A Newbs Hello From Aridzona !

[Sand]

So Ive recently got into lasers and such, that is to say Ive not a clue as to most of what I feel I should know. Im here because of SpyroPyros video of him burning things with a 5.5 Watt blue laser has piqued my interest and I would like to make something similiar. Im looking to see if I can make a laser to be more powerful by changing out and modifying the parts, starting with a stock laser:

5mW 450nm Blue Beam Light Lazer Powerful Laser Pointer Military Pen High Quality | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 5mW 450nm Blue Beam Light Lazer Powerful Laser Pointer Military Pen High Quality at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Which Im looking at buying safety glasses for said wavelength:

Eagle Pair® 190-540nm & 800-1700nm OD5 Laser Safety Goggles

Eagle Pair brand protective laser safety goggles for combined 190-540nm & 800-1700nm wavelengths. These goggles have 20% visible light transmission, protect to a level of OD 5+ (reduce the intensity of 190-540nm and 800-1700nm laser light by a factor of 100,000 or more), and are CE certified...

www.survivallaser.com

But Im not entirely sure as to HOW. The laser here says 5mW, however when Spyro tested it he got 1.3 W. Im not too worried about it being higher, as I want it to be higher so I have a higher point from which to start the mods. Im unsure if this is the exact same one aside from him saying he got it off of ebay and that it was about the same price and looks the same. I guess its perfectly legal to build a very powerful laser but not to buy one here to Im looking forward to testing this laser. As for what parts I need to get to that 5.5 watt output and how to assemble it, I havent the foggiest. I can do basic soldering but Im not sure what pieces I need and how to assemble said pieces. Id like to end up with a super powerful laser I can test in my work area, and get similiar effects to what Spyro managed.

Here we can see him using this laser, and while the other one has a higher output and is the one he ends up modding, I cant find that one for sale anywhere. Id like to start with that one but due to being unable to find an american ebay listing for it I guess I cant.

TLR I need to know how to make a 5.5 watt laser pen at home with minimal cost, probably using one of these laser pens as a base.

PS: Are these goggles better for what Im doing ?

Eagle Pair® 190-540nm OD6 Standard Laser Safety Goggles

Now upgraded to OD6! Eagle Pair brand protective laser safety goggles for 190-540nm wavelength. These goggles have exceptional visible light transmission (rated at 50%) and yet protect to a level of OD6+ (reduce the intensity of 190-540nm laser light by a factor of 1,000,000 or more), and are CE...

www.survivallaser.com

Thanks for reading! I hope this is the right place ! <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Edit ↓

I think I will be building this from parts instead inside a flashlight body...

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Found this laser diode, I think this will fit what Im trying to make. Im unsure of what driver to get to power this, and how to decide what heatsink and what size/material/kind, as well as the laser diode build. Does the laser diode form have any bearing on its power? I.e a 12mm vs the 25mm.

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So far, All I really know I need are an old flashlight which ill rip everything out of, some batteries but Im not sure what kind, That diode (Which comes with a lens but Im not sure what I need), a heatsink which Im kinda lost on, The driver, and that should be it right? I need to find links to all these so I know how to assemble it and where to buy.

 

[Anthony P]

Welcome.
Although I have not tried it myself, I have heard that those gatlin style lasers are very difficult to get apart (glue and epoxy everywhere). DTR Laser Shop has a variety of diodes with drivers and Survival Laser has several hosts to put them in. Both companies are excellent and trustworthy. I am sure other members will saying hello and giving advice on safety.

 

[Sand]

Thanks Anthony ! Ill definitively give it a look!

