My first diy 445nm laser.

I have safety googles for 445nm!
So i decided to built myself a medium powered laser for a start up just in case i blow it up, i wont lost too much money and i sourced the diode from hakzaw1 , host from sinner, driver and module from ebay. Driver is a circular shape so no other board required. switch preinstall so i attach a spring only. Wires from school.
Sinner had a ms v3 26650 in hibernation mode in his drawer so i gotten one from him. It has plenty of dents and scratches..
I have limited budget for this since i moved from flashlight to laser! Plus I cant afford a lathe/mill since it cost around 4k for a new small bench type. Plus i couldnt find a used vintage lathe! so no making a host on my own! Click pic for bigger image. I no money to afford an lpm now, unless some kind soul out here want to donate yours to me! Current set by the test load. Diode = a130, current approx 850ma! 3 element coated glass lens

Pic of the original host












I dont have a buffing machine so i had to improvise. I dont live in the US and there are very little hardware shop around here, even if it have it will be very expensive. I didnt want to spend money on one too. So i attached the parts to the drill bits some is used hot glue and the host i used the set screw to secure. It is quite dangerous as the parts might go flying straight to the eyes or face if it slip or break off(safety goggle used!). But well it didnt happen only thing was that the keyless chuck came loose once and the bits together with the host dropped on the ground host when i was taking the drill back to my room from the toilet, dented and resand.... :yabbem:

Well, my trusty dewalt dcd950 proudly imported from the US! Pardon me for sitting on the floor doing all the work. I like working on the floor since it has a bigger surface than my work table! Plus i have ceramic tiles so it it is harder to scratch then my wooden table! Vacing and mopping up the mess is fast!

To polish to slight mirror shine because i like the sanded lines. It look quite style imho. i used a 80grit and 150 grit for sanding away the dents originally on the host and the design of the host. It was hard work. Then i used 600,1200,2500 to sand out the marks. All are wet sanded. I found using the drill and gripping the sand paper with the host attached to the drill and flooded in a pail while powering up turn out nicer. Pics dont show up the tiny brushed look design while looking polished shine I not sure if you can understand it is like a light brushed metal with a glossy transparent paint on top so i look like mirror shine at a point while brushed metal at another angle!



















The tailcap is together with the host. sorry for got to take a pic and halfway sanding then i noticed.

I borrowed the white polish compound and the polishing is done by toilet roll!! it gave amazing result even though it tend to tear very fast. But it is cheap enough to replace. I just fold a sheet of toilet paper to a square and apply medium pressure rubbing at the compound :wave:




I am sure you all seen host building default with driver and attaching of diode pics and should be getting bored since there are nothing different, Im going to skip as it is just solder and put it to the heatsink. I added artic mx4 between the module and heatsink.

So final pic!







melt hot glue into the switch to keep it in place! I squeeze hot glue for the glue gun to the side and then heat up the tail cap with butane torch till around 60-70deg so the glue will melt and sit nicely!



Plain and simple. I like!

Beamshot
Distance is around 300m. Sorry singapore is all high rise building everywhere!


Afternoon shot












All pics taken with samsung note 2. Lousy night image!

I have a question, does this means multi mode? Taken without lens


Help needed !
The only thing i have not attach is the tail cap. I cant figure out a way to keep the tail cap flat at the end so i can tail stand the light! Because of this i have not glue it in yet! any pro can think and suggest to me?? I have thought about it the whole night couldnt figure it. I cant drill into the button as it will be too deep and prevent the switch from turning on. I cant cut the switch head as it will still prevent me from turning on. so how?

I think i solved i cant believe i didnt thought of it. I will raise the switch higher up inside so it will be shorter coming out from the end. BUT because i had hot glue it tricky to remove, lucky me i didnt epoxy haha! PLUS i have term test next week. I will reupdate after it ends! But still keep the idea flowing, in case it doesnt work if there is no space in there! Thanks to sinner for breaking my "traffic" jam mind after all the studying for the tests. Just a simple sand down will do =.=


LOOKING for a new plain and simple custom host for a build this summer holiday!. I am now ready to go for a +2w build! Must have big heatsink yummy! Hope it wont be so expensive i still have limited budget

Its cool to see what people come up with without the normal tools to accomplish things. Very nice build. Where are the beamshots at!?!?

beamshot coming, it is 2:15 pm here so sky is real bright. Need to wait till dark!

^^^ I am too embarrased to post ANYTHING about my first build'
You did good buddy-- no shortage of pics- should inspire a few first timers.
AND no matter how many more you make this one is your 'first'.. ..

+3 for you..

I bought a handmade laser host and had the chance to re-unite laser and maker - i was told it was a Mr.Willing host so when i got the chance to meet Austin I took it out as a surprize- I had no idea its was a special laser--And, to him, it was like seeing a child that had been long lost. The look on his face was priceless. He only made one like this and it was his first (and last) he said the hours spent were way too many and he barely got back his cash outlay- I had to take it with me to SELEM but if it had not been stolen I would have just given it back to Austin..

good first review too ............hak

Thanks hak, it's a first build for 445nm, but in total it would consider a 2nd build for laser, given that i built a 405nm at around 100mw years back before it die early due to heat. I used it in a "smiling shark" aaa host i found on ebay! nice small host but duty cycle is bad due to heatsink just only slight larger than the module. Heatsink press fit! Even though it is useless now, i still kept the host for memories. It's really like the first child! I didnt take pics for the old host last time so sorry no built pics.






http://www.ebay.com/itm/190Lm-SMILI...6403069?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item4abf42c17d

knock knock, guys, need a reply so i dont fried my second diode! Im curious what could have happen.