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FrozenGate by Avery

Build thread: 4.4W 445nm dual diode laser

Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

I just checked my order and it says thermal paste, I didn't even know there was a difference between thermal paste/grease until now :o

I have some cheaper no-name brand thermal paste, but I'm not sure how good it is. I'm expecting the diodes to produce a lot of heat so I want to make sure I have a really good thermal transfer from the Cu modules to the Al heatsink. :D

I just checked and I will have enough room to remove the modules if I install the drivers, so I'm going to put the X-Drives in later tonight :D
 





Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

Little stands I made for the X-Drives to lie flat on. Thermally adhered to the host. There's another one on the opposite side.
I4tpI.jpg


X-Drive wired up and ready to go :)
tsrlS.jpg


Drivers in the host. This leaves enough room the slid the modules in afterwards :)
MNbqX.jpg
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

great to see you going all the way for this build. Nice work so far. Looking forward to see the progress.

diodes look good too. 2.4W at 2A is what i got for my Stingray-3 project too.
I just wish there were more powerful single mode diodes.

If i may suggest anything, I would say to keep in mind building this as an as easily upgrade able laser as possible, now while you still can.

cheers
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

Yup, everything should be easy to upgrade in this, except for the optics. Those are going to be glued down so they never move :) If new diode tech ever comes out it would be easy to change out the diodes, the drivers would be a bit more work to remove, but it would be easy enough.

The 9mm's are fairly new though, so I don't think there will be any better diodes coming out soon :)
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

good lord, history is written in this thread. many bloons will pop once this is complete :O
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

...and many more matches will be lit! :crackup:

I already burnt my table when testing the diodes :o
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

ARGLaser said:
I just checked my order and it says thermal paste, I didn't even know there was a difference between thermal paste/grease until now :o

I have some cheaper no-name brand thermal paste, but I'm not sure how good it is. I'm expecting the diodes to produce a lot of heat so I want to make sure I have a really good thermal transfer from the Cu modules to the Al heatsink. :D

I just checked and I will have enough room to remove the modules if I install the drivers, so I'm going to put the X-Drives in later tonight :D
Click to expand...

Is it MX-2 paste by any chance? I use that stuff on all my PC heatsinks, it's the best. :)
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

Nope not MX-2. I would say what I paste it is but I don't want to bring it up for fear of fanning the thermal efficiency argument :o
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

ARGLaser said:
Nope not MX-2. I would say what I paste it is but I don't want to bring it up for fear of fanning the thermal efficiency argument :o
Click to expand...

Yea, let's not do that. :) Good luck on the build though, it looks really good. :drool:
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

Looks Great Man !! :) Good Luck ! :beer:
 
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Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld

Thanks Joker :)

Good news, my optics for this just shipped out. The wave-plate coated for this spectrum was out of stock, so the order only just shipped :p

Just waiting on the post now, for the thermal paste and the optics.
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld (WIP)

I got all the optics and the thermal paste in the mail a couple days ago. My friend needed his old DSLR back as a backup camera for his trip to Vegas so I can't take good pictures any more :(

I was expecting the optics to be extremely difficult to do, but I REALLY underestimated the difficulty. It's probably going to take me a couple weeks to get it to all line up right.
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld (WIP)

ARGLaser said:
I got all the optics and the thermal paste in the mail a couple days ago. My friend needed his old DSLR back as a backup camera for his trip to Vegas so I can't take good pictures any more :(

I was expecting the optics to be extremely difficult to do, but I REALLY underestimated the difficulty. It's probably going to take me a couple weeks to get it to all line up right.
Click to expand...

You mean, you were expecting them to be extremely easy right?
I don't even want to think of messing with optics ever. Especially in such a small room.
 
Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld (WIP)

Silvershot said:
You mean, you were expecting them to be extremely easy right?
I don't even want to think of messing with optics ever. Especially in such a small room.
Click to expand...

Oh no, I was not expecting easy :p

My projector dichro's were a HUGE pain to align, and I was using a 3 axis adjustable mount.
I was expecting it to be much harder in a small space. The x axis is not too bad to align in the host, but I forgot that slightly uneven surface of the mirror mount causes a huge difference in beam alignment on the y axis.

I'm just filing the bottom down now, bit by bit until it sits perfect. It's a tedious task and it will take me hours, but I wasn't expecting this to be easy anyway :p
 
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Re: Build: 4W 445nm handheld (WIP)

YO SNAP!
i just realized it was you ARG!
let me know when its finished and maybe i can take a look at it in person? ^_^
4W of awesome goodness!
 
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