 

[john_lawson]

So Ive recently got into lasers and such, that is to say Ive not a clue as to most of what I feel I should know. Im here because of SpyroPyros video of him burning things with a 5.5 Watt blue laser has piqued my interest and I would like to make something similiar. Im looking to see if I can make a laser to be more powerful by changing out and modifying the parts, starting with a stock laser:

5mW 450nm Blue Beam Light Lazer Powerful Laser Pointer Military Pen High Quality | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 5mW 450nm Blue Beam Light Lazer Powerful Laser Pointer Military Pen High Quality at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Which Im looking at buying safety glasses for said wavelength:

Eagle Pair® 190-540nm & 800-1700nm OD5 Laser Safety Goggles

Eagle Pair brand protective laser safety goggles for combined 190-540nm & 800-1700nm wavelengths. These goggles have 20% visible light transmission, protect to a level of OD 5+ (reduce the intensity of 190-540nm and 800-1700nm laser light by a factor of 100,000 or more), and are CE certified...

www.survivallaser.com

But Im not entirely sure as to HOW. The laser here says 5mW, however when Spyro tested it he got 1.3 W. Im not too worried about it being higher, as I want it to be higher so I have a higher point from which to start the mods. Im unsure if this is the exact same one aside from him saying he got it off of ebay and that it was about the same price and looks the same. I guess its perfectly legal to build a very powerful laser but not to buy one here to Im looking forward to testing this laser. As for what parts I need to get to that 5.5 watt output and how to assemble it, I havent the foggiest. I can do basic soldering but Im not sure what pieces I need and how to assemble said pieces. Id like to end up with a super powerful laser I can test in my work area, and get similiar effects to what Spyro managed.

Here we can see him using this laser, and while the other one has a higher output and is the one he ends up modding, I cant find that one for sale anywhere. Id like to start with that one but due to being unable to find an american ebay listing for it I guess I cant.

TLR I need to know how to make a 5.5 watt laser pen at home with minimal cost, probably using one of these laser pens as a base.

PS: Are these goggles better for what Im doing ?

Eagle Pair® 190-540nm OD6 Standard Laser Safety Goggles

Now upgraded to OD6! Eagle Pair brand protective laser safety goggles for 190-540nm wavelength. These goggles have exceptional visible light transmission (rated at 50%) and yet protect to a level of OD6+ (reduce the intensity of 190-540nm laser light by a factor of 1,000,000 or more), and are CE...

www.survivallaser.com

Thanks for reading! I hope this is the right place ! <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Edit ↓

I think I will be building this from parts instead inside a flashlight body...

Google Sites: Sign-in

Access Google Sites with a personal Google account or Google Workspace account (for business use).

sites.google.com

Found this laser diode, I think this will fit what Im trying to make. Im unsure of what driver to get to power this, and how to decide what heatsink and what size/material/kind, as well as the laser diode build. Does the laser diode form have any bearing on its power? I.e a 12mm vs the 25mm.

Google Sites: Sign-in

Access Google Sites with a personal Google account or Google Workspace account (for business use).

sites.google.com

So far, All I really know I need are an old flashlight which ill rip everything out of, some batteries but Im not sure what kind, That diode (Which comes with a lens but Im not sure what I need), a heatsink which Im kinda lost on, The driver, and that should be it right? I need to find links to all these so I know how to assemble it and where to buy.

I’d start out with 100-200 mW it will burn balloons matches and if not careful your eyes out 1000-5500 mW or 5.5 watts is dangerous very very very dangerous be careful eye protection a must

 

[john_lawson]

I accidentally got a reflection from a RPL 532 nm 375 mW from a window which is about 10% 35-40 mW and it freaking hurt like hell for days

 

[Sand]

Thats pretty crazy ! I should be alright with those safety glasses right? Im pretty new to small electronics so I need some help in wiring schemes and figuring out which parts to get lol. Any help would be appreciated

 

[paul1598419]

Welcome to the LPF. If you are wanting to get a 5.5 watt laser, or higher power, you would do better to build it from Scratch rather than trying to modify a much lower power laser. The NUBM44 laser diodes can reach 7 watts of optical power, but it has really horrible beam characteristics. It burns very well up close, but needs special optics to be able to burn at a distance. There are some other diodes that can get there, but none of them has good beam characteristics.

 

[Sand]

Welcome to the LPF. If you are wanting to get a 5.5 watt laser, or higher power, you would do better to build it from Scratch rather than trying to modify a much lower power laser. The NUBM44 laser diodes can reach 7 watts of optical power, but it has really horrible beam characteristics. It burns very well up close, but needs special optics to be able to burn at a distance. There are some other diodes that can get there, but none of them has good beam characteristics.

