Assembly help, housings etc.

[tony23]

Maybe I'm missing it in my searches, but I'm having trouble finding how to do a simple assembly and how to work with housings. Maybe I've got some wrong ideas...

I've started off with some cheap 3mW and 5mW lasers I found on Amazon - 40 for $13, so cheap things, just to play around with. I got some small housings, about laser pointer size, but now I have no idea how to get the diode into the housing so that it's attached firmly and working correctly. The electronics part isn't much of a problem, but the physical part is eluding me.

Here's what I have:



I also picked up a 1500mW (supposed) module that's a diode/driver combo, trying to figure out what to do with that to get it into some sort of integrated container. I'm guessing some sort of a larger housing but that leaves me with the same conundrum.


Suggestions appreciated - even if you could just point me the right way, thank you!

 

[tony23]

Already think I may know part of the problem: I'm looking over the specs for the housing again and it says for "TO-18" - which appears to be different than what I have. So how do I determine (and find!) the right housing?

 

[gazer101]

Either machine a host yourself, pay someone else to do it, buy a laser online and salvage its host, or buy a premade laser host kit

I'd recommend the last option, have a browse: https://www.survivallaser.com/Host_Assemblies/cat556089_826119.aspx

 

[tony23]

I was looking at those already - but that still leaves me with: what do I do with it? So far the tutorials I've found have been more about the electronics. I'm sure I'm missing something but I haven't seen anything about how to assemble it into the host.

Also, how to determine which one to get?

I'm in that "I don't know what I don't know" phase - I'm missing some pieces of info to even know what to ask just yet. Thanks for the patience!

 

[gazer101]

If you are going to get the C6 host:

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi,
I know you are trying to find the cheapest way to ass assemble a full build. It an be challenging at times till you completed a few builds. trial and error like most here on LPF. You have a 12mm module with driver preset. Now you need to know with the hosts yo punched can adapt to that module. Wish you luck in your endeavors .
Rich

 

[Unown (WILD)]

mmm yes we all do love some ass assembling from time to time XD

 

[icecruncher]

Already think I may know part of the problem: I'm looking over the specs for the housing again and it says for "TO-18" - which appears to be different than what I have. So how do I determine (and find!) the right housing?

As simply as possible - the modules you have are 12mm (diameter) x 30mm (long) so the host needs to have a hole in the middle that will fit that. The bottom of the module needs an electrically isolated point for the positive, and the side of the module needs to connect to the negative.

Using a flashlight as an example (typically) the positive goes from the center of the module to the positive of the battery
the negative is electrically isolated from the positive and usually connected to the host to make a circuit to the bottom/negative side of the battery.

Light Your Way: Design-Build a Series Circuit Flashlight - Activity

During a power failure, or when we go outside at night, we grab a flashlight so we can find our way. What happens inside a flashlight that makes the bulb light up? Why do we need a switch to turn on a flashlight? Have you ever noticed that for the flashlight to work you must orient the batteries...

www.teachengineering.org

Often the drivers are put into the module or they are mounted to a round PCB that allows for positive contact.

Hope that answers a few more questions.

 

[tony23]

Hi,
I know you are trying to find the cheapest way to ass assemble a full build. It an be challenging at times till you completed a few builds. trial and error like most here on LPF. You have a 12mm module with driver preset. Now you need to know with the hosts yo punched can adapt to that module. Wish you luck in your endeavors .
Rich

That almost appears like you're suggesting I skip messing with the 6mm plain diodes, then?

I've searched quite a bit and I can't find any modules for 6mm - 5.6mm all over the place, but nothing for 6...

I'm not necessarily looking for "cheapest", but I would like to get there without buying a bunch of stuff that doesn't work

mmm yes we all do love some ass assembling from time to time XD

So far it's looking like this one's only going to be half-ass

As simply as possible - the modules you have are 12mm (diameter) x 30mm (long) so the host needs to have a hole in the middle that will fit that. The bottom of the module needs an electrically isolated point for the positive, and the side of the module needs to connect to the negative.

...

Often the drivers are put into the module or they are mounted to a round PCB that allows for positive contact.

Hope that answers a few more questions.

Putting together the responses here with some additional searching (with that info), I think there may be a little terminology confusion. Also, I think perhaps there's some confusion (on both ends) about what I was trying to do...

