- Joined
- Oct 3, 2012
- Messages
- 139
- Points
- 18
So I bought a few of the Fasttech 50mw modules the other day for about $9.40 each (if you buy 3). These seem to be growing in popularity due to their cheap cost and the fact that NO ONE HAS RECEIVED ONE THAT IS NOT OVERSPEC :drool: (that is, no one has reported of one here that I have found) They are constantly at least 60mw and some go as high as 110mw if your lucky (or pot mod).
Anyway the least powerful of the three I acquired seems to be about the 75mw range, unfortunately not tested, but it can pop darker balloons with ease and just barely light a match if you focus it right with another lens.
I love these things
So I put one of them into an old pen host I had left over after destroying a $4 ebay blueray pen. Nothing special about the host, but it worked out quite well
The module was wedged in there and sealed in place with JB weld, which I smoothed as it got tacky. Then when it was dry I painted it with my super secret paint that matches the case perfectly... wait for it...
keep waiting...
Industrial grade sharpie! :crackup:
then I sanded and scraped the top of the brass clean for a nice look.
It actually turned out looking like turned steel to some degree, and my friends have said it looks like it was supposed to look that way so i'm happy
The only down side when you really start to look at it, is that the beam is crooked just slightly... but it's a cheep pen host
The build cost $9.4 for the module, and everything else was salvage or on hand for me making this the cheapest build I could imagine for this power.
If you want to make it though here's what you'll need.
Module $10.01 (if you only buy one, but you can google codes to get 5% off)
Pen host $4 (go buy a cheepo ebay pen, or salvage one)
epoxy or JB weld $3-$6
sharpie or paint... please tell me you have one of these already
a spring to solder on the rear of the driver, if you don't have one consult your nearest ballpoint pen.
and last but not least, some shimming to hold the 12mm module in an almost 13mm hole. Since the diode in these don't get hot too fast i jst used some aluminum foil, finding a tube that size would take way too long and cost too much
So all in all if you have absolutely nothing on hand this may cost you closer to 20 bucks, but if you either have the epoxy, or a pen host on hand you should make it whiten the $15 limit.
Another reason I like these modules so much, they are bright enough to capture beam shots with no fog, in my lit up room, with my garbage video camera!
I'll leave yo off with some beam shot pics, hope you've liked the build, enjoy :wave:
EDIT: looked up after hitting submit... theirs little balloon bits on my ceiling... :| don't look at me, lol... fine it was me
Anyway the least powerful of the three I acquired seems to be about the 75mw range, unfortunately not tested, but it can pop darker balloons with ease and just barely light a match if you focus it right with another lens.
I love these things
So I put one of them into an old pen host I had left over after destroying a $4 ebay blueray pen. Nothing special about the host, but it worked out quite well
The module was wedged in there and sealed in place with JB weld, which I smoothed as it got tacky. Then when it was dry I painted it with my super secret paint that matches the case perfectly... wait for it...
keep waiting...
Industrial grade sharpie! :crackup:
then I sanded and scraped the top of the brass clean for a nice look.
It actually turned out looking like turned steel to some degree, and my friends have said it looks like it was supposed to look that way so i'm happy
The only down side when you really start to look at it, is that the beam is crooked just slightly... but it's a cheep pen host
The build cost $9.4 for the module, and everything else was salvage or on hand for me making this the cheapest build I could imagine for this power.
If you want to make it though here's what you'll need.
Module $10.01 (if you only buy one, but you can google codes to get 5% off)
Pen host $4 (go buy a cheepo ebay pen, or salvage one)
epoxy or JB weld $3-$6
sharpie or paint... please tell me you have one of these already
a spring to solder on the rear of the driver, if you don't have one consult your nearest ballpoint pen.
and last but not least, some shimming to hold the 12mm module in an almost 13mm hole. Since the diode in these don't get hot too fast i jst used some aluminum foil, finding a tube that size would take way too long and cost too much
So all in all if you have absolutely nothing on hand this may cost you closer to 20 bucks, but if you either have the epoxy, or a pen host on hand you should make it whiten the $15 limit.
Another reason I like these modules so much, they are bright enough to capture beam shots with no fog, in my lit up room, with my garbage video camera!
I'll leave yo off with some beam shot pics, hope you've liked the build, enjoy :wave:
EDIT: looked up after hitting submit... theirs little balloon bits on my ceiling... :| don't look at me, lol... fine it was me
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