DIY Copper heatsink 6x & PHR

[Ramsey_innovations]

I haven't had much time lately but I've managed to whip up a couple new lasers in between spending 30hrs a week @ school, working part time and starting a catering business with a couple friends. The blue one is a build for a chef I know. It has a PHR set @ 110ma using an o-like boost diode driver for blu rays. It also has a jayrob 405-g-1 lens and is powered by 3x AAA. The Dorcy side switch I built for myself, it has an SF-AW210 6x driven by 3x AAA ultrafire Li's. Regulation is via a DDL circuit, using a 6.8ohm resistor, regulating 180ma. The Dorcy also has a jayrob lens and burns like hell!!!:eg:

To construct the heat sinks I first sanded the surfaces to be soldered, next it dipped the pieces in 91% alcohol to clean off any grease. I then brushed solder paste onto the surfaces to be soldered. I used a highly glazed tile as a smooth temp. resistant surface to solder the copper ring to the axiz head. With the axiz head face down on the tile and the ring carefully placed I heated them both with a propane blow torch and started to feed in the silver solder. Once It was filled to my liking I then rapidly cooled it by pouring on water. I proceeded to sand the pieces down staring with 120 grit sandpaper ando moving to 320, 500, 800, 1200, and finally 2000 grit. Finished it up with some mother's brand metal polish. Finally I dipped it once again in alcohol and gave it 3 coats of urethane clear coat, counting the initial "tack" coat.

After all that I pressed in the diodes, soldered my connections and done!

So what do think?

 

[spectral532]

That is pretty impressive, I like shiny finish you put on the copper. Though I feel that the solder surrounding the module ruins the look a bit. Also, were the Aixiz modules press fitted into the heatsinks? or just soldered in?

 

[jayrob]

Nicely done!

:gj:

 

[Ramsey_innovations]

That is pretty impressive, I like shiny finish you put on the copper. Though I feel that the solder surrounding the module ruins the look a bit. Also, were the Aixiz modules press fitted into the heatsinks? or just soldered in?

Sorry it takes me a while to respond, I'm really busy. The axiz modules are soldered directly to the copper, I think the solder adds a nice contrast but I would like it to be more copper. To get a solid bond you have to sand the nickle coating off the axiz module with somthing like 120-320 grit sand paper, and use flux paste.

Thanks Jay!

 

[ColdStl]

Cool builds. I'm glad I'll be able to put to use all the extra plumber's solder and flux I have from my plumbing days. I have that Dorcy mod as well, but I couldn't figure out how the hell to keep the switch so it would work with the on/off function. I had to settle for momentary. Were you able to keep the switch and use it as an on/off switch? Or is it a momentary?

:wave:I like the contrast too. (and your placement of the setscrew in the dorcy)

I think the solder adds a nice contrast

 

[Ramsey_innovations]

Cool builds. I'm glad I'll be able to put to use all the extra plumber's solder and flux I have from my plumbing days. I have that Dorcy mod as well, but I couldn't figure out how the hell to keep the switch so it would work with the on/off function. I had to settle for momentary. Were you able to keep the switch and use it as an on/off switch? Or is it a momentary?

:wave:I like the contrast too. (and your placement of the setscrew in the dorcy)

Great question! I also encountered this issue, when I put the 12.48v from the rechargeable Li's to the switch it opened the load switch on the board indefinitely (So power was always on). So I used the switch housing and contacts to construct a push on/off (spring) switch I bought at the surplus store. Just happened to work out perfectly, and I was able to sink the rubber button slightly further down than stock so there would be no chance of an accidental turn on in my pocket. I did have it momentary (bypassed the circuitry) for a couple of days but I could not handle not having on/off.

 

[ColdStl]

Thanks for responding
I'll be searching for a decent switch then because I don't like the momentary switch option either. I have mine setup with a lava drive....I think I will put in a DDL like you did so I can free up the lava drive though.