So there's two separate "projects" here - one being the 6mm diodes I picked up in bulk that I wanted to fit into the module housings (first picture) - it would appear that one is a no-go, since the housings are designed for 5.6mm TO-18 diode. On my first read of the description I thought it meant "5.6 to 18mm". So until/unless I get a diode that fits, those are useless. Also, the diodes are kinda useless unless I find something they'll fit into (6mm).

So leaving that aside, the second pic is the 1.5W blue laser module. Putting together everything I've now learned, this appears to be what I would do with the module housings & diodes (plus a driver) before putting everything into a host, right?

So from there, I want a host that is designed to accept that size module (12mm), which is where I will then make the connections to a power supply, switch, heat sink, etc.

Am I getting that right, finally?

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi
I make hosts that will hold a 12mm module they are prewired and ready to solder two wires and apply heat shrink tubing to the solder joints
That also come with a focus adapter to fit the aspherical lenses we use to colimate the beam
I can do a cheap host like this it can hold 1x18650 or 2x18350 batteries
Rich

fullsizeoutput_c0d.jpeg

• Lifetime17
• Jul 16, 2019
• 4

 

[Encap]

That almost appears like you're suggesting I skip messing with the 6mm plain diodes, then?

There are no 6mm diodes.
What you bought 40 of in bulk are mass produced mini-modules w diode and driver already assembled into small 6mm metal housings/modules.

 

[tony23]

There are no 6mm diodes.
What you bought 40 of in bulk are mass produced mini-modules w diode and driver already assembled into small 6mm metal housings/modules.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. No wonder I can't find what I'm looking for.

Still leaves me in the same place with those, though - no idea what to do with them. No worries if that's the case, they were pretty cheap. Maybe I'lll pull a couple apart just to see what's going on inside.

 

[Platupus999]

You cant get all this on eBay. Im struggling to understand what you want. do you want a laser module for the TO-18 can laser diode with a lense, because those are very cheap of eBay, or are you looking for a housing to put that module in???

Because if you just need a module you will need a new one as most diodes are 5.6mm not 6mm and then just jam the diode into that module (it will require some force). If you then want a housing for the module, e.g a heat sink, just buy it on ebay.

 

[Lifetime17]

Maybe I'm missing it in my searches, but I'm having trouble finding how to do a simple assembly and how to work with housings. Maybe I've got some wrong ideas...

I've started off with some cheap 3mW and 5mW lasers I found on Amazon - 40 for $13, so cheap things, just to play around with. I got some small housings, about laser pointer size, but now I have no idea how to get the diode into the housing so that it's attached firmly and working correctly. The electronics part isn't much of a problem, but the physical part is eluding me.

Here's what I have:
View attachment 71360


I also picked up a 1500mW (supposed) module that's a diode/driver combo, trying to figure out what to do with that to get it into some sort of integrated container. I'm guessing some sort of a larger housing but that leaves me with the same conundrum.
View attachment 71361

Suggestions appreciated - even if you could just point me the right way, thank you!

Hi,
Maybe I can help with a host for that 12mm / 1500mW module. if interested send me a PM...This would be perfect for that module.
Rich

fullsizeoutput_c0d.jpeg

• Lifetime17
• Jul 16, 2019
• 4

 

[tony23]

Just occurred to me that another possibility would be to drill out the hole so that the little 6mm module fits. I have 3 to play with, maybe I'll try that too.

 

[Encap]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. No wonder I can't find what I'm looking for.

Still leaves me in the same place with those, though - no idea what to do with them. No worries if that's the case, they were pretty cheap. Maybe I'lll pull a couple apart just to see what's going on inside.

Not sure why you bought them if you had no idea of what they are nor a definite use them -- perhaos cheap for a lot of them?
You get what you pay for most of the time generally speaking
Yes just drill a 6mm hole or holes in whatever material and push one into it to hold it or just use as is.
A 5mw $0.30 TO $0.50 red laser is not worth putting in a pointer host housing really. If you really want one in a housing buy a $3 cat toy or keyring laser fully assembled.

Forget eBay for a moment and cheapest poor quality stuff .
Have a look here to quickly get an education on what laser diodes, drivers, modules and lenses all of which are needed to make a pointer are: https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/ .
You need a host/housing for the complete assembled module with diode, driver, and lens--nobody runs just a 1500mW module by itself without a heat sink of some description because you will quickly destroy it with thermal runaway overheat. . Use a host with a heat sink for a pointer

PS a host from Lifetime17 is as good as it is going to get---excellent quality and very reasonable price