best laser for 300$ usd

[joshshermannn1]

title pretty much explains it. wavelength doesn't matter much to me, power for wavelength must exceed or meet, 650nm- 400mw, 532nm- 300mw, 445nm- 1000mw, 405nm- 400mw
:thanks:

 

[qumefox]

For your power requirements, 400mW+ of 650nm will be hard to do in the price range.. Well, and have beam specs even comparable to the 445's.. Multimode 650s are available but to my knowledge they make the 445's look like gaussian TEM00 by comparison. heh.

300mW of 532nm should be doable for around that price, even if just barely. The 1W+ of 445 and the 400mW+ of 405... Heck. You could probably get BOTH for $300.

As far specific lasers... That all really depends on your tastes in hosts, etc.

 

[joshshermannn1]

Multimode 650s are available but to my knowledge they make the 445's look like gaussian TEM00 by comparison. heh.

haha! :crackup:
well iv'e been interested in 405nm more than other wavelengths. can you suggest me a high power one of those? i don't mind much about the host
532nm would be nice but the only one ive found in the price range is o-likes 400mw one, and the reviews on it are pretty harsh

 

[rhd]

For under $300, I would consider selling the gem of my 405nm collection. It's the centre laser in the beam shots:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f63/beautiful-work-ray-j-neal-62981.html
(or the right hand laser in the photo where they're turned off)

I think he LPMs at 700mW of 405nm.

 

[qumefox]

You might check around the BST section, or hit some of the builders here up. I know 600-700mW of 405 is doable for about the same price as 445 builds, which is usually in the $150ish neighborhood. So like I said. It really just boils down to what kind of batteries you want to use, which would narrow down the host selection.

 

[joshshermannn1]

@rhd how much under?
i love the host, what type of batteries does it take?

@qumefox who are some of the builders around here?

 

[rhd]

Josh,

It can take 2x 16340 (CR123A) or 2x 18350 (half the length of 18650)

I generally use 2x 18350s in it.

Shoot me a PM if you're seriously interested and we can discuss.

Cheers

 

[qumefox]

@rhd how much under?
i love the host, what type of batteries does it take?

@qumefox who are some of the builders around here?

yobresal, flaminpyro, rhd, DTR and a slew of others.

Jayrob and myself as well, but to my knowledge Jayrob only sells kits, not completed lasers, and I fall under that group as well. Too many legalities in selling them working. I only do it in rare circumstances when i'm totally broke and need quick cash.. I'm slow about it though since I lack the funds to stock a whole lot in the way of diodes/drivers, so I pretty much have to order them as they're wanted.

 

[joshshermannn1]

@rhd ill see if i can round up the money, then ill PM you

@qumefox, i was tempted in buying your 445nm you posted in another thread

 

[qumefox]

That one is mine. Heh. I never intended to sell it when I built it and it getting offered there was pretty much just because I was paying bills at the time.

However you can buy a preset 'drop in' from DTR for my sipik hosts and get a host and lens from me and put it together yourself for $130ish.