Something else I have had fun with is converging corrected beams, last time I did so mechanically but this time I will use a couple of mirrors to converge from a virtual side by side of 3 corrected beams, this way as they diverge and converge there will be a nice long sweet spot, the sweet spot can be tuned by adjusting the distance that the beam centers overlap.
Granted using a beam expander on combined beams would be better for 50 feet or more but for a no adjustment needed, point and use device this can be used to light fireworks/campfire tinder from up close to 30 feet nicely and possibly a bit further, plus it will look really cool.
If you combined another pair of corrected 44's then knife edge converged those beams at your favorite distance that could also do the trick and would have a better sweet spot stretch than starting 4 abreast.
One thing about reaching the flashpoint of bulkier material at increasing distances is total energy, while having a good tight spot is important the tightest 1/4 watt beam will still lack the desired punch, more total power and time on target will prevail in a quantity over quality kind of way as the threshold of the target exceeds the best possible concentration of the lower energy device at a given distance, heat builds up with time on target better when there is more energy....DUHH I know I am stating the obvious but it is something to think about as I have found in testing the limits of a single anything reasonably available that sometimes more is better even at lesser quality, especially once the need in a " less is more " tuning experiment has exceeded its crescendo.
Note: I am constantly weighing out the cost vs. the benefit, do I want one corrected 44 with a 500 dollar beam expander or four corrected and converged and what will be more fun given my limited working area, if the target is 40 feet then more brute force and less high end optics may be a better choice, also I am a big fan of turn it on and use it, to me a laser should be " Turn it on and use it. " when possible, but after all it's a hobby and not anything serious so most of all stay safe and have fun.
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Hell, a little gas generator and radio would probably still fall under the portable category depending on who you ask/which contest you're operating in.
