guide on how to take apart a DX?

[mikeeey]

unfortunatly about 30 minutes ago i dropped my 50mW DX laser on the sidewalk
id say it fell about 3 feet. when i picked it up i tried turning it on right away and it didnt work. i then noticed the button was at more of a slant, and the spring (for the positive battery to touch) was pushed in a little more. when i push the button harder it works.

Is there a guide on how to take apart a DX laser? i think stuff was just banged around so it just needed to be put back into place or re sauldered.


EDIT: fortunatly now its becoming easier to push and just does a little dimming and then goes back to normal every now and then. so thers just something inside thats a little loose. so i just need to get inside and fix this.

 

[RobTheVIP]

Do you have a warranty? I send it back before messing with it!

 

[mikeeey]

Do you have a warranty?  I send it back before messing with it!

dealextreme doesnt offer warrenties do they? i dont think i do.

 

[SenKat]

There are TONS of guides on here, including pics, and tips on how to take one apart - take a peek through a little bit more - HemlockMike is the foremost authority on the DX dissassembly I believe !

 

[mikeeey]

searched and searched, but im afraid i cant find one for a DX laser. iv found other ones. ive even found pictures showing the inside of a DX laser but it didnt say how to take it apart.

 

[SenKat]

VERY odd ! :-?

Okay, well to start with, get a piece of wood - drill a hole in it that is the same size or maybe a little bit smaller around than the lasers head. now, cut that in half, across the center of the hole. Put both halves in a vise, and insert the laser's head. Have the button facing down when you do this. Clamp the laser in nice and tight, and start rotating gently back and forth so the head pops off. once the head pops off, you hsould be able to just gently pull the laser module out of the inside. Hope that helps !

 

[mikeeey]

VERY odd !  :-?

Okay, well to start with, get a piece of wood - drill a hole in it that is the same size or maybe a little bit smaller around than the lasers head.  now, cut that in half, across the center of the hole.  Put both halves in a vise, and insert the laser's head.  Have the button facing down when you do this.  Clamp the laser in nice and tight, and start rotating gently back and forth so the head pops off.  once the head pops off, you hsould be able to just gently pull the laser module out of the inside.  Hope that helps !

thanks. do you think there's a tool that can do this? or will any tool most likely chip the paint or dent it?

 

[SenKat]

I used a pair of vise grips and mangled mine....the battery compartment was already toasted, so it didn't matter to me really ! BUT - If you are going to want to save the way it looks, then I suggest teh wood block method - the wood will cusion it greatly and keep it from getting all scratched up !

 

[High_Octane]

I used a pair of vise grips and mangled mine....the battery compartment was already toasted, so it didn't matter to me really ! BUT - If you are going to want to save the way it looks, then I suggest teh wood block method - the wood will cusion it greatly and keep it from getting all scratched up !

Man I hope you don't work on cars! ;D

Seriously, is the cap glued, or a friction fit, Both?
Would heating the barrel help at all?

 

[chimo]

Seriously, is the cap glued, or a friction fit, Both?
Would heating the barrel help at all?

Both and yes.

 

[rog8811]

I wanted to strip a 5 mw DX down to module size I tried the wood block with no success, I then chucked up the cap in my lathe to try and loosen it...still no go. They are well put together.

I ended up turning the cap off in the lathe and while I was at it turned the other end of the housing down as far as the push button.

I was very pleased with my cut down greenie....until I managed to fry it that is

Regards rog8811

 

[High_Octane]

Thanks chimo for the response, I'll def post when I try to disassemble this thing.

rog8811, What did you do to fry it?

I have noticed that close up I have 2 separate dots??
Why is this? can it be fixed?

 

[pseudonomen137]

And if that wood trick is a bit too difficult for you, a wooden clothespin (come in bags of 100 for a few bucks at wal mart) will do the trick well enough.

If you're getting two dots, that's a problem you can't fix unfortunately. TEM00 mode is a nice, round circle, but sometimes these lasers will shift to TEM01 (two dots side by side), or worse.

 

[rog8811]

rog8811, What did you do to fry it?

I was trying to pulse it to music and accidently put too many volts through it, had I touched it I would have realised it was getting warm and may have saved it but....

New one on its way from DX...................I will try hard not to do the same thing to that one.

I have put up a question on experiments and mods to get an opto isolated circuit that will stop it happening.

Regards rog8811

 

[High_Octane]

And if that wood trick is a bit too difficult for you, a wooden clothespin (come in bags of 100 for a few bucks at wal mart) will do the trick well enough.

If you're getting two dots, that's a problem you can't fix unfortunately. TEM00 mode is a nice, round circle, but sometimes these lasers will shift to TEM01 (two dots side by side), or worse.

Ahhh crap, thought that might be the case, warm or cold this thing stays in this TEM01

Does anybody have the guy from Deal Extreme's E-Mail/User Name?
I really don't want to go thought the risk, hassle or the money to ship this puppy back.
and I don't want to deal with a non english understanding person from their added support.
Maybe we can work something out on the next one.
After all I advertise DX on my Website.