3-5W Blue Laser Pointer

[Crusher21]

Hello,
So I'm just starting to get into lasers and I'm looking to purchase a 3-5W 445nm laser pointer that is capable of burning. I recently purchased this item from ebay and it works great but I'm looking for a more powerful one. Where is a reputable place to purchase one?
Here is the ebay link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Alumin...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

One other question: I decided to take apart the laser I bought on ebay and I believe I accidentally scratched the glass on the diode (seen in the first picture below). I was thinking I could just purchase another diode and put it inside but the diodes I see online look like they only come with the chip (I'm sorry if I'm using the wrong terminology), they don't come with the metal enclosure. Where can I find that?
Thank you!

 

[paul1598419]

The diode is pressed into the other side of the brass enclosure at the front of the module. It is likely an M140 5.6mm diode and can be had for under $20.00 at several sites. What makes you think you scratched it? Does it effect the beam in any way? If not, forget about it and use it until the diode either fails or not. I don't know why you would feel the need to dissemble it if it was working, especially since you don't seem to know how to do it without damage to the module.

 

[Encap]

You never made a Welcome post--please make one if you expect much in the way of help on LPF

"So I'm just starting to get into lasers and I'm looking to purchase a 3-5W 445nm laser pointer", "Where is a reputable place to purchase one?" in your thread "Building my first laser" you posted the same comment in March of 2016?
You have not been able any place to buy a good quality laser in 1 year and 7 months? Does not make sense.

You can use LPF Search ar rhe bottom of the page to search reputable companies that sell lasers or look in the Companies sub-forum and see the Stick thread https://laserpointerforums.com/f41/guide-company-should-i-buy-97936.html

How do you imagine you scratched the window on the diode--is not easy to do?

You will probably have problems or ruining what you have if you don't know what you are doing --- will end up costing more than $60 for a new one by the tine you take the module out and remove the diode and press fit a new one in and reassemble it.

Just buy a new one or a better one. Use the one you have as is unless you are set on taking further apartand want work the brass piece out of the Al piece, unsolder the wires to the diode and see if you can press the diode out and install a new one

 

[Crusher21]

I see. The photo below is as focused as I can make the beam, which leads me to believe that I did something to the glass.
@Encap I'm very sorry! I will make a welcome post. Yes back in 2016 I was also very into lasers but college really kicked up and I was afraid I would mess up my vision by not taking the proper precautions so I decided to not follow through with it.
I already bought a new one from the same seller but I figured I would see if I could fix the bad laser. I would be a great learning experience and I would learn a lot about the internals of a laser.

 

[diachi]

What lens do you have on there? Are you sure you didn't damage that? Acrylic lenses tend to get damaged on these high powered blues.

Take a look at the lens and diode's window under a jewelers loup or magnifying glass (make sure you have power disconnected of course) and let us know if you see any contamination or damage. If you could post a macro shot of both that'd be good, but not everyone has access to a camera that can take good macro shots.

:beer:

 

[Crusher21]

Firstly I apologize for all the images. I'm not sure about any of the specifications of the laser except that it was advertised as a 1.2W 445nm burning laser. A little off topic but I see people advertising 5mw lasers as burning lasers. Are such low-powered lasers really capable of burning anything?
Back on top: I suspect that I may have damaged the acrylic lens. I believe the lens is held inside this:

Here is a close up of the acrylic lens:

Unfortunately I don't have a magnifying glass or jewelers loup but I was able to get a pretty clear picture from my smartphone, although I couldn't for the life of me get a good picture of the diode's window (I assume it's the circular glass surrounded by the brass). However, I did see something that looked a little unusual and I was able to pick it up with my camera, as seen below.

 

[Encap]

I see. The photo below is as focused as I can make the beam, which leads me to believe that I did something to the glass.

I already bought a new one from the same seller but I figured I would see if I could fix the bad laser. I would be a great learning experience and I would learn a lot about the internals of a laser.

OK so give fixing it a try.

What lens do you have on there? Are you sure you didn't damage that? Acrylic lenses tend to get damaged on these high powered blues.

:beer:

Ditto

Was about to mention the same thing

 

[Crusher21]

How exactly do I go about fixing it? Do you think it is the diode window or the other lens? If it is the diode window, do i need to buy a new diode? And what about if it is the other lens?

