DIY Spyder S3 Arctic Burning/Focus Lens

[DiRollin]

So I decided to keep my Arctic because I just like the host too much... But I really wanted a focus lens so I found a quick way to make one!

**UPDATE** Found a smaller lens. Just wrapped with electrical tape to increase the size, Now this one slips in nice and smooth into the front cap. This focuses the beam at about 2-3 inches from the glass. The one I did below focuses at about 9 inches.

LONGER FOCAL LENGTH CAP
*I first took a pair of old binoculars and removed the front lens.


*It happened to fit perfectly in an empty toilet paper roll.

*Next I fitted the inside of the roll with paper strips to shrink the inside radius so it
would fit snuggly over the front of the stock lens. Then covered it with black tape
to make it look more bad ass. haha.

Took me 10 minutes, and now I have a removable burning lens that just slips over the original.

REALLY DOESN'T LOOK THAT BAD AND WORKS ENOUGH FOR ME!

 

[Gryphon]

Its like the burning caps wicked sold for the executive series or what not, but diy

 

[DiRollin]

I like those caps too. I dont like the WL kit because I would hate to have to unscrew and re-screw a cap on every time... Maybe I will take on a project to make something a little nicer but this actually works really well.

 

[Gryphon]

Hmm, i didn't know the caps they sold were screwed on, i thought they went over the
aperature like a sleeve :thinking:

 

[laser_freak]

Nice DIY solution!

Hmm, i didn't know the caps they sold were screwed on, i thought they went over the
aperature like a sleeve :thinking:

Nope, you swap the caps by screwing them in.

 

[DiRollin]

**UPDATE** Found a smaller lens. Just wrapped with electrical tape to increase the size, Now this one slips in nice and smooth into the front cap. This focuses the beam at about 2-3 inches from the glass. The one I did above focuses at about 9 incehs.

 

[lazeerer]

Well Done:gj:

Have you notice a difference in burning?

 

[laser_freak]

The updated version looks even nicer! Again, :gj:

 

[DiRollin]

Well Done:gj:

Have you notice a difference in burning?

Thanks Guys! Yea much faster burning. I will post a quick video in a few minutes.

 

[DiRollin]

Here a video of the small lens beam and where the focal point is...





(you can see how close the focal point is. It was hard to film and light it at the same time

 

[lazeerer]

Yea for sure the focal point is tighter, but i would be careful with this blue coating as it might reflect light back into your diode.

 

[DiRollin]

Most binoculars have antireflection coatings on their air to glass surfaces so I hope Its ok... =/ It has a tint of green, blue, and red which leaves me to believe it possess an anti-reflection coating.

 

[Gryphon]

You could test how much it reflects visually be holding the lens infront of you laser at an
angle so any light that does get bounced of the surface wont travel directly back at
the laser, you could do this so the reflected light hits a wall and see how much is
potentially being reflected back into laser when the "cap" is installed.

 

[sandidgepatrick]

very nice!!!! looks like something i wouldve built if i were still getting one....i got tired of all the b.s. with WL....

 

[DiRollin]

You could test how much it reflects visually be holding the lens infront of you laser at an
angle so any light that does get bounced of the surface wont travel directly back at
the laser, you could do this so the reflected light hits a wall and see how much is
potentially being reflected back into laser when the "cap" is installed.

Thanks! Yea just tried that. I tested a normal piece of glass then the lenses I built. The normal glass literally made another spot on the wall. The focus lens which looks like it has green/red/blue tint reflected light back but it was very diffuse and not nearly as bright as the regular glass. All glass will reflect light back for the most part, but it looks as if these should be safe to use. Would you agree? :thanks:

UPDATE* I actually just did that same little test and the Training lens that the Arctic came with reflects lots of light back! Is it safe to assume that the training lens might not be good for the laser?

 

[Gryphon]

I actually just did that same little test and the Training lens that the Arctic came with reflects lots of light back! Is it safe to assume that the training lens might not be good for the laser?

Wow! That doesn't sound good for a diode laser at all. I have lost 1W 808nm
laser diodes that way, i would sure hate to lose a spyder cause of back reflection.
Bad design flaw if you ask me