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Has anyone ever tested a generic "Laser 301" build?

jamaall

jamaall

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Nov 11, 2012
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I see so many listings on ebay for "burning lasers" for around $10 and they all use the "Laser 301" host. They claim that they can only burn black tipped matches and I can confirm this to be absolutely true, I've had a green one for over a year. I had just purchased a 405nm and a 650nm for the heck of it, since they're only 10 bucks a pop.

Most of them are listed as 5mW, but they are obviously more powerful than that. Has anyone metered these lasers? If so, what were your results?

EDIT: These lasers can only burn black tipped matches when focused.
 
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jamaall said:
Wow, 75mw is pretty impressive. Well worth the $10 these lasers cost, and the host isn't half bad either. I'm looking forward to receiving them in the next two weeks.
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75mW from a "1mW" pointer is indeed pretty good. Be aware these kind of lasers are a gamble, so some might be over 100mW, while others may be 20mW i.e :)

-Alex
 
Tha Greenlander said:
75mW from a "1mW" pointer is indeed pretty good. Be aware these kind of lasers are a gamble, so some might be over 100mW, while others may be 20mW i.e :)

-Alex
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As long as it can burn a match, I'm happy. I eventually want to buy some higher power lasers from Sci-Fi, but I'll make due with my 3W blue and these ~50mw cheapies. College doesn't allow for the spending of money on lasers haha
 
It's a total cap-shoot what you get at the low end of things. I've got lots of $5 650nm and 405nm pens that will light black/grey/red and green tipped matches and easily burn plastic not to mention pop balloons. Most of the 650nm ones are between 100-130mw (and a few up to 140mw). Much better better burning capabilities than the 532nm ones that are more likely to be form 10-90mw (and most are under 50mw).
However, I am talking about burning capabilities after modifying them to focusable units (see my tutorial link). The tutorial lists the seller for the proper pens you need to do what my tutorial explains in detail. The 405nm pens he sells are about 2/3rds the strength of the 650nm units but can still light red matches easy.
By the way, even if you don't make the pen lasers fully focusable, you can still just focus the lens to a distance you want and leave it like that;)

Be safe! :)
 
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Pman said:
It's a total cap-shoot what you get at the low end of things. I've got lots of $5 650nm and 405nm pens that will light black/grey/red and green tipped matches and easily burn plastic not to mention pop balloons. Most of the 650nm ones are between 100-130mw (and a few up to 140mw). Much better better burning capabilities than the 532nm ones that are more likely to be form 10-90mw (and most are under 50mw).
However, I am talking about burning capabilities after modifying them to focusable units (see my tutorial link). The tutorial lists the seller for the proper pens you need to do what my tutorial explains in detail. The 405nm pens he sells are about 2/3rds the strength of the 650nm units but can still light red matches easy.
By the way, even if you don't make the pen lasers fully focusable, you can still just focus the lens to a distance you want and leave it like that;)

Be safe! :)
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These lasers I bought are actually focusable already and arent in a standard pen host, but thanks! If I ever want a cheap project, I'll look into this.
 
Understood that (and I do own a few 301 units). Never liked the 301 though as they have very sloppy mechanics.
The "big" deal with the ones in my tutorial is that they can easily be made focusable, are very inexpensive and are sold out of N.Y.C and shipped for free first class.
SADLY, I just checked on the seller and found out that he is now taking advantage of the popularity of his units to gouge the prices and he now wants something like $55.00 for the 3 set! VERY disappointed in this as I now have none to recommend to go with my tutorial as I've found that most other sellers units aren't built like the ones I use. I just purchased 15 of the 532nm from him and 5 sets of the triple colored units this past August that I gave away to the guys that were in or were family members for my daughters wedding and the prices were still great. Stinks.
The seller can claim all those big sales on the units and make it look like everyone was willing to pay the big bucks on them.
If anyone finds the ones that are like my tutorial shows let me know especially if they are US units.

Pete

It sounds like you haven't received the 405nm and 650nm units yet. It is very likely they will have a greater mw (especially the 650nm one) and be able to light green and red match heads.
 
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There's so many different listings for cheap 5mw lasers that it'd be quite a gamble to purchase them and consistently get over spec pens. If you do find a new seller though, let me know and I'll be sure to follow your tutorial. Its more fun to tinker with them especially when there's barely any risk with the low price point. Thanks!
 
You are welcome.
Will say that in my experience it's actually WAY harder to find pen that is less than 5mw unless you pay a lot for it and then it's still likely to be overspec. There's a never ending choice of sellers and what I've seen is the cheapening of them as more and more people discover them. The pens have less substance to them and the materials are less or cheaper (such as shrinking the heat-sink and parts being flimsy making it very difficult to modify).
Honestly I'm still stunned seeing how much the seller "overfeel" has raised his prices. Find it hard to believe the pens he sells went up 3-4 times in quality and have no intention of spending the $ he's asking to find out. Luckily I really have no reason to purchase anymore at this point in time. Would hate to have to buy from 10 different sellers to find the "good" ones that I modify.
Most of the inexpensive 532nm pens aren't worth making focusable as the output tends to be too low besides for the mw jumping all over the place. You can and I have made some though on a few unusually high output ones that I just got lucky getting.
 
I just purchased a 405nm 301 from an ebay seller named "dantegoods". Can't verify the output as I do not have an LPM but it lit a green headed match just fine. Quite a bit brighter to the eye than my other "5mW" ebay 405nm's.
 
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Frankie9011 said:
I just purchased a 405nm 301 from an ebay seller named "dantegoods". Can't verify the output as I do not have an LPM but it lit a green headed match just fine. Quite a bit brighter to the eye than my other "5mW" ebay 405nm's.
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Yup, I bought a 405nm "Laser 303" (Same as the 301 except it has a defraction lens) and I was able to light white tipped matches with it. So I have to say that it was quite worth it.
 
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