 

[paul1598419]

It looks to me that there maybe something on the outside surface of the lens. I don't know that we can call this an acylic lens just yet. It is true that cheap lasers are more likely to have them, but you could have a multi-element glass lens with some spillage dried on it. You might try some distilled water or 99% isopropanol, or rubbing alcohol with a lint free cloth to clean it with.

 

[diachi]

Firstly I apologize for all the images. I'm not sure about any of the specifications of the laser except that it was advertised as a 1.2W 445nm burning laser. A little off topic but I see people advertising 5mw lasers as burning lasers. Are such low-powered lasers really capable of burning anything?
Back on top: I suspect that I may have damaged the acrylic lens. I believe the lens is held inside this:
Here is a close up of the acrylic lens:
Unfortunately I don't have a magnifying glass or jewelers loup but I was able to get a pretty clear picture from my smartphone, although I couldn't for the life of me get a good picture of the diode's window (I assume it's the circular glass surrounded by the brass). However, I did see something that looked a little unusual and I was able to pick it up with my camera, as seen below.

Good pictures, thanks!

Any chance you could give us a less blurry picture of the LD? Details on that one are a little hard to make out.

How exactly do I go about fixing it? Do you think it is the diode window or the other lens? If it is the diode window, do i need to buy a new diode? And what about if it is the other lens?

If it's the LD window you can either remove the window or the entire silver can around the diode, the former is more risky, the latter requires removing the diode from the module. Once you have the diode removed then you need to very carefully cut/file off the can. Easy to mess up if you've never done it before or don't have the tool to do it (there's a specific tool for can removal).

There are some threads about that process here, see if you can find them using the white search bar at the bottom.

For a diode like this it's not too much of a loss if it ends up dead at least... Would be way easier just to buy a new one though.

It looks to me that there maybe something on the outside surface of the lens. I don't know that we can call this an acylic lens just yet. It is true that cheap lasers are more likely to have them, but you could have a multi-element glass lens with some spillage dried on it. You might try some distilled water or 99% isopropanol, or rubbing alcohol with a lint free cloth to clean it with.

Yup, that lens looks like it has some gunk on it. LD window looks damaged in that picture too, but it's hard to see, too blurry.

Seconded, DI water, or 99% isopropyl alcohol with a lint free cloth or some medical grade sterile cotton swabs should clean it right up if that's the case. If you don't have any 99% isopropyl alcohol you should get some, that stuff is useful for all sorts of stuff other than cleaning optics. Great general purpose household cleaner, great for cleaning your glasses, great for treating cuts, scrapes and zits. :beer:

DO NOT use acetone unless you're sure the optic is glass.

 

[NightExplorer96]

You have got to resize those pictures my friend. I skipped right through them as they take up all my screen!

-Alex

 

[Crusher21]

@paul I will definitely try cleaning the lenses in the morning when I get ahold of some rubbing alcohol or something.
@diachi Yep I tried very hard to get a good picture of the LD window but my smartphone camera was unable to focus in on it. I've got a more professional camera on the charger now so that I can take a better picture of it, hopefully it will be ready within the hour. When I purchase a diode, does it come with the window and all that stuff or is that a different component that I must purchase separately?

 

[diachi]

@paul I will definitely try cleaning the lenses in the morning when I get ahold of some rubbing alcohol or something.
@diachi Yep I tried very hard to get a good picture of the LD window but my smartphone camera was unable to focus in on it. I've got a more professional camera on the charger now so that I can take a better picture of it, hopefully it will be ready within the hour. When I purchase a diode, does it come with the window and all that stuff or is that a different component that I must purchase separately?

Yep, the LD comes in the package with the can and window.

Like this:

 

[Crusher21]

Ah I see. So the large silver enclosure and the computer chip looking thing on the opposite end are different from the diode? What exactly are the proper names of those two components, seen in the picture below?

 

[deadshadow]

from the pictures you posted i clearly see that your diode's window is burned,this can be happend if any kind of junk burns in the window.there are two options to fix that,you buy a new bare diode or you can sent your laser to someone that can decan the diode for you.(after that you need to extra careful with it to not get any junk on the diode)

 

[Crusher21]

So when I was using the laser to burn things, I could put the tip as close as possible to the object I wanted to burn (sometimes I would press it against it) to maximize its strength, steady the laser, and block the bright reflection. Is that a bad idea?