Thanks You so much ! yea Im looking at the optic Options in that link, but Im not sure what kind to get. Any recommendations for it and the module form?

 

[paul1598419]

Thanks You so much ! yea Im looking at the optic Options in that link, but Im not sure what kind to get. Any recommendations for it and the module form?

Sure. What we do here is apply a 6X pair of cylindrical lenses and then use a beam expander at the host's aperture. This is NOT something a beginner can do easily, though. It takes an optical bench to apply the cyl lenses and the BE needs to have a wide enough lens at it's opening to accommodate the beam plus 20%.

 

[Sand]

Sure. What we do here is apply a 6X pair of cylindrical lenses and then use a beam expander at the host's aperture. This is NOT something a beginner can do easily, though. It takes an optical bench to apply the cyl lenses and the BE needs to have a wide enough lens at it's opening to accommodate the beam plus 20%.

Alright. Optical bench as in a vise with a block of wood splitin half with a hole drilled in the center?

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi
Welcome to LPF Sand, Enjoy and be safe always
Rich

 

[paul1598419]

Alright. Optical bench as in a vise with a block of wood splitin half with a hole drilled in the center?

No, It can be quite small, though. You need a flat surface to hold the lenses in front of the collimated beam, then a way to attach the BE after optical correction.

 

[hakzaw1]

Easy new guy..

Laser safety is partly learned from experience.
AND you seem to want to start big.. just where will you go from there? Many here know SPYRO.. he did not start with high power burning laser builds..
IMHO you are bound to waste money or have an injury with your first (failed) builds. (MOST FAIL first time)You will have near accidents with lasers that can harm. There is just no other way to learn than by personal experience.

Hope you take this in the spirit it is meant.
You can spend weeks reading at Sam's .. and still not even getting close to knowing much.
The stickies in most sections need to be read.
Meeting other members in person is a lot of help. Many now own LPMs-- and until you have one you can get any laser metered any time free.
There is a LONG list of 'things' I bet you do not fully understand. (yet)
IMHO you are a bit 'gung-ho' and want to skip some stuff.
Your 'intro' post contains questions that need to be addressed in the proper section.
There are many tutorials with complete steps.. We are not always happy to answer the same questions over and over.
However your 'intro' is much better than most. and we thank you for that--most newcomers here do not post any intro.

Those who have already posted in your thread are also the best guys for personal help. Just try hard to find help on your own.. no brownie points for just asking questions. BUT better in A PM THAN IN A THREAD.

HAK
NEAR Houston TX

 

[Sand]

Easy new guy..

Laser safety is partly learned from experience.
AND you seem to want to start big.. just where will you go from there? Many here know SPYRO.. he did not start with high power burning laser builds..
IMHO you are bound to waste money or have an injury with your first (failed) builds. (MOST FAIL first time)You will have near accidents with lasers that can harm. There is just no other way to learn than by personal experience.

Hope you take this in the spirit it is meant.
You can spend weeks reading at Sam's .. and still not even getting close to knowing much.
The stickies in most sections need to be read.
Meeting other members in person is a lot of help. Many now own LPMs-- and until you have one you can get any laser metered any time free.
There is a LONG list of 'things' I bet you do not fully understand. (yet)
IMHO you are a bit 'gung-ho' and want to skip some stuff.
Your 'intro' post contains questions that need to be addressed in the proper section.
There are many tutorials with complete steps.. We are not always happy to answer the same questions over and over.
However your 'intro' is much better than most. and we thank you for that--most newcomers here do not post any intro.

Those who have already posted in your thread are also the best guys for personal help. Just try hard to find help on your own.. no brownie points for just asking questions. BUT better in A PM THAN IN A THREAD.

HAK
NEAR Houston TX

Thank you very much for all the help
Ill definitively look into learning alot more before i purchase and start. Currently starting pretty easy at circuit theory so i can understand what im doing , so well see what happens....