Help this broke off my pointer

PhiLLYBiZZLE · Jan 18, 2012

Not that savoy with theses pointers, I've tried researching but haven't found my answer. This piece in picture #1, broke off the main body in picture #2. Can I possibly super glue this back on and have my pointer back working? Right now it is just emitting a red light (non powerful at all) from the pointer with the battery in.

Thanks

csshih · Jan 18, 2012

I would NOT look into that red light, it's probably IR.

green pointer, right? look up how DPSS works.

Craig

Blord · Jan 18, 2012

That red light is IR and it is still powerful. Be careful with that.
You can glue it back. You need that crystal for the green laser. It must be exactly the same orientation as before.

Eudaimonium · Jan 18, 2012

Actually, you can not glue it back.

First of all, any sort of superglue based on cyanoacrylate will mess up EVERYTHING it comes near. It fumes badly.

Second, even if you manage to find some sort of glue which does not mess up optics, you could not just glue the crystal on. It requires micrometer-precise positioning and orientation, which is almost impossible to DIY.

Sorry but, your best bet is to buy a new laser.

Sigurthr · Jan 18, 2012

Yeah, sorry to say it, but you pretty much just converted your green pointer into an Infrared eye hazard.

It is VERY unlikely you would be able to realign the crystal to the extent of making any green light again, and even unliklier that you could secure it there. I've realigned DPSS units before, all labbies though, and if the X axis was not fixed I would not have ever attempted it. Even then it is incredibly difficult, and that is with precision mounts and hold down screws.

THAT RED LIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS INFRARED THAT CAN BLOW HOLES IN YOUR RETINA, AND YOU WOULD NEVER SEE IT OR FEEL IT. IT ONLY LOOKS DIM BECAUSE OUR EYES CAN NOT DETECT IT WELL. DO NOT USE THIS LASER WITHOUT PROPER IR BLOCKING GOGGLES, DO NOT USE IT AROUND OTHERS, AND DO NOT TRY TO REALIGN THE LASER WITHOUT PROPER IR PROTECTION!

Bluefan · Jan 18, 2012

csshih said:
I would NOT look into that red light, it's probably IR.

Blord said:
That red light is IR and it is still powerful. Be careful with that.

Sigurthr said:
Yeah, sorry to say it, but you pretty much just converted your green pointer into an Infrared eye hazard.
...
THAT RED LIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS INFRARED THAT CAN BLOW HOLES IN YOUR RETINA, AND YOU WOULD NEVER SEE IT OR FEEL IT. IT ONLY LOOKS DIM BECAUSE OUR EYES CAN NOT DETECT IT WELL. DO NOT USE THIS LASER WITHOUT PROPER IR BLOCKING GOGGLES, DO NOT USE IT AROUND OTHERS, AND DO NOT TRY TO REALIGN THE LASER WITHOUT PROPER IR PROTECTION!

^^This.

Blord said:
You can glue it back. You need that crystal for the green laser. It must be exactly the same orientation as before.

Eudaimonium said:
Actually, you can not glue it back.

First of all, any sort of superglue based on cyanoacrylate will mess up EVERYTHING it comes near. It fumes badly.

Second, even if you manage to find some sort of glue which does not mess up optics, you could not just glue the crystal on. It requires micrometer-precise positioning and orientation, which is almost impossible to DIY.

Sorry but, your best bet is to buy a new laser.

Sigurthr said:
It is VERY unlikely you would be able to realign the crystal to the extent of making any green light again, and even unliklier that you could secure it there. I've realigned DPSS units before, all labbies though, and if the X axis was not fixed I would not have ever attempted it. Even then it is incredibly difficult, and that is with precision mounts and hold down screws.

Yes, superglue will mess stuff up. No, it's not impossible. It requires alignment with ~100 micrometer precision in distance and ~300 micrometer in lateral position. The distance from the IR diode to the crystals was already set fine. If you can put the crystal set back at the same position the distance will be fine. Use some epoxy to fix it and it should work again.

I've done this with a xyz stage, and the alignment was surprisingly easy and allowed quite some variation. By hand alone would be difficult, but since you can place it on a plane so that the distance is correct it should be possible, the lateral position is the easiest.

ElektroFreak · Jan 18, 2012

Bluefan said:
^^This.

Yes, superglue will mess stuff up. No, it's not impossible. It requires alignment with ~100 micrometer precision in distance and ~300 micrometer in lateral position. The distance from the IR diode to the crystals was already set fine. If you can put the crystal set back at the same position the distance will be fine. Use some epoxy to fix it and it should work again.

