FS: 405-G-1 Glass Lens Mod - 31% Increase vs AixiZ!

[jayrob]

rcgrabbag, I'm sending your 405-G-1 glass lens assembly today. (Wednesday)

Thanks!

 

[jayrob]

405-G-1 glass lens assemblies shipped today: (Monday)

MikeO (with Phaser kit)
Zapu

Thanks!

 

[ZapU]

I received mine yesterday. Nice build, great service. :thanks:

Unfortunately, I can't get it to work in the Arctic. The lens bottoms out about 3.3mm recessed into the housing, and the 405-G-1 measures 10.3mm long. The diode is 14.5mm deep. I tried removing the spring, no difference. I'm surprised it has to be less than .9mm from the diode to focus. I'm not sure the diode is centered, it looks like it is slightly off to one side, like Coherent's. Still, the lens focus was getting better as it was screwed down, looked like another 1/2 turn would have done it.

I would advise Arctic owners to just get the AixiZ 445 lens instead if they have the old style Arctic lens. The new style Arctic lens is basically the same as the AixiZ half thread and works fine. I was just hoping to get more burning power.

 

[jayrob]

I don't have an Arctic so I don't know exactly what the problem is, but from what I read from other guys, it sounds like the modules uses are not all the same.

One person told me that the 405-G-1 was so loose in the module, that he had to glue it in place...

And your the second person that has said it is tight.

If it is just the threads being tight, I can fix that by running the lens nut through my 9mm die to clean the black finish off. Then it should make the difference...

PM me if you want to send it back to me and I can do that for you...

 

[Coherent Light]

I received mine yesterday. Nice build, great service. :thanks:

Unfortunately, I can't get it to work in the Arctic. The lens bottoms out about 3.3mm recessed into the housing, and the 405-G-1 measures 10.3mm long. The diode is 14.5mm deep. I tried removing the spring, no difference. I'm surprised it has to be less than .9mm from the diode to focus. I'm not sure the diode is centered, it looks like it is slightly off to one side, like Coherent's. Still, the lens focus was getting better as it was screwed down, looked like another 1/2 turn would have done it.

I would advise Arctic owners to just get the AixiZ 445 lens instead if they have the old style Arctic lens. The new style Arctic lens is basically the same as the AixiZ half thread and works fine. I was just hoping to get more burning power.

Like Jay said take a look at the threads on the host. I did have to run the lens in and out a few times to get it to go all the way to the bottom. Don't strip the threads on the host it's soft aluminium, and the threads on mine are not cut very well as they approach the diode. Check to see if You can rock the lens side to side, as You might have to put a little pressure on one side or the other to achieve perfect focus. You should be able to get it to work, because I did. It is however a little tricky getting best focus, but if You fiddle with it long enough it'll work.

 

[ZapU]

Like Jay said take a look at the threads on the host. I did have to run the lens in and out a few times to get it to go all the way to the bottom. Don't strip the threads on the host it's soft aluminium, and the threads on mine are not cut very well as they approach the diode. Check to see if You can rock the lens side to side, as You might have to put a little pressure on one side or the other to achieve perfect focus. You should be able to get it to work, because I did. It is however a little tricky getting best focus, but if You fiddle with it long enough it'll work.

Ok, update!

The problem I had was the same as Coherent's. It wouldn't stay focused, the lens slops around when no Teflon tape is used. As soon as you set it, it changes dramatically when you move the laser, even when you just release the screwdriver. Had to wrap 3 turns to hold it still. Could have used more.
I also had to take the spring out.

This is how I was able to focus the lens. What makes it easy is this tool.

You can focus while the laser is on:

This is the beam at 20'. About an inch wide. The Arctic lens is 1/2 inch.
You get a cleaner line from the 405-G-1. It actually focuses a sharper line than this pic.

Here's the 405-G-1 on the left and the stock Arctic on the right.

Now, the main reason for trying this lens, increased burning power.
As I showed in the vid in my sig, I could burn a hole through a CD stack base in 2-3 secs with the stock lens.

With the 405-G-1, the burn time was 6-8 seconds! I tried different focus points, different distances, that was as good as I could get.

Why would a multi element lens beat a single element lens? Best thing I can tell is I could focus to a tighter spot with the stock lens, much like at 20 feet.

I have a Kenometer USB on order, when I get it, I'll take readings with both lens and see if it confirms my burn test.

Jay, thanks for offering to tweak my lens threads. It was actually too loose, not tight. The Arctic lens just as loose and needs tape and the spring to keep it in place. It's not as sensitive to focus as the 405-G-1.

 

[Coherent Light]

That's odd My burn time decreased with the 405-G-1 lens, but I also got a smaller line than with the 445 lens. Are You saying that the line is cleaner but longer with the 405 vs the 445?

 

[jayrob]

Hope your not putting the lens in backwards...

My 405-G-1 modification uses the same AixiZ lens nut, but the nut is inverted for my modification.

See this picture:

 

[ZapU]

That's odd My burn time decreased with the 405-G-1 lens, but I also got a smaller line than with the 445 lens. Are You saying that the line is cleaner but longer with the 405 vs the 445?

Hope your not putting the lens in backwards...

My 405-G-1 modification uses the same AixiZ lens nut, but the nut is inverted for my modification.

See this picture:

I put the lens end toward the diode.


I was surprised by the results too.

Yes, it was twice as long. The Arctic lens may not be the same an AixiZ 445. It looks similar, but has a slots cut into the bottom end.

I'll do the burn test with video for comparison.

 

[Coherent Light]

I was surprised by the results too.

Yes, it was twice as long. The Arctic lens may not be the same an AixiZ 445. It looks similar, but has a slots cut into the bottom end.

I'll do the burn test with video for comparison.

You still should have had the same results as I did with Jay's lens. Where as I got a smaller cleaner line You got a LARGER cleaner line. Something is different here between our two setups. Now my diode is pressed off center, and maybe that accounts for why my line is smaller. Hope the power reading can solve this, because it just don't add up.

 

[ZapU]

You still should have had the same results as I did with Jay's lens. Where as I got a smaller cleaner line You got a LARGER cleaner line. Something is different here between our two setups. Now my diode is pressed off center, and maybe that accounts for why my line is smaller. Hope the power reading can solve this, because it just don't add up.

Was your Arctic lens the first style (full threads) or second style (half threads)?

 

[Coherent Light]

Half threaded, but the slits in mine don't go as far up the module as in the picture. I think mine is a cross between the two or was one that was manufactured incorrectly.

 

[ZapU]

That's odd My burn time decreased with the 405-G-1 lens, but I also got a smaller line than with the 445 lens. Are You saying that the line is cleaner but longer with the 405 vs the 445?

Arctic lens:

405-G-1:

Notice how fine the line is with the 405-G-1:

 

[jayrob]

I put the lens end toward the diode.


I was surprised by the results too.

Yes, it was twice as long. The Arctic lens may not be the same an AixiZ 445. It looks similar, but has a slots cut into the bottom end.

I'll do the burn test with video for comparison.

In other words, the top of the assemblies in your picture there, are towards the diodes. So the lenses in your picture are upside down, correct?

 

[ZapU]

In other words, the top of the assemblies in your picture there, are towards the diodes. So the lenses in your picture are upside down, correct?

Correct

 

[jayrob]

405-G-1 glass lens assemblies shipping today: (Tuesday)

insaneware (your lenses)
x101xtreme (with kit)

Thanks!