Long time; no build: 505nm Leadlight

Hey everyone.
I came back here a few weeks ago to find a lot of exciting new developments.
I had some spare parts left from the days I built lasers more frequently so I decided to put them to use with a few new parts.

I built a chrome leadlight with the last x-boost super mini. I was kindly gifted this driver and I'm glad I had it saved because it seems they may not come back. The diode is one of DTR's 505nm diodes and I'm using the G-2 lens which I think is excellent for both low divergence and high power with single mode diodes.
It's running at around 100mA after tweaking it a bit and producing what seems to me like 50mW (just a guess but I think I'm in the ballpark).
This is my first time seeing this wavelength (from monochromatic laser light) and I think it's beautiful. It's distinctly different from and much more "blue" than 532nm but still unmistakably green. My display is calibrated and the color in my photos looks pretty close to what I see with my eyeballs. Maybe a little less blue.
Once this setup gets a test run over the next couple days, assuming there are no bugs and everything runs well, it'll get sealed up with the chrome pen cap and become a fixed focus pointer.
It's nice to get back into this hobby. I think my next project will be a 638nm super pen.
By the way, who knows where I can get a stainless steel focus ring made? Flaminpyro was my go-to guy but it seems he doesn't frequent this place anymore.

Very nice little build. Be careful of your run time as these tend to run hot when pushed past the recommended current. I found the aspheric glass lenses produce a distinct rectangular artifact off to the side of the focused dot. I've been using acrylic lenses as they don't seem to have it. + rep

Nice shiny host for it, I have a diode at close to that wavelength coming too, need to find a driver for it. Thank you for the great photo's, I love it when members post pics of their projects.

very nice pocket build +rep and looking forward to see your next build "red"

RA_pierce said:

By the way, who knows where I can get a stainless steel focus ring made?

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Very nice looking host/build. Welcome back.

You can give Lifetime17 a shout for the focus ring. He does great work at a fair price.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/sale-thread-hosts-heat-sinks-focus-adapters-lasers-100082.html

Looking forward to your next build. :gj:

RA, that's a sweet looking 505 you've built there my friend. Now that you're back, we'll be looking for more! :beer:

@ 3D - What the hell kind of comment is that? This is a beautiful chrome ledlight pen build, with the newer 505nm diode, how many have you seen just like this one?
Please let me know when you are able to fit a 12mm module,driver, and a side switch into a pen sized host!

Edit: Just noticed that you're looking for a focus adapter, if no one steps up, I'll do one for you; I assume you want the 9mm threaded type.

BowtieGuy said:

RA, that's a sweet looking 505 you've built there my friend. Now that you're back, we'll be looking for more! :beer:

@ 3D - What the hell kind of comment is that? This is a beautiful chrome ledlight pen build, with the newer 505nm diode, how many have you seen just like this one?
Please let me know when you are able to fit a 12mm module,driver, and a side switch into a pen sized host!

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I just expressed my opinion! how else do you do all this!

The devil let him do his job! keep it out of the LPF

Hi RA,Welcome back chromes always a delight to see shining up, good job on your return build. Hey PM me your address and ill make you a focus adapter for that pen.

Rich

3DLaSeRBuiLDeR said:

Cute, but it's something you've seen and reviewed millions of times on LPF!​

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OK.... show me where the million reviews of this
505nm build are.. He!!... show me just 50.

3DLaSeRBuiLDeR said:

I just expressed my opinion! how else do you do all this!

The devil let him do his job! keep it out of the LPF

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I find that your English has improved tremendously
in the past few days.... Hmmm....

[EDIT]
Oopps... Forgot to add...
Nice to see you back and building RA_p...


Jerry

3D, you would not of seen this build many times before as the diode is only just started becoming available to us.
Anyway, very nice RA Pierce. It's nice to see you back on and building again. :beer:

Good to see you back here, and that's a nice looking penlaser you built. Ignore 3DLB, he's our resident 'troubled youth' who seems to be crying for attention.

Hi, everyone, and thanks for the kind comments and for the offers for the focus adapter. I'll give one or some of you a message sometime in the near future.

@paul: It does run a little warm but not too warm at this current - definitely within the range I'd consider acceptable for [practically] unlimited use.
Edit: Yeah, I do get the rectangular artifact. It's funny that it's much more distinct than with the 405 and 445nm diodes I've seen. I don't mind, though. I'm not a fan of acrylic lenses. They seem to attract more dust and scratch easily when trying to clean them. That would be a problem for a laser that may spend a lot of time in my pocket.

@3D: Yeah, it's not a very special host but it has always been one of my favorites and it is definitely one I use most often. I've built powerful lasers into bigger, more unique hosts in the past but I find that low power momentary pointers are much more fun. Part of it is the portability and part of it is the safety. The larger flashlight-styled hosts usually feature constant-on/off clicky switches - I don't find that I really want 4W of laser blasting out into the sky for more than seconds at a time. For me the host is functional and attractive enough.
You did remind me that I have a drawing of a host I designed several years ago. I think I'll dig it back up and post it here for a talented machinist to tackle - maybe you'll approve of that one.

CurtisOliver said:

3D, you would not of seen this build many times before as the diode is only just started becoming available to us.
Anyway, very nice RA Pierce. It's nice to see you back on and building again. :beer:

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Razako said:

Good to see you back here, and that's a nice looking penlaser you built. Ignore 3DLB, he's our resident 'troubled youth' who seems to be crying for attention.

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Exactly. 3D lives in and daydream world of his own design.

RA_pierce said:

Hi, everyone, and thanks for the kind comments and for the offers for the focus adapter. I'll give one or some of you a message sometime in the near future.

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Very nice pen work. Great to see you are back. Your first build since returning looks great.
That 505nm diode is perfect for the pen.

Dismiss 3D's comments --he has no idea of what he is talking about and only posts troll-like meaningless annoying nonsense comments -- nothing to contribute.

I have always likes those chrome pens, and with such an awesome color beam, nice combination RA :gj:

3DLaSeRBuiLDeR said:

The devil let him do his job! keep it out of the LPF

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Ok, what does this even mean? Waar heb je het over? Stop posting nonsense:tsk: