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FrozenGate by Avery

1.497A 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
839
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Hey guys, this is my 3rd 445 build and because I don't have a mind of my own I am following the trend of making a "1.5A 445 build"
I wanted a better heatsink for long runtimes though because this one will be used continuously for several minutes at a time at least.
Spun a few thou off of the module (before pressing in the diode) so the focus ring would sit tight against the heatsink and protect the lens threads in case of "bumps"
I still need to press the module in a little farther but I was planning on pressing the module in until the focus ring sat tight focused to infinity. The problem with that is the laser is at its least average divergence and if someone come across it and turns it on not knowing what it is, there is always the potential for eye damage.
I always defocus my lasers after I use them and usually pull the batteries but I would like this one to sit tight at infinity.
PB200041.jpg


The positive contact is just a circuit board with all of the components removed, the heatsink is machined so this is a pressfit as well.
PB200040.jpg


This is the most measurements that I have ever put into one heatsink and it was more of a layout challenge to see if my drawings could be implemented with no deviations.
The heatsink including focus ring is 2.5" total and it has been bored to accept a 25mm X 16mm diameter pressfit driver heatsink.
PB200039.jpg


I also took my time on the outside of the heatsink and made it fit +/- .01mm to most parts of the host. This maximizes heat transfer but at this point it is a little overkill.
The tight tolerances have made it a little slower to assemble (especially on the hosts imperfectly threaded bits) but again, this was just to make it as close to my drawings as possible.
PB200042.jpg

The flexdrive is set to 1.497V across the resistor(s) of a dummy load and I used thermal adhesive to anchor it to the top of the driver heatsink. The wire is from flaminpyro and I can't thank him enough, this build would not have been possible without it.
Assembled, this laser has only been pressure tested to 5 minutes on but the heatsink only got a few degrees above ambient. You can feel the warmth a bit but the host warms as fast as the sink so it takes a while.
PB200044.jpg

I didn't use a single drop of thermal grease anywhere on this build because I don't like the mess but the pressfit module, driver heatsink, and circuit board were a pain in the butt to get perfect.
It took about 8 hours to machine everything just right and about 15 minutes to wire the electronic components.
*It is a little anticlimactic*
I could make this build (host/heatsink/module/circuit board/aixiz lens+focus ring) for others but like I said, it took about 8 hours the first time so it would be a little spendy even doing duplicates.
At 1.5A this laser easily lights a pre-lit candle (girlfriend's scented candle) in about 8 seconds and a new, unburnt candle in about 20.
Lights white matches as soon as the girlfriend stops laughing and you find the beam with the match head.
Popped a black balloon at 47 feet but it took about 15 seconds because I was moving a bit.
Pisses off the girlfriends' fish when you pass the beam through the far side of the aquarium (Aggressive betta) . ^_^
Just used it for about 10 minutes and I could only feel the bit of extra heat with my upper lip. The narrowest part of the cone had enough heat to notice (5*C above ambient temp?) but it is so quickly dispersed that it shouldn't be a problem.
This is a "WF-501b" Ultrafire host
Hope you enjoy ;)
-Auto
 
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Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

1.5 miliamp will mean your laser and battery will practically last forever even without heat sinking :crackup:

nice build btw
 
Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

yeah, I might go ahead and edit that....
Thanks for the heads up :na:
*edit* FU#% How do you edit a title? :whistle:
 
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Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

Great build, I'm jealous of your heatsink! The nose looks great, its like a missile, how can you say you don't have a mind of your own, this is truly unique great build. Do you think higher powers are in your future?
Don't know how to fix title, but I didn't notice it, at least do the one in the post for now.
 
Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

Hey Auto, it looks like a nice build but I, and others, can't read all the text without scrolling left to right because the pics are too big, (a right PITA!). can you resize them to 800 x 600 please.

This is perfect -

x231ow.jpg


Many thanks,

M
:)
 
Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

Very nice build & powerful laser :gj: Maybe I'll ask you to build me a laser one day since your in Canada. :yh:
 
Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

My aluminum machining abilities are improving all the time ;)
I just got a bunch of HSS square stock to make aluminum specific tooling. I'm told the finish quality is a lot nicer than using carbide inserts.
 
Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

Make sure you get around to changing that title. I was like Wha... lol
 
Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

Hey Morgan, Nice build you got here
You have a huge HS - loved it.

Bring it to Tel Aviv when you come :)
 
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Re: 1.497mA 445 in a custom heatsink (image heavy)

I'd just like to point out there is a 5% tolerance on the resistor, maybe a 1-2% variation in current from the driver, and a 1-5% tolerance on your multimeter. So you probably can't accurately carry out the measurement that many decimals. No one would flame you for calling it 1.5A :)
 
Threadjacking my own thread here but if you want to change the title, just edit the first post and beside "save" it says "go advanced"
Swap out the title for whatever you want and hit save.
So easy, even I can do it ;)
The resistor is a +/- 1%, the flexdrive was already on the driver heatsink so I figured what the hell and left it on for a minute (1n5004 diodes) and it stayed within .003v and 1.497V was the lowest ^_^
The multimeter is just a Innova 3320 so you are right about the % error on that though ;)
 
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My girlfriend says it could be my replacement....
I reminded her of the ability to pop a balloon from 35' and told her that it would make her light up like a blue Christmas light if she used it for that.
She decided to keep me around :whistle:
 
Nice work AUTO. Mind if I ask how you machine the cone so good? Is there an auto milling feature on your lathe that allows you to do that?
 


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