Yea I forgot to resize. Fixed.

Interesting. Do you think you could do a duration test with all the batteries? Say, 5-30 minutes of continuous run to see which holds up the best?

Have not had any time latley with my work schedual but will try to get some runtimes on the different batteries next week.

My eyes hurt just from looking at the pictures. Warn us to put on our safety goggles!

Due to the WL mess, I'd like this to be my first build attempt. Well, I really don't WANT to build one, I'd rather give someone money for one. However, I'm going to study this thread and contact the key players to buy the pieces...

Haven't soldered in over a decade, but I still have all my fingers!

The way Jay get's you set up it is really very simple. Check my sig for the "how to put together a Jayrob hot kit" link if you would like some reference.

Doing it yourself is definitely the way to go. Good Luck.

The hot kit seems like a step in the right direction for me. I basically want to build precisely what you have. I don't have a vise though, but it seems to me the hot kit prevents the step requiring the vise...

Just bought the A130 445nm diode from modwerx. I hope that's what I need. If not, I got one for sale..... Now whenever Jayrob wanders out of the woods, I can buy the rest of the kit.

BTW: What else did you use that did NOT come from Jay?

Thanks to this forum we see more and more incredible builds

With Jay's hot kit you would still need to press a diode.

I have had success pressing a diode without a vice. I have a diode press tool from flaminpryo LINK that I can use a large pair of pliers to press the diode.








You will need an Aixiz module that you can get from Jay and the other soldering related items shown in my mini-tut LINK.



Hope this helps.

Definitely does. I'm an overthinker-in-advance, so my quest to conceptualize 100% of the process before the first part arrives will inevitably drive me nuts.

BTW: What about an IR filter? How much of your 1.6W do you suppose is IR?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's only a concern in a diode that uses an IR pump (DPSS) I believe, and you don't have to worry about that with a 445nm diode.

No correction needed.

Thanks for the fast feedback. I wish there was an LPF for every topic I'm interested in--learning this fast in a Non-Smack-Down environment is very nice.

Thank you!

Hey BobFarmer,

I know you mentioned goggles in your first post but you need some. Not just need some but NEED some!!!!

It seems that this may be your first laser build, or am I getting that wrong? I don't want to get off-topic but I would have to say I would not recommend a 445nm at high power for a first attempt. However, I don't want to put you off lasers or preach so here's what I would suggest as a potential path to getting the most out of the hobby -

First build should be a nice red in my opinion! 100mW or a little more. These are cheap to protect yourself from, not so delicate, easy to build, no heat issues, no lens issues, cheap to drive... Etc.

Then an LOC. Still a red, bit more powerful, more heat issues, starting to think about lenses, and how to wield them safely... Etc.

Then on to a bluray like a PHR. Different goggles, bit more delicate due to ESD, different running characteristics, heat but not much, different AR coatings...

By this time you'll start thinking about hosts that compliment your builds...

Get a good greenie in between times...

Higher power Bluray...

445!

You may have ordered the Arctic, or at least been interested, but if you're going to build one I'd suggest you keep the power low, like 200mW low. This burns quite well but is not going to set fire to stuff! You can always up the power later and in this way you can appreciate an ever improving laser instead of being spoiled by a whole Watt of output that could kill any interest in those below it. I think that would be a shame and you'd be missing out. Not everyone is the same as me though, (thankfully! It takes all sorts!), just an opinion.

Sorry DTR for a little threadjack there but I didn't want someone to miss out on the rest of the hobby for the sake of one monster laser.

Please crack on...

M

Morgan--

Your post is dead on, thank you. Regarding goggles, I wouldn't think of touching it without them. I now have 2 sets that cover 445nm, and am constantly looking for the highest OD I can find. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

The thing that's caused me to want to build the 445 isn't so much out of desire to build, but of necessity. I'm already spoiled by the Opto-450 RPL Jack sent me, it peaks at 622mW and cuts like, well, a laser beam. I grew up around firearms and have been using them since I was 5, and I studied physics at university, so I have respect for what these high-end units can do. I did order the Arctic, and I not only don't want to wait X months for it to show up, but I really don't want to deal with the coin-flip likelihood of disappointment when it arrives. At least if I do this build and it sucks, I'll have myself to blame.

On topic:
I think based on your post a good compromise is in order for me, as well as any similar DIY newbies. To satisfy myself, I'll gather up all the parts for the 445 build that this thread is focused on. However, I'll also gather up the parts for 1-2 other builds, and build those first. That way I can use the "easy" builds to learn, and then look at the parts for this build and see how they'll play together.

So now I'm shopping for the parts for a good 100mW red and a 150-200mW 405.

I'm glad you took that the right way BobFarmer. I tried to say it in a, "Non-Smack-Down", way to quote your good self.

Good compromise and you clearly have a lot more knowledge than I appeared to give credit for, (I hadn't seen your sig for owned lasers. Ooops!). It was also a general call for sense and pace working up to the building of a Class IV power laser.

Thanks again,

*On topic, I still want to know the current! Isn't there a way to determine this from:

driver effieciency, battery current draw, battery voltage and voltage across the diode?

Can any of the electronics geniuses comment here?

M