First Laser Build - PIC HEAVY!!!

[IsaacT]

Now THERE is an entry no parent except Tony Stark's will ever add to a creepy record book of a child's life. By the way if you never saw Iron Man, go watch it right-the-fuck now before you lose your status as a human being.


So I finally made my first Laser! Incidentally, it is also my first electronics project. And I think I did fairly well, but leave me some notes on anything you think I should work on :beer: Btw, I am calling it the MARS250. Mars cuz I like Mars and it is a red planet and 250 due to the operating current. Would do it but I don't have an LPM yet....Expect a PM in a week or two MarioMaster

EDIT* FIRST OFF I need to thank everyone at Laserchat for being patient with me through all my stupid questions like, "What is parallel?" and "How do I use resistors?". Yall were really an invaluable part of my first build. Thanks a lot guys, yall rock!

So the parts I used are as follows:
1. 0.00 USD - A 16X Closed Can Red Diode I extracted from a broken dvd burner drive I got from a Computer Repair store.
2. 5.00 USD - An Aixiz module bought from Hightechdealz.com
3. 6.00 USD - Flaminpyro Wire(CANNOT recommend this enough!)
4. 8.00 USD - Project Box from Radioshack(useful products but the employees were NO help with resistors or switches or even voltage regulators)
5. 2.50 USD - LM317T
6. 2.00 USD - A pack of 10 Ohm Resistors
7. 2.50 USD - A 3-Prong Toggle Switch with a Safety Cover
8. 2.50 USD - Heatshrink Tubing
TOTAL PRICE OF ITEMS: 28.50

Tools I used:
1. Soldering Iron
2. Harbor Freight Rotary Tool
3. Hot Glue Gun

Before making this one, I had tried the day before to make a PHR build. I killed the first one because of my lack of experience and skill with a soldering iron.:yabbem: So I removed the dead diode from the heatsink I was using(one of pontiacq5's oversized heads from the Groove GB he was making them for.) Unfortunately, removing it made the part where you pressfit the diodes too wide to press fit again, so I had to put that project box to the side until I have time to work on it and change out the heads. :undecided: However, I feel that I did a nice job on the outside of it so I really wanna put a few pics of it up in this thread. Keep in mind this has been my first time using things like a dremel or soldering iron so what may not look perfect to you looks AMAZING to me Anyway, there are just 2 so here ya go:

Love the heads, Pontiacq5, cannot WAIT to get the Groove!

In this pic you can see two LEDs. I was using them to indicate emission.

What is really cool is that they were 405nm so they would have matched the PHR build PERFECTLY.

Anyway, love this laser, and now I will let the pictures do the talking.

But first a video

I will definitely get some burning videos and whatnot tomorrow when my sister isn't sleeping(she has the ACT tomorrow....let's see if she can do better than me :eg: ) *EDIT* HERE IS A VIDEO OF BALLOON POPPING. The matches I had were old, and it took awhile to make it work. Also, it wasn't showing up because the right side of the laser covered it up so I cut the majority of that portion. Anyway, here 'tis:


Now for teh pics

The innards:

The exterior:

Beam/Dot Shots:

Note: the wall I was shining it on was red. This was not a really bad collimation causing it to light up the whole wall.

Anyway, I hope yall like it, and again leave me some pointerz in the comments so I can get better

Peace,
Isaac

PS- I feel like more of a laserist now

 

[3zuli]

you should add an small heatsink to the LM317 and laser (like this: http://aixiz.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=223)
I love these big car safety switches :gj:

 

[Cyparagon]

Just watch the duty cycle. The diode will probably over-heat before the lm317 does.

 

[IsaacT]

Ya I was gonna put a nice little heatsink on the LM317T but the thermal stuff I got wasn't epoxy and I had used up all my funds :/ 7.90/hr SUCKS.

 

[comradmax]

Congrats on a 1st working laser! Very nicely done, and especially for a first electronics project, not just a first laser.

Too bad about your head/heatsink that you can't use anymore. At 250mA the LOC should be OK in just the Aixiz, but with relatively short cycles. How hot does it get and how fast?

I also second the heatsink on the LM317. With a 9V batt it has to dissipate a lot of power through heat. If my calculations are correct: LOC takes 2.8V at 250mA, LM317 takes 1.6, that's a total "used" voltage of 4.4. LM317 will have to dissipate 9-4.4=4.6V through heat, which at 250mA is 1.15W.

BTW, if you count the actual parts used in this project, it comes to way less than $20 for a working burning red laser!:beer:

 

[vk2fro]

I used a similar switch on one of my greens - it was listed in the jaycar catalogue as "Red missile launch toggle saftey switch".

