any cheap 1W 445 lasers?

[ldrago125]

Does anyone have any info on cheap 1W lasers(that runs)? My other 1W didn't even run for 10 seconds before distorting

https://imgur.com/a/Wp2NT

Thanks.

 

[diachi]

Define cheap?

 

[ldrago125]

Less than 55$

 

[GSS]

That's most likey due to it having a plastic lens.
A bit to late but Idrago when you buy the cheaper units like this Gattling gun or Thor's make sure it has a glass lens..

 

[RA_pierce]

Less than 55$

So you want a piece of crap.
Good luck.
Your best bet is probably finding one here in the Buy, Sell, Trade section.
People here will sell off things they no longer want and you can get a good deal with more assurance of quality than you get by ordering garbage from eBay.

I should add that this forum was created as a DIY community and so there are many years of information and experience collected here as well as many skilled craftsmen with services and products to offer.
Why not try building something on your own? It can be done for just a little cash, with a few inexpensive tools, and you get a personalized result plus bragging rights.

 

[GSS]

^^^^This^^^^
These cheapie's have cheap drivers and most likely used diodes. At $55 now your not far from something way better and try to save just a few more dollars before buying cheap again and the continued loop of issue's..
https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/home/diodes/445nm-h1650-diodes
is a complete ready to go copper module with a new diode and top notch driver that you can connect the 2 wires in something like a plug an play ready to 501B host that someone like member "Lifetime17" can build at a very affordable price
Also has the potential of 1.5W to 2W if you want..Plus the bragging rights just like RA-P said

 

[paul1598419]

Idrago125, these gattling lasers and others in the $55 price range are just crap. If you took GSS's recommendation and bought you diode and driver from DTR's site, you could drop it into a host like the 501B and have a 1 watt laser you could count on lasting for several years without issues. Unfortunately this is not a poor man's hobby. You really do get what you pay for.

 

[10fenny]

Yea I never understood why someone would want a cheap laser! Good luck

 

[ldrago125]

So you want a piece of crap.
Good luck.
Your best bet is probably finding one here in the Buy, Sell, Trade section.
People here will sell off things they no longer want and you can get a good deal with more assurance of quality than you get by ordering garbage from eBay.

I should add that this forum was created as a DIY community and so there are many years of information and experience collected here as well as many skilled craftsmen with services and products to offer.
Why not try building something on your own? It can be done for just a little cash, with a few inexpensive tools, and you get a personalized result plus bragging rights.

I should actually try and build my own. Problem is I'm worried about ruining something..

 

[diachi]

Problem is I'm worried about ruining something..

All part of learning! :beer:

 

[paul1598419]

That's right. Start out building with cheaper diodes and buy nickel plated modules on eBay. Get a driver that is known to work with what you are building. If you mess it up somehow, you won't be out much money and the experience will have been well worth it.

 

[Encap]

If you don't feel like building one, a low cost option is just buy a glass replacement lens for the Gatling laser.

One member on LPF did a review of the Thor M2 w. glass lens recently and it is not bad for $64 see: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Thor-M-2-Laser-Pointer-Pen-450nm-with-16340-Battery-Set-1mw/253033061740?hash=item3ae9f21d6c:g:UOAAAOSwbiFZS4ay

LPF review is here: https://laserpointerforums.com/f52/review-thor-m2-ebay-102309.html

If you want a really excellent high quality laser JetLasers has PL-E Pro and PL-E Mini 1.6W at lower prices now --either one for $169 these days. see: https://www.jetlasers.org/37-blue-lasers

 

[paul1598419]

That Thor M2 with glass lens for $64.00 is not a bad deal. I believe the output is round 1500 mW with two 16340 batteries. I think it comes with some gratings too.

 

[10fenny]

If your afraid of building I recomend playing with some lpc 826 red dIodes! Hard to kill with decent power!!! They are my go to generic guys. This combined with an aixiz linear driver and you got a bright red beam for super cheap... check my Nintendo build in my signature! My first laser.

 

[paul1598419]

Yeah, that's a case negative diode, so no problems with drivers. The 826 is dirt cheap too. Even the LPC-840s aren't that much. I think Pman used to use the driver off Fasttech 532nm modules to drive them as the modules were about $5.00 or so. I think he had to isolate the diodes though, because the drivers are for case positive 808nm diodes.

 

[10fenny]

Depends on the build Paul! Not every host is conductive