) around the lense, then re-install it. The teflon tape will create enough friction to keep the lense turning smoothly for quite a while !