I honestly hate building lasers.

[Marco Polo]

Seriously, the WORST part of any laser build is THE BUILD. My hands shake constantly; my solder joints will not stick; I can't see the parts. Every single time I try to build one, even if it succeeds, is nothing but 150% stress and without fail I end up with a splitting headache every single time.

It's just a C6. Anyone want to build this stupid thing for me? I am to the point of just having qualified members do all my builds; I am interested in photography and whatnot; I am not interested in building at ALL, not in the slightest.

Bleh. Frustrated at the moment.

 

[vortish]

try using flux when doing your solder joints it helps a lot. Get a pair of helping hands with a magnifier on it, that will help as well

 

[Pi R Squared]

I have the same problems except no problem soldering, it takes practice to get good at it. I have serious medical problems and can't see well and my hands shake much of the time too, my heart rate goes as high as 114 and my hands really start shaking as well as some other symptoms. I use a helping hands with a lighted magnifier so I can see well. I have a larger expensive magnifier lamp but I don't use it much. It seem like it's more in the way than the small one. I also drink a couple of glasses of wine first, this relaxes me and takes away my symptoms. Try it maybe your hands wont shake, unless your hands shake from too much caffeine, then don't drink at the same time. If you really can't or don't want to build your own lasers I am sure plenty of people here are willing to help, I would offer but I live in a remote area with no mail delivery and only check my mail or mail something usually every two weeks.

Alan

 

[vortish]

Pi R Squared! my hands shake to. There is a medical condition I forget what my doctor called it but many have it. It small tremors that show up as a shake! nothing to worry about its just there. As for drinking alcohol to calm it down what ever works is fine but I suggest yoga, or just plain meditation. I sit quite for a little bit think of nothing and it helps for me

 

[Shadowsix]

try using flux when doing your solder joints it helps a lot. Get a pair of helping hands with a magnifier on it, that will help as well

Exactly what I would've suggested!

And good advice too Pi R Squared!

As a young man I could solder with ease & precision but after 50 I have the shaking hands problem too so I have a couple of helping hands fixtures w/mag glass to use depending of what I need to setup.

It helps a lot & I still love building!

 

[Marco Polo]

I have a set of "monkey arms" / helping hands. Perhaps I'm not using them effectively.

While out driving today I was thinking about the soldering of wires problem. It would help a lot if I could splice the ends together before soldering, but due to space constraints the splice must be small, and in fact it is too small to grip with my fingers.

Then I remembered that I have a set of "locking tweezers". If I lock the tweezers onto the exposed wire ends, I should be able to grab the exposed ends with another tool and twist them together that way. I'm at work right now, but I will try that when I get home.

I really need to measure and record the exact wire lead length that makes assembling these things as easy as possible. That would go a long way towards making the process less annoying, I think. Or, well, hope.

 

[crazyspaz]

Whaa? Building is the best part! Don't give up too quick.
A few things that help tremendously:
1) a nice, temperature adjustable soldering station
2) flux
3) gloriously flexible silicone wire (flaminpyro sells great stuff, or you can get some off ebay and wait a few weeks for the slow boat from china)

 

[vortish]

Polo please dont give up on the building. I to have issues with building but its the challenge that I love. I have a undiagnosed medical issue which makes it hard for me to do some things any more! and I have let it make me really depressed! You can not let it get to you my friend! If not for some friends I would not have any thing to work on right now. We are struggling financially because me being out of work! Wife has done her best to keep us above water. With some donations from this community it has helped a great deal. It also donations of material for me to build some what I have and I am most grateful for that!

Just keep at it. it will come in time

 

[Pi R Squared]

I have a set of "monkey arms" / helping hands. Perhaps I'm not using them effectively.

While out driving today I was thinking about the soldering of wires problem. It would help a lot if I could splice the ends together before soldering, but due to space constraints the splice must be small, and in fact it is too small to grip with my fingers.

Then I remembered that I have a set of "locking tweezers". If I lock the tweezers onto the exposed wire ends, I should be able to grab the exposed ends with another tool and twist them together that way. I'm at work right now, but I will try that when I get home.

I really need to measure and record the exact wire lead length that makes assembling these things as easy as possible. That would go a long way towards making the process less annoying, I think. Or, well, hope.

That's not the way to solder wires together. Pre-tin your wires first with solder and then touch the wires together, I usually use the helping hands and get them positioned just right and then touch the iron to them and your done, don't forget to slide some heat shrink on before soldering, after soldering slide the heat shrink over it and brush lightly a couple of times with the iron. With a little practice it will work every time.

As for wire length if your building with a C6 there is little room so I always recommend using a drilled pill, lots more room for wire.

