HOW TO: 100+mW 405nm w/ 803T Dorcy Jr Laser

it looks good!

what did you make the heat sink out of?

and 105ma?

that thing should last forever with unlimited duty cycle!!!

thesk8nmidget said:

it looks good!

what did you make the heat sink out of?

and 105ma?

that thing should last forever with unlimited duty cycle!!!

Click to expand...

Thanks! The heatsinks were made from round bar stock aluminum (I cannot remember the alloy) that I bought from McMaster-Carr Supply Company. Since I have no access to a real machine shop, I had to turn these on my little Dremel Moto-Lathe. Man, that was hard on that little sucker! I tried a 29/64 drill bit but it was just a tiny bit too large for a press fit. My only other alternative was a 7/16 which I then reamed out a little and kept measuring with a caliper. I just pressed the module into the heatsink in my vise.

Alright, before this post goes completely dead I need to ask a question.

My Dorcy Jr. Blu-ray is running great at 120.5mA. I have run it for about 2.5 minutes without it getting warm at all... the heatsink was cold to the touch. However, my diode is pressed in flush in the axiz module and I've been reading that it works best pushed in farther then flush. First of all, how do u push it in more then flush? Secondly, Is it worth having those few extra mW's and not having to screw the lens in so close? I have some artic silver thermal grease stuff on the diode, and on the so it touches the heatsink. So would it just be too messy and not worth taking apart?

(Oh and I was playing around with it, and found out you can light matches that are floating in water... I want to try it in lighter fluid! ;D)

mmykle said:

Alright, before this post goes completely dead I need to ask a question.

My Dorcy Jr. Blu-ray is running great at 120.5mA. I have run it for about 2.5 minutes without it getting warm at all... the heatsink was cold to the touch. However, my diode is pressed in flush in the axiz module and I've been reading that it works best pushed in farther then flush. First of all, how do u push it in more then flush? Secondly, Is it worth having those few extra mW's and not having to screw the lens in so close? I have some artic silver thermal grease stuff on the diode, and on the so it touches the heatsink. So would it just be too messy and not worth taking apart?

(Oh and I was playing around with it, and found out you can light matches that are floating in water... I want to try it in lighter fluid! ;D)

Click to expand...

I always use a .22 Cal empty bullet shell. Or a piece of metal tubing that goes around the pins, but not the diode. It helps the blu-ray focus, and you don't need to do it for reds.

mmykle said:

Alright, before this post goes completely dead I need to ask a question.

My Dorcy Jr. Blu-ray is running great at 120.5mA. I have run it for about 2.5 minutes without it getting warm at all... the heatsink was cold to the touch. However, my diode is pressed in flush in the axiz module and I've been reading that it works best pushed in farther then flush. First of all, how do u push it in more then flush? Secondly, Is it worth having those few extra mW's and not having to screw the lens in so close? I have some artic silver thermal grease stuff on the diode, and on the so it touches the heatsink. So would it just be too messy and not worth taking apart?

(Oh and I was playing around with it, and found out you can light matches that are floating in water... I want to try it in lighter fluid! ;D)

Click to expand...

The mW difference is so small that it is not worth changing yours at all. I don't think it effects the power anyways, it's just a matter of focusing the laser.

Normal [link=http://www.hightechdealz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=9]Aixiz focusing rings[/link] (screw on thing that goes on the lens) don't let the lens go down far enough to focus the blu ray beam to infinity, which can be annoying. a MUCH easier solution is to get a focusing ring from a [link=http://www.hightechdealz.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=35]Sure Electronics module[/link] and use that, they don't go as deep onto the lens and let the lens screw down further into the module, letting the beam focus to infinity.