I've done this with a xyz stage, and the alignment was surprisingly easy and allowed quite some variation. By hand alone would be difficult, but since you can place it on a plane so that the distance is correct it should be possible, the lateral position is the easiest.

^QFT

What they do at most cheap Chinese pointer factories is place the epoxy and the crystal set and adjust it as the epoxy sets. Once the glue sets to where no further adjustment is possible you end up with whatever output you get. Then they bin based on output and sell 'em.

HaloBlu · Jan 18, 2012

Sigurthr said:
THAT RED LIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS INFRARED THAT CAN BLOW HOLES IN YOUR RETINA, AND YOU WOULD NEVER SEE IT OR FEEL IT. IT ONLY LOOKS DIM BECAUSE OUR EYES CAN NOT DETECT IT WELL. DO NOT USE THIS LASER WITHOUT PROPER IR BLOCKING GOGGLES, DO NOT USE IT AROUND OTHERS, AND DO NOT TRY TO REALIGN THE LASER WITHOUT PROPER IR PROTECTION!

Don't want you to overlook or disregard the danger, maybe thinking people are overreacting.
He is completely right & certainly not overreacting at all.

It WILL hurt you & you won't even feel it. Have no doubt about it. Your retina doesn't have pain receptors & the damage may not become apparent right away.

Bionic-Badger · Jan 19, 2012

Considering that the pointer was cheap enough that it broke like that you ought to just buy a new one outright, and toss that eye hazard.

Benm · Jan 19, 2012

Bluefan said:
^^This.

Yes, superglue will mess stuff up. No, it's not impossible. It requires alignment with ~100 micrometer precision in distance and ~300 micrometer in lateral position. The distance from the IR diode to the crystals was already set fine. If you can put the crystal set back at the same position the distance will be fine. Use some epoxy to fix it and it should work again.

I've done this with a xyz stage, and the alignment was surprisingly easy and allowed quite some variation. By hand alone would be difficult, but since you can place it on a plane so that the distance is correct it should be possible, the lateral position is the easiest.

I'd agree on this: just putting in in the place you suspect it was, holding it by hand, will result in some green light in most cases. Due to the shape of the part that came off its not that hard to get the proper orientation at all.

Securing it in place is another matter, but you could use something like epoxy on the sides to firm it into place without superglue fumes ruining the coatings.

As others have stressed though: take precautions to keep that red light out of your eyes. It may look dim, but it IS much more powerful that whatever output the laser was built for, and can do serious permanent eye damage. If you attempt to reposition this optic, you really need to use IR blocking goggles!

Flaminpyro · Jan 19, 2012

You need a new laser ! in the mean time try fixing this one with a little 5 min epoxy.
Clean off the old stuff and clean the metal pieces with some acetone so the epoxy will stick good, and don't touch any of the optics at any time !

Set the xtal holder in place above the IR diode's heat sink and turn on the laser and try to align it, when you can see some green you will know your close, take note of everything and then put some epoxy on and do it again, make it the best you can before the epoxy sets up, maybe get the 30 min epoxy.

Get it right and do it a few more times and you could be the man people turn to here to get theirs fixed

Good Luck...

Bluefan · Jan 21, 2012

Bionic-Badger said:
Considering that the pointer was cheap enough that it broke like that you ought to just buy a new one outright, and toss that eye hazard.

The diode isn't collimated, after half a meter the power density of a 300mW diode is low enough not to go over the MPE for a long exposure. Higher power diodes of course require a (much) longer distance.

Still that is a guestimate and half a meter is impossible for precise alignment work, so the only options are using IR laser safety glasses or glueing the crystals on with the best approximation you can do with the laser OFF and hoping it would work.

Another option is of course to send it for repairs to someone, but if it's a cheap pointer a new one may just be cheaper.

PhiLLYBiZZLE · Feb 23, 2012

where could i look into buying a crystal? since everything else is pretty much brand spanking new, is it of any value for parts for anyone, to trade for

PhiLLYBiZZLE · Mar 3, 2012

BUMP...

Could I in theory...go to radioshack... buy one of their green pointers....take what I need...repackage and return it claiming it doesn't work??

Wolfman29 · Mar 3, 2012

You could do that but it would be extraordinarily dishonest and we would look upon you here.

Fretwrecker94 · Mar 3, 2012

PhiLLYBiZZLE said:
BUMP...

Could I in theory...go to radioshack... buy one of their green pointers....take what I need...repackage and return it claiming it doesn't work??

I mean if you want to commit fraud....

Help this broke off my pointer

PhiLLYBiZZLE

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