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FrozenGate by Avery

AixiZ Lens vs Meredith (acrylic)

Gazoo said:
I don't blame you one bit for wanting to try it... ;D I don't think you will be disappointed with the glass lens and I will be interested in knowing what you think of it.. :)
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Gazoo, looking for some advice here...I got my Meredith (glass lens) module today and all parts are the same as the acrylic except the inner lens holder (with small brass lens retainer) and of course the lens itself. Trouble is, with the 9mm to 5.6mm adapter, I am not able to screw the glass lens close enough to the LD in order to get it to focus?? The top of the 5.6mm adapter hits the bottom of the lens holder?? Guess I'll have to machine the 5.6mm adapter down some to allow the lens to get closer to the LD. How did you get yours to focus?
Jay
 





I have had the same problem...with mine if the lens it just a bit crooked in the holder it will not screw down far enough to focus. Check for that first and then try unscrewing the focusing ring and then screwing it in again a few times. Everything needs to be lined up correctly. If you need to machine anything down, you might want to cut off some of the part the lens goes in to. But it should focus properly without having to do anything.
 
Unfortunately for me, it some how just doesn't fit...I measured .295 from the top of the 5.6mm adapter to the top of the module, and as you can see, the lens holder with focus ring is longer. Maybe the glass module is designed only for 9mm LDs. Anyway, I will make it work with the 5.6mm adapter...you can see from the small inset picture the difference between the two adapters after I have machined one of them down. It will be for the next diode...Guess I'll have to wait to try comparisons with the glass lens vs acrylic because I don't want to re-mount a different diode just yet...
Jay
 

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Gazoo said:
I don't blame you one bit for wanting to try it... ;D I don't think you will be disappointed with the glass lens and I will be interested in knowing what you think of it.. :)
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Hey Gazoo, I ended up machining the thin brass layer that the glass lens sits against. It was probably less than 1/16" thick and now is about half that. That little amount was enough to allow me go get focus! I am comparing it with the AixiZ acrylic using an AixiZ LD and running it at 325mA. I don't have my Laser Power Meter yet, so I can only compare burning, but so far, I still like the AixiZ acrylic for burning. The Meredith glass does seem visually brighter for some reason. Could be just be wishful eyes. I did notice that there is not as much focusing...I mean, the spot marked for 5' focus is just a hair turn from the spot marked for best infinity focus. Much closer between these two focus points that the AixiZ acrylic lens...
Jay
 
Glad you got it to focus. My experience with the glass lens is the same but I still like the Meredith Acrylic lens the best of the three lenses for burning. But the glass lens does a good job burning up close about a foot away. Like you said, it doesn't take much to focus between 20 feet and 1 foot with the glass lens. I will be glad when you get your meter so we can compare output. And when you get your TEC, it will be even more interesting.
 
Hey Gazoo I thought I would let you know that I tried a different Meredith acrylic lens...This one seems to be better (or at least the same) as the AixiZ acrylic. The other Meredith lens that I had tried at first is not as good?? Meredith needs to get a hold on quality control. 2 out of 3 modules that I had just bought needed to be modified in order for me to get focus. I looked carefully at the lens retainer that did not need modification and discovered that it is machined differently. Like a completely different part. I E-mailed Meredith but haven't received a response yet...
Jay
 
I am curious...are the lengths of the lens retainers different? I put a module together that I received recently and it did not focus with the acrylic lens and I am almost sure there was a difference in the lengths of the retainers. I thought it might be the edges on the top and bottom of the lens because they did not appear to be ground down as far as my original lens was.
I was in a hurry to get that one sent out to another forum member so I did not check it and I am not even sure which retainer I sent him.. :P I sent him the acrylic lens I had because it focused properly, but the one that came with his does not seem to be as good of a burner as the one I sent him. Now I am wondering if it wasn't the retainer causing the focusing problem.
 
The focus problems that I had were not even close to focus. The red circle on the wall at 5' away was the size of a grapefruit! I tried at first to just machine down the outer 'skirt' at the bottom of the retainer (where the spring fits), but that was not enough. I found that one of the retainers was drilled through from the bottom (by the spring) at a size hole which was bigger than the 5.6mm adapter to allow the adapter to come through if necessary. The two moudules that I had to modify, did not have this drilling. Actually, for the glass lens, you cannot have the bottom drilled in this way because as you know, the glass lens sits lower and on the bottom of the retainer. So, the fix was to just machine the bottom as much as I could without going through. I figure I gained about 1/32" which was enough to get focus...Good thing I have a lathe...
Jay
 
Sounds like Meredith does have some quality control issues. If they don't reply to your e-mail try calling them if you get a chance.

The first time I ordered from them I had to call them because I was waiting and waiting and nothing came in the mail. So I called them and someone had dropped the ball on my order but they were very friendly and took care of it right away.

It would be nice to have the perfect module..I wish they came with fine threaded focusing rings...I have a lot of slop in mine and the Aixiz have the same problem. The part that holds the lens in the Sentorch has very fine threads. I have unscrewed it all the way out and there was no slop in it at all.
 
The first time I ordered from them I had to call them because I was waiting and waiting and nothing came in the mail. So I called them and someone had dropped the ball on my order but they were very friendly and took care of it right away.
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LOL! I had to do the same thing on two orders in a row! Seems their PayPal ordering takes your money but not your order! I had to e-mail them the order information...they were fast to ship after that though. I have used teflon tape to try to take up some of the 'slop' in the threads on the black AixiZ lenses...it helps some...
Jay
 
Gazoo said:
I am thinking about another option such as this and using an open can in it..

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10095

But I want to find out a bit more about it first. I think an open can would work nicely in it..lol.
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That sure does look nice for the price...You definately have me intrigued about your open can set up...I have parts on order now. This is a new adventure for me so I hope you don't mind if I may have some questions when the parts get to me...
Jay
 
Thanks man, this will be my first attempt at harvesting a diode from a DVD so if you have any warnings for me that would be a starting point. I should have it in the mail in a couple of days. I'll check with you later. It's 1:30am. Going to hit the sack.
Jay
 
Well tip number one...always use an anti-static device. Sometimes I need to walk away from these jobs and when I do I leave the diode laying on an antistatic mat. But alway wear the wrist strap when working with the diode.

Tip number 2...take your time getting the diode out. ;D

Remember since these are open cans the innards are exposed. Do not tough any of the innards with your hands or tools. I know you probably know these things. I have slipped and ruined one open can.

I cut the heatsink with a wire cutter on the side of the heatsink where the open can does not have its innards exposed. It is a little tricking getting it out. Some people remove them by pressing them out...not exactly sure how they do it.

To test I hook it up directly to two nimh batteries. This is where you cross your fingers and hope like hell it lases. If it lases, I immediately disconnect the batteries and install it in the module. Then solder the capacitor to the diode and wire it up from there.
 
Ok Gazoo, the DVD came today and so did the peltiers. I have exposed the area where the LD must be but thought I would ask you how I should proceed from here...
Thanks,
Jay

P.S. What else do you salvage from this DVD?
 

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