Future of lasers

[paul1598419]

I've got a 650nm at very close to 400 mW in my signature. It is an LPC-840 and has been running fine for several years now. I have it paired with a continuous groung adjustable buck driver from lazeerer. The driver is the most expensive part of this build.

 

[cyberdoc]

I'll have what you're having

I’ll have what he’s had!!

-cd

 

[Nutball]

I like it, it does what I need it too: it has a reasonably safe low power mode "10mw", it's red so it scares noisy crows away, but I've never had crow problems since I got it. It's usually like that: spend a lot of money to fix a problem, and don't even need it anymore. I think it $ well spent being at least 1 year crow free. Anyway those 2 reasons are why I got it since my cheap red wasn't bright enough. I found out it scares crows when I saw them out the window. I remembered a video of a turkey chasing a red laser, so I used my cheap red one to see what they would do if I shined it on the ground, and they flew away.

I like the size. I can't remember how the AW batteries do, I think they are a bit weak too for full power use, but way better than my "500mah" ultrafires (really 150mah) which only give an instant of full power that dropps off to half power after a second. It will light black powder from 2-3ft away with a G7 lens, but can't catch anything else on fire, not even a match very easily as the beam size and output is so little it burns a tiny hole in a match head without getting the surrounding material hot enough. I figure the surrounding material sucks away heat too fast, but it depends on match brand too. It burns plastic and paper well at 3".

The diode picture is of the pocket laser. I think the light comes from the dark area at the end of the narrow strip that has the wire in the middle of it, but I could be wrong.

 

[Richie89]

I've got a 650nm at very close to 400 mW in my signature. It is an LPC-840 and has been running fine for several years now. I have it paired with a continuous groung adjustable buck driver from lazeerer. The driver is the most expensive part of this build.

good god thats actually the highest ive seen from an LPC-840!
what exactly does a continuous ground driver do and what seperates them from other drivers that ive used, ive never messed with continuous ground drivers so thats why i have no idea how theyre wired or work. thanks

I’ll have what he’s had!!

-cd

haha

 

[paul1598419]

Lazeerer made many drivers, most of which were not continuous ground. He made some that way in order to allow grounding through the cathode pin on the driver to a case pin. Otherwise, this is not possible because the current sense is located on the cathode connection on the driver. I thought that most of his driver were all continuous ground, but found out the hard way that this is not the case.

 

[Richie89]

Lazeerer made many drivers, most of which were not continuous ground. He made some that way in order to allow grounding through the cathode pin on the driver to a case pin. Otherwise, this is not possible because the current sense is located on the cathode connection on the driver. I thought that most of his driver were all continuous ground, but found out the hard way that this is not the case.

oh okay I see now, thanks for clarifying for me :beer:

 

[paul1598419]

I had wired some Nano Boost drivers with the case pin connected to the cathode connector on the driver because a member wanted them that way. It worked fine until I put it in a host. Then it lost regulation and would turn off and on and do all sorts of weird things. As soon as I took the host apart it worked fine. I thought it was a heat issue at first, but later tried it apart with the host clip leaded together and this gave me my answer. I almost never use the case pin to ground the host, so this was a first for me.

 

[Richie89]

I had wired some Nano Boost drivers with the case pin connected to the cathode connector on the driver because a member wanted them that way. It worked fine until I put it in a host. Then it lost regulation and would turn off and on and do all sorts of weird things. As soon as I took the host apart it worked fine. I thought it was a heat issue at first, but later tried it apart with the host clip leaded together and this gave me my answer. I almost never use the case pin to ground the host, so this was a first for me.

that makes perfect sense now, that's probably why I havnt had this issue or encountered this before because I usually only mess with the Survival drivers and drivers that Jordan wires for me (im laser lazy):na:
one of these days ill solder my first rectangular driver to a module. lol
Jordan has made it so easy for us all to be lazy

 

[paul1598419]

Yes, Jordan has made a living out of doing excellent customer service to the LPF community since he joined here some 8 or 9 years ago. He does this so often that I'm sure it has become second nature to him. I have been building my own modules for many years now, so I often do it for members here. BTW, + Rep.

