Awesome host and heatsink for $6.76!

[deltawars]

Aluminium Heatsink for 12mm Laser Module: $4.98 free postage.

Host: Generic 3W LED Flashlight
You can get the host just about anywhere, but there are 2 different hosts, if you look at the pictures they have slight difference in the design.(the reason the hosts are silver is because I sanded them.)
The first Version which I will call Version 1 has a smaller internal diameter and the heatsink can be pushed all of the way in.
The Second Version which I will call Version 2 has a larger internal diameter and the heatsink can only be pushed in a little bit which means it sticks out.

The 18mm heatsink fits perfectly into the Version 1 host, it did need a little force, but you don't need to use anything to keep it in place, Which I think is a bonus. You need a 17mm driver to fit or you can use a x-drive and a blank contact board, there's quite a bit of room in there! It takes 14500 Battery's and even the ones with the protection circuit! The unshortend Heatsink does stick out, but you can easily shorten it with a hacksaw.

Normal Host and Shortened Host.

Host With Normal Length Heatsink.

Host With Shortened Heatsink.

And the battery does fit with the heat sink and driver.

Diode Module Driver And Battery.

Another View.

Another Another View.

Another Another Another View With Ruler.

 

[COMMANDR]

Looks like you could make a lower power pointer for pretty cheap. Fasttech and Techhood
are pretty reliably companies to deal with too. May have to look into this.

 

[crazyspaz]

+rep to you! Really good find...brings a new meaning to "cheap dvd burner laser", i think! especially since those diodes tend to not produce an exorbitant amount of heat. Now, i dont think this would work for a 445, but still- really cool. I have two of those heatsinks already, i will order a host or two for future use!

 

[sinner]

This looks like it was made for just this purpose, great find delta.

:beer:

 

[jwjsr]

I am new to lasers and bought 2 of these after seeing this thread, would flaminpyro or DTR be go to people to supply the drivers etc for this?

 

[deltawars]

jwjsr what laser diode are you going to use? or are you going to use one from a dvd drive?

 

[crazyspaz]

I would say DTR is the place for diodes, and either DTR, Flaminpyro, or Lazeerer is the place for drivers (they all sell lazeerer drivers). These heatsinks arent great by any means, so dont try stickin a 2 watt 445 in one.

 

[dubious speculation]

That AA $1.70 host looks extremely similar to the Pailide host kit that Mohrenberg used to sell.

Styropyro also used a similar host for a 1W 445nm blue laser.

+1 for your ingenuity and for thinking outside the box, brings new meaning to the word 'budget' :beer:

 

[jwjsr]

jwjsr what laser diode are you going to use? or are you going to use one from a dvd drive?

Deltawars, thanks for your help. I know nothing, I ordered a SSGreen laser build from Jayrob to mount on my air pistol and ran across this thread and bought without having any idea what to do with them. All I know to do is choose a beam color? and seek advice on what wattage to buy?
Now that you mention it i do have an old(about 10yrs) unused sony DVD player laying around somewhere , would the laser from it be a decent choice?

 

[deltawars]

The only way to tell if any DVD player has a decent laser diode is to look for the Warning, If it says Warning/Caution Class 3B Laser Radiation like the pic down below then it mean it has a high power diode, Blue ray players would probably say class 4 because the have more powerful laser diodes in them.

If your dvd player doesnt say Class 3B Laser Radiation then you can buy a diode here 300mw 650nm diode a Driver from here Batteries and charger from here Select set 1 then you need safety goggles and yes you really do need them a 300mw laser is dangerous if it can cut tape it can cut your eye.

if your dvd player does have a class 3b warning exstract the diode just youtube it, buy the driver, batteries and safty goggles from above and get This diode module and This lens to focus the laser along with the safety goggles. And I know that the goggles cost more then everything else but they can be used with red and green lasers and you can use lasers up to 10W with them! And trust me you will build a few more lasers.

 

[jwjsr]

Thanks bunches delta wars, let me happily sift through all the links you so kindly provided!!!

 

[jwjsr]

I assume the warning is on the outside of the DVD player? Mine has no warning, and just wanted to confirm there is no need to remove the cover

 

[deltawars]

If there is no warning outside it is probably inside, just take the cover off and look around, if you cant see one at first it could be on the bottom of the DVD drive(just look for the yellow stickers).
Also don't touch the capacitors, they usually have no charge but sometime they do so don't touch any metal on the board where the power cable goes in.

 

[jwjsr]

Darn, no yellow stickers, but I may have one more chance, I just remembered I have a really old laser disc player, the kind that played album sized laser discs, I think I'll check it tomorrow as it's out back.

 

[COMMANDR]

Darn, no yellow stickers, but I may have one more chance, I just remembered I have a really old laser disc player, the kind that played album sized laser discs, I think I'll check it tomorrow as it's out back.

I think laser disk players us IR diodes. So not in the visible light spectrum. The very old ones
used HeNe lasers but , they are rare. Good luck.

 

[deltawars]

wow really they used to use HeNe lasers in old disk players?
I know that DVD Read/Write usually uses red diodes i have seen some that use both red and IR but I'm not sure about non-r/w players, And Blue ray uses blue Hence the name "Blue ray".