Its true about those missile switches - when you see one you know not to touch it unless you know what it does (in our case, fires our lasers)

the finishing touches around one of those switches is the yellow and black diagonal strips with the word "FIRE" below

 

[daguin]

HEY! You don't look anything like Han Solo :banned:

Congratulations on your first build. May you have many more

Peace,
dave

 

[Morgan]

Great end result for those. Well done!

Just a word on the the colour of your LEDs that indicate emission - It is usual to make them a colour that your safety goggles will pass so you can tell even when wearing them. For example a red LED to indicate a green laser is active, etc. It will look cool, granted, and at these powers probably not necessary at all but it's worth thinking about. This is not to take anything away from your builds; they're great; just a snippet for the future.

Good work, I look forward to more...

M

 

[IsaacT]

Congrats on a 1st working laser! Very nicely done, and especially for a first electronics project, not just a first laser.

Too bad about your head/heatsink that you can't use anymore. At 250mA the LOC should be OK in just the Aixiz, but with relatively short cycles. How hot does it get and how fast?

I also second the heatsink on the LM317. With a 9V batt it has to dissipate a lot of power through heat. If my calculations are correct: LOC takes 2.8V at 250mA, LM317 takes 1.6, that's a total "used" voltage of 4.4. LM317 will have to dissipate 9-4.4=4.6V through heat, which at 250mA is 1.15W.

BTW, if you count the actual parts used in this project, it comes to way less than $20 for a working burning red laser!:beer:

Thanks! Well, it is actually a short closed can diode I extracted from a 16X DVD burner. Wish I had an LOC lol. When I get more funds I will invest in some epoxy and attach a heatsink

I used a similar switch on one of my greens - it was listed in the jaycar catalogue as "Red missile launch toggle saftey switch".

Its true about those missile switches - when you see one you know not to touch it unless you know what it does (in our case, fires our lasers)

the finishing touches around one of those switches is the yellow and black diagonal strips with the word "FIRE" below

I am definitely gonna need to get one of those!!!! And a few warning stickers

HEY! You don't look anything like Han Solo :banned:

Congratulations on your first build. May you have many more

Peace,
dave

If I looked like Han Solo I would be out gettin a princess instead of building lasers....but we can't ALL look like Harrison Ford Thanks!

Great end result for those. Well done!

Just a word on the the colour of your LEDs that indicate emission - It is usual to make them a colour that your safety goggles will pass so you can tell even when wearing them. For example a red LED to indicate a green laser is active, etc. It will look cool, granted, and at these powers probably not necessary at all but it's worth thinking about. This is not to take anything away from your builds; they're great; just a snippet for the future.

Good work, I look forward to more...

M

I had not even thought of that! *facepalm* I will have to rethink my setup for future builds. And with a 14 yr old brother, I think safety is a priority.

Peace,
Isaac

 

[Flaminpyro]

Good job on your first build
I was wondering, what is the screw doing there connected to the power switch ?

 

[bbshamsa]

Great first build!

That switch is on my to-get list for sure.

It'll be really interesting to see how much power it puts out when you get the chance to measure it.

Well done.

 

[vk2fro]

you can buy the missile cover seperatly from the switch - they come in 2 varietys, the kind you see here, and also the kind that covers a backlit pressbutton, to prevent accidental pressing.

 

[IsaacT]

Good job on your first build
I was wondering, what is the screw doing there connected to the power switch ?

The switch comes with three prongs - ACC/POWER/GROUND. So ACC went to the driver/diode and power went to the Battery, and I used the isolated screw as ground(something the guy at radioshack suggested....I did have any better ideas so I went with it.)

I want to make a :gun: soon and I found a switch I LOVE. But the only problem is that it is an Automotive Toggle Switch and has 6 prongs. Anyone know how to wire one of those?

 

[AUTO XX]

the 6 prong switch is probably just a double pole/double throw
chose one side (3 in line) and wire them up as you did this one. the other side could be used even with a separate circuit to power your indicator led

 

[bbshamsa]

By the way, I just noticed from this pic...

... that your Aixiz module and LD give exactly the same strange line through your dot when focused as I got when I was testing my first DDL breadboard driver with a harvested dvd-writer diode.

That was part of the reason I decided to buy a brand new set of Rohm diodes for my first build in the first place.

Anyone know why this happens?

 

[Benm]

I like the rocket launch switch

That screw is one of the most bizarre things i've ever seen - what on earth is that good for? It looks like its powered up when you turn the laser off, but not connected to anything - mystery decoy component?!