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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Bens first TWO portable builds!

vk2fro

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Ok the ugly duckling wasnt really a portable - although it could be taken anywhere, it is (or errr was) a big black box, ugly as sin, and not really able to be stuffed into a pocket!

I've since removed the guts of it, shorted the diode leads and put it aside.

I've ordered 2 more diodes from Dave, one to replace the 405 in my posiedon, and one for the second portable.

I've ordered 2 TR-801 kits from Mohrenberg

and a flexdrive from DrLava. (I ran out of cash as I still need enough to buy food and supplies, and mail Gary his argon!).

In the coming weeks these items will start arriving. I already have 18650's coming out of my ears for my "son of sun" flashlight, so batteries are available for these builds.

I've requested dr lava to set the current on the flex drive to one amp. This should be PLENTY of power for a portable, and result in a nice battery runtime.

I dont really want a portable for burning, but a green laser sux for pointing out constellations, but the cool blue/voilet of the 445's doesnt destroy night vision. To get the same brightness as a green, they need to be pretty powerful. Fun bit will be, it can still burn, so if I want to have fun burning stuff (for when my child in me wants to play) I still can.

My new ESD safe soldering station has arrived, along with my 5 ampere current limited variable power supply. So I look forward to putting together the lasers. These will be my first ever portable kits, as every other laser I have built has been a lab style.

These will be great for out in the bush pointing at the southern cross and other constellations, without ruining everyones night vision. One is being built for a friend (who incidentally has already had a saftey breifing from me, and now has a set of glasses) and one is for me :)

I'm going to call them the "Sabre Star Pointer" :)

edit: ok bits have arrived :)

5392299478_4a4462bb63_z.jpg

Top to bottom: Belt holster, thermal adheasive, host (TR801), Laser in aixiz module, flexdrive, a 4gb memory stick for size comparison, flamin pyro wire lead.

My god that flexdrive is small - I'm glad I have my helping hands and 4x magnifier.

Off to assemble - this should be fun :)

Stopped by lack of thermal epoxy (the stuff supplied had dried out during shipping), all I need to do is shorten the leads to the battery connector on the pill, epoxy the flexdrive to it (the pill, not the battery pcb), and shorten the flamin pyros to the diode, and connect the diode.
5391827487_5e88f7f6b8_z.jpg


Note you can see the second kit sitting in the background of the first picture, its awaiting a flexdrive prior to assembly.

can I say again.... MY GOD those flexdrives are tiny!
 
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TTerbo

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Ewww portable thats not like you!
(jk^^)
im getting out of portables now, building projector, ordering HeNe next week
all is good :D
keep us updates
 

vk2fro

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I know, but something just attracts me to having one watt of laser light available anywhere.

Projectors will still be (and always will be) my main interest in lasers :)

I should be able to document the build with nicer photos as my friend came back from spain with my DSLR still in one piece :)

edit: Diodes have arrived - one for my projector build, and the other for one of the portables.

The ugly duckling labby will be giving its driver and keyswitch to the projector, and its diode to a portable :)
 
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vk2fro

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update - first portable is almost assembled - stopped in my tracks by dried out thermal epoxy :p
 

vk2fro

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Finished!!!!

5392489340_c39bb2be76_z.jpg

obligatory close up beam shot. The beam futzes out the camera and looks weird

5392488774_101da1ffe6_z.jpg

Across the room beam shot.

I might do a video later of the unit roasting that crappy piece of neoprene that appears to be my benchmark test target :)

Right now, its time to put new laser away, and go have a beer to celebrate my success... yet I have another to build (but need a second flexdrive, and might use a 445-g2 lens on this second build.)

I got around the thermal epoxy problem by using regular heatsink paste, and pressing the driver against the pill with a high temperature bit of silicone rubber. It was a tight fit to get the battery spring back onto the pill!
 
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TTerbo

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very nice.
so when are you going to take it apart and turn it into a labby :whistle:
 




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