Alan

 

[Pman]

For more room you can always cut down the heat sink a bit or for lots of room and a different look you can buy (2) C6 and use the second large front piece and even add a second heat sink and still have enough space for the wires.
I just so happened to post this thread a few weeks ago.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f72/c6-option-pics-92141.html

If this is just a DTR ready module I will put it together for you if you need help. The standard heat sinks for these units are just a bit too long and make it a pain to fit everything tight without pinching or shorting a wire.

 

[Alaskan]

Fortunately my hands don't shake but I can't see like I used to and use a zoom scope for soldering now, it really helps.

 

[BodhiSci]

OP,

I'm kinda new to lasers but have been soldering a long time without instruction. Recently I've paid more attention to my technique.

This may not apply, if not let it fly. I have to tell you that there is a HUGE difference in soldering with cheap irons and quality ones. It is really much more satisfying and easier. I can't overstate this for me personally (I was using a 99cent store one and other under $20 in the past).

I just upgraded to a Hakko temperature controlled model for $93 off Amazon (some cutters were included, only one seller does that though).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWUFVY8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It could last the rest of your life, has true ESD unlike cheaper ones that just say that, the tips are fantastic to work with compared to crap irons.

It won't keep you warm at night, but it made things much easier and dialing the right temp makes it melt really nice! My joints are way better too!


Alan, Vortish, and ShadowSix:

I share your affliction. I don't know about you but I've had it to some degree my whole life. though it becomes more pronounced with age for sure and you notice it more also.

It is usually called essential tremor, you may have something else but this usually refers to tremor without another known cause.

There are a lot of medication that can help, I've spent a lot of time researching it and have tried a number of options. If you want I can share that info with you. (Maybe I'll start a thread about it if there is enough interest.)

I have the same problems except no problem soldering, it takes practice to get good at it. I have serious medical problems and can't see well and my hands shake much of the time too, my heart rate goes as high as 114 and my hands really start shaking as well as some other symptoms. I use a helping hands with a lighted magnifier so I can see well. I have a larger expensive magnifier lamp but I don't use it much. It seem like it's more in the way than the small one. I also drink a couple of glasses of wine first, this relaxes me and takes away my symptoms. Try it maybe your hands wont shake, unless your hands shake from too much caffeine, then don't drink at the same time. If you really can't or don't want to build your own lasers I am sure plenty of people here are willing to help, I would offer but I live in a remote area with no mail delivery and only check my mail or mail something usually every two weeks.

Alan

Pi R Squared! my hands shake to. There is a medical condition I forget what my doctor called it but many have it. It small tremors that show up as a shake! nothing to worry about its just there. As for drinking alcohol to calm it down what ever works is fine but I suggest yoga, or just plain meditation. I sit quite for a little bit think of nothing and it helps for me

 

[vortish]

I have had it for a long time. as i have gotten older it has become more pronounced! But some of that may be a side issue that is associated with medical issue I had in may. To much to type but look in other and for medical condition update thread! and the associated thread! any way that is what my doc called it thanjks

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

I feel your pain. I'm still so traumatized
from a failed MS-Envy build that I don't
want to even touch the things. Every time
I touch something beyond just a simple
battery change, something inevitably goes
horribly wrong.

 

[Marco Polo]

No, it is NOT.

Two days. Two days I've been trying to make this work. Couldn't do the C6 because survival lasers' battery contact board is a piece of shit. Do NOT buy these contact boards!

Couldn't install it in the custom Ehgemus host because somehow the host's power wire has lost its electrical connection inside the host. No bloody idea how. It was working last night; I know it was working because I was testing a laser with it. Went to install it today and nothing. It's the wire, laser is fine. Maybe it got yanked but I don't know how. All I know is that it's not fixable by me.

This build attempt has now ruined TWO days. Fuck this.

I don't enjoy electronics work. I enjoy absolutely nothing about assembling these in the slightest. It sucks. It isn't fun. I enjoy using the lasers; I enjoy taking pictures of them. I do not enjoy building them and it's to the point where I'm just less and less willing to bother.

Too expensive anyway so maybe for the best.

Whaa? Building is the best part! Don't give up too quick.
A few things that help tremendously:
1) a nice, temperature adjustable soldering station
2) flux
3) gloriously flexible silicone wire (flaminpyro sells great stuff, or you can get some off ebay and wait a few weeks for the slow boat from china)

 

[Livinloud]

Im with you man. I dont enjoy building them either. I was going to build one of my Grooves and then said screw it, sent the host to dave and had all the parts sent to him to build it. Id rather pay someone to do the crappy work of the actual build.

Its not that I dont know how or cant do it, I just dont enjoy the build process anymore. Same with flashlights. I can eaisly build one but I choose not to anymore. There are things I enjoy doing more then a small tedious build lol