I'm going to build another Dorcy blu ray this weekend as I sold mine to a friend. I'll be using the Sure electronics lens as it works much better for blu rays...

thanks,
Kendall

A shameless-plug here:
Due to popular request, my new heat-sinks for the Dorcy Jr are here, both the original-style and the new "Flex-drive compatible" version, both anodized in black.
http://mysite.verizon.net/grall/darkhorsecustom/id47.html
How to use:
1.) They require removing all of the "guts" from the original-host, (use a deep-style socket for this, from the battery-side, just slide in and push, the "pill" should pop right out the end of the body).
2.) Connect the "case-pin" to the neg-pin of the diode by bending it over carefully to touch the neg-pin.
3.) Solder the Flex-drive directly to the diode pins, and add a spring to the "+"=terminal for the battery-connection, you are almost done now.
4.) Slide this little package into the heat-sink, tighten the set-screws, the "module is now complete!
5.) Slide the whole module into the Dorcy-head, screw the head onto the body, install battery and you are up and running.
These are very easy to access the driver/diode as well, easy to take apart and reassemble. I built my first 2-lasers in under a 1/2-hour, total It actually has taken me longer to make this post than to build one of these, (not counting harvesting the diode). Only 3-solder connections!
The web-site is being updated as we speak, and purchases are available now. The pictures are renderings from the CAD-design, the actual heat-sinks are anodized-black, with "bare-spots" on the inside and at the battery-end for the ground-connection.
DH

Dark_Horse said:

A shameless-plug here:
Due to popular request, my new heat-sinks for the Dorcy Jr are here, both the original-style and the new "Flex-drive compatible" version, both anodized in black.
http://mysite.verizon.net/grall/darkhorsecustom/id47.html
How to use:
1.) They require removing all of the "guts" from the original-host, (use a deep-style socket for this, from the battery-side, just slide in and push, the "pill" should pop right out the end of the body).
2.) Connect the "case-pin" to the neg-pin of the diode by bending it over carefully to touch the neg-pin.
3.) Solder the Flex-drive directly to the diode pins, and add a spring to the "+"=terminal for the battery-connection, you are almost done now.
4.) Slide this little package into the heat-sink, tighten the set-screws, the "module is now complete!
5.) Slide the whole module into the Dorcy-head, screw the head onto the body, install battery and you are up and running.
These are very easy to access the driver/diode as well, easy to take apart and reassemble. I built my first 2-lasers in under a 1/2-hour, total It actually has taken me longer to make this post than to build one of these, (not counting harvesting the diode). Only 3-solder connections!
The web-site is being updated as we speak, and purchases are available now. The pictures are renderings from the CAD-design, the actual heat-sinks are anodized-black, with "bare-spots" on the inside and at the battery-end for the ground-connection.
DH

Click to expand...

thanks for these instructions, i like how you used the heat sink full body as the neg , where did you get your spring for the positive battery connection though?

i'm just curious, i had discarded the guts (LED and stuff) from an old dorcy jr i had and am trying to use that dorcy body to build a laser with. I'm going to try and bend up one of the Aixiz springs to fit in the small positive battery connection hole on the dorcy body. i hope i can get it to work. i guess normally you would use the spring form the dorcy LED guts huh?

edit: also, so you don't connect the battery negative of the flexdrive??

and how do u connect the flexdrive directly to the diode? seems like the pins arent long enough to bend over to put into the holes of the flexdrive??

thanks,
Kendall

sk8er4514 said:

[
i'm just curious, i had discarded the guts (LED and stuff) from an old dorcy jr i had and am trying to use that dorcy body to build a laser with. I'm going to try and bend up one of the Aixiz springs to fit in the small positive battery connection hole on the dorcy body. i hope i can get it to work. i guess normally you would use the spring form the dorcy LED guts huh?

edit: also, so you don't connect the battery negative of the flexdrive??

and how do u connect the flexdrive directly to the diode? seems like the pins arent long enough to bend over to put into the holes of the flexdrive??

thanks,
Kendall

Click to expand...