 

[Richie89]

Yes, Jordan has made a living out of doing excellent customer service to the LPF community since he joined here some 8 or 9 years ago. He does this so often that I'm sure it has become second nature to him. I have been building my own modules for many years now, so I often do it for members here. BTW, + Rep.

yeah no kidding, I sometimes take the back of the modules off and like to see how good the soldering is, also products I get from Gary have very good soldering, as im sure you're very good at it also
I have been soldering for a couple years now and Im still no where near as good as a lof of people on here. I realized a while back that soldering is a skill and no one can just pick up a soldering iron and be perfect, mine certainly sucks. I also didn't know you did this for members, ill have to keep this in mind, thanks Paul

 

[paul1598419]

Soldering is a skill like any other. It takes good equipment and solder and lots of practice. If you have a cheap soldering iron, cheap 60% lead solder, all the practice in the world won't make it look and work any better.

 

[Richie89]

Soldering is a skill like any other. It takes good equipment and solder and lots of practice. If you have a cheap soldering iron, cheap 60% lead solder, all the practice in the world won't make it look and work any better.

yeah that's very true. I have a cheap little soldering iron right now that works okay for now. I have been wanting to get a Weller for quite some time now. what kind do you have? you seem like a Weller kind of guy

 

[RedCowboy]

I have a basic temp controlled solder station with a pointy tip in my iron, well rounded pointy tip, just don't use any flat/chisel tips for small board work. Secure your work piece and brace your hands against your table top, use reading glasses if you need them and with practice you will learn. You want to heat the union so the solder flows into it but without cooking your work piece, it helps to wet your tip and tin wires ahead of time, you will learn how to pull away to get the best results. Check your work before assembly.

I use this solder as it wets quickly and solidifies quickly with no plastic state, the thin dia. .020 - .031 is nice to work with and 63/37 also has the lowest working temp.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kester-24-...itm=292370210322&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1

 

[paul1598419]

I have several solder stations, Richie. The one I use most of the time is my rework station the has a temperature controlled iron up to 500* C and forced air that is controllable to 500* C and the air volume can be controlled from 0.5 liters/ min to several liters/ min. The tips are earth grounded and I have 7 different sizes from the smallest point to the largest chisel point. Since getting this, I rarely use my Weller any longer, though it is a very nice temperature controlled iron too.

I have many different types of solder from AgSnPb to 63% Sn/ 37% Pb. Most are rosin core solders. I also have solder paste to be used when doing very fine rework soldering.

 

[Richie89]

I have a basic temp controlled solder station with a pointy tip in my iron, well rounded pointy tip, just don't use any flat/chisel tips for small board work. Secure your work piece and brace your hands against your table top, use reading glasses if you need them and with practice you will learn. You want to heat the union so the solder flows into it but without cooking your work piece, it helps to wet your tip and tin wires ahead of time, you will learn how to pull away to get the best results. Check your work before assembly.

I use this solder as it wets quickly and solidifies quickly with no plastic state, the thin dia. .020 - .031 is nice to work with and 63/37 also has the lowest working temp.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kester-24-...itm=292370210322&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1

oh yeah im definitely gonna have to get a temp control iron, certainly good advice Red i have a magnifying glass that i have on my table but the reading glasses is actually very good idea.

I have several solder stations, Richie. The one I use most of the time is my rework station the has a temperature controlled iron up to 500* C and forced air that is controllable to 500* C and the air volume can be controlled from 0.5 liters/ min to several liters/ min. The tips are earth grounded and I have 7 different sizes from the smallest point to the largest chisel point. Since getting this, I rarely use my Weller any longer, though it is a very nice temperature controlled iron too.

I have many different types of solder from AgSnPb to 63% Sn/ 37% Pb. Most are rosin core solders. I also have solder paste to be used when doing very fine rework soldering.

geez paul, you always seem to have the best equipment
what sucks for me is that im trying to decide if I solder enough to justify spending some good money on a good soldering iron it seems like I only solder once every 2 months. maybe getting a better iron will give me an excuse to use it more

 

[paul1598419]

Thanks, Richie. I have spent a lot of money on test and work equipment. Trying to replicate what I had in my professional life. I'm not there yet, but am always on the lookout for a good deal. You will have to spend some money on soldering station, tips and solder if you even want to be able to do very good work. I couldn't get by with a cheap 30 watt iron that just plugs into an outlet.