Kendall,
I used a spring  from a box of "misc-springs" I bought from the Ace-Value hardware store in my town. But I have had some trouble getting the solder to stick well with some of these springs, that was always a problem with soldering springs when I built tiny-robots as well. I have still yet to find a really good anode-contact spring supplier, although you can harvest plenty from old electronics around the house. You could likley also use the spring from the Dorcy as you suggested.
If you connect the "case-pin" to the "-" pin, then you do not have to run a wire to the "-"hole of the battery-side of the Lava Drive, as long as there is ground contact from the body, through to the diode/module. I do use this hole when I have the module out of the head for trouble-shooting or adjusting current. I use a 14500 in a AA-battery holder from Radio Shack to test the module, positive-wire hooked on the "+"spring, negitive-wire hooked through the little "-" hole, very handy
To attach the diode to the Flex-Drive, I first place a tiny amount of flux onto the little holes on the diode-side of the driver, I then fill the holes with solder, so I have little "pads" where there was holes, not too much. Next, while holding the module in a clamp, I hold the diode in place, with the case-pin already bent over touching the "-" pin, a little more flux, and quickly touch the iron-tip to the diode-pin sitting on the little solder-pad, repeat for the other side. Solder the spring into the positive-hole on the other side of the driver and you can unplug the iron, you are done with it You can add some strength to this joint with a couple of blobs of hot-glue, but do not get carried away, you may need to access things later.
DH

Dark_Horse said:

A shameless-plug here:
Due to popular request, my new heat-sinks for the Dorcy Jr are here, both the original-style and the new "Flex-drive compatible" version, both anodized in black.
http://mysite.verizon.net/grall/darkhorsecustom/id47.html
How to use:
1.) They require removing all of the "guts" from the original-host, (use a deep-style socket for this, from the battery-side, just slide in and push, the "pill" should pop right out the end of the body).
2.) Connect the "case-pin" to the neg-pin of the diode by bending it over carefully to touch the neg-pin.
3.) Solder the Flex-drive directly to the diode pins, and add a spring to the "+"=terminal for the battery-connection, you are almost done now.
4.) Slide this little package into the heat-sink, tighten the set-screws, the "module is now complete!
5.) Slide the whole module into the Dorcy-head, screw the head onto the body, install battery and you are up and running.
These are very easy to access the driver/diode as well, easy to take apart and reassemble. I built my first 2-lasers in under a 1/2-hour, total It actually has taken me longer to make this post than to build one of these, (not counting harvesting the diode). Only 3-solder connections!
The web-site is being updated as we speak, and purchases are available now. The pictures are renderings from the CAD-design, the actual heat-sinks are anodized-black, with "bare-spots" on the inside and at the battery-end for the ground-connection.
DH

Click to expand...

Wow...
You are amazing.

DrLava made these examples for his flexdrives. I think this helps explain Dark Horse's full body design (would use last picture above), so I'm putting it here too

so we use the bottom one for dorcy builds?

robjdixon said:

so we use the bottom one for dorcy builds?

Click to expand...

if you use Dark Horse's full body heat sink for the Dorcy build, yes.

dude how much that will cost me and how to pay it and how long it will ship to Bulgaria

SeNNHeISeR said:

dude how much that will cost me and how to pay it and how long it will ship to Bulgaria

Click to expand...

I just referred another customer to Sk8ter, so I don't feel too guilty about this

Have you looked into the lasers built by IgorT?

http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1210968450/0#0

He is in Slovenia. Shipping would be much less of a problem for you.

Peace,
dave

daguin said:

[quote author=SeNNHeISeR link=1214285108/120#124 date=1224593188]dude how much that will cost me and how to pay it and how long it will ship to Bulgaria

Click to expand...

I just referred another customer to Sk8ter, so I don't feel too guilty about this

Have you looked into the lasers built by IgorT?

http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1210968450/0#0

He is in Slovenia.  Shipping would be much less of a problem for you.

Peace,
dave
[/quote]
Thanks for the referral Dave

and yeah, IgorT has some crazy nice blu ray's at a fair price.

-Kendall

edit:

congrats Dave! haha

I need help taking the glass lens off my dorcy Jr could someone PM me if they know the way.
Thanyou