Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea! :-)

[danq]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Danq, I used this site: http://webphysics.davidson.edu/physlet_resources/dav_optics/Examples/optics_bench.html

Basic, but easy to visualise setups.

Ah, now I get it... I'd seen that Java-based app in several sites, but hadn't seen how to make a concave lense - just now figured that out. There's a larger-sized version at http://www.hazelwood.k12.mo.us/~grichert/optics/intro.html which gives more vertical workspace, you can fit 3 or 4 'beams' stacked.

Looks like each laser does need collimating first to a beam. Seems to me that would be easiest with them in the housings and just bundling those...?

 

[danielbriggs]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

@ Danq:

Thanks! That one has a much bigger workspace

Yep, I'm going to unscrew the heads of the DX/Aixiz modules and use the threads + collimating lens assemblies pushed into a bigger block of aluminium. Then mount the diodes in a cluster. So yeah, just like a big cluster of modules, but have the diodes sat in a nice heatsink, as I'm sure the temp would build up VERY quickly in there with them all being compressed close together.

 

[danielbriggs]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

OK, first off apologies for not updating this project sooner.

I've been busy on the miller and I've made a prototype holder for my diodes. Currently it occupies 7 DX 5mW Diodes, but I will remake the head from aluminium when I can prove the optics work (which I'm currently saving up for).

Again, sorry for the quality of the images, but I don't have a digi camera, just my crappy phone cam.

Let me know what you all think, and I hope to post some updates soon, when I scrape together the cash for the optics!


Dan

 

[danq]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Looks pretty cool so far!

Hey, I've found that those modules' diodes can be pushed a bit...
So you may have a low-level burner there to test before changing the diodes (but the drivers would need modding or swapping).

DanQ

 

[Gazoo]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Just imagine seven open can diodes.. ;D With each one running at a comfortable 250mw's. the total output would be 1.750 watts.. I hope the optics work out, and maybe this can be done without having to use the lenses that come with the modules.

 

[jayrob]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Wow man...That's going to be awesome! Cool project. It looks like you might need to have set screws, or some way of adjusting the modules inside the hex holder. With the amount of thought you must have into this, you probably already talked about it before...
Jay

 

[Switch]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

I don't know if you're gonna be able to combine all those, and at what distance will the beams separate (cause they eventually will separate unfortunately :'( , but will still look super awesome in a foggy sky) but you're definetly gonna have an awsome close to medium range burner

 

[Ouroboros_Rex]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Hi Guys, thanks very much for the optics bench link.  Here's what I came up with.  The Aixiz module lenses are focused to maybe 2 to 3 inches, and the modules are aimed to a tight spot the same distance away.  This part is like a simple short range hex burner.

 Then a concave lens with a neg focal length about 90% of that distance is mounted on a slider and can focus the resulting cone.

  If you want to try this in the optics bench, you can use a single large convex further to the left to simulate the Aixis lens action.  (I never was able to figure out how to produce off-axis lenses in the optics bench program, I had to add the Aixiz lenses in the figure in photoshop.)

  This solution uses the Aixiz lenses, which some folks would rather avoid, but there is no good way to eliminate them for multi-diode setups.  Given that fact, this idea only requires one additional lens and the energy losses are minimized.  I bet a coated lens will pass 90 - 95% of the power from the modules.

  Let me know what you think.

  How close will the Aixiz modules really focus if pushed to the max?  That is the only potential problem I can see.

  p.s.  Note that with the right concave lens, you can make the beams actually go straight or diverge at the closest position, not just a far focus.  A flip-in diffuser before the concave focus lens (flipped out of the path for burning, of course) would make this a genuine Larry Niven-style flashlight-laser, just like in his _Ringworld_ novel!

(this server isn't showing the diagram in preview, hopefully it will get through.)





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[philguy]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Just a little off-topicish sidenote here: Did you know the DX green pen laser's (the standard DX30s etc.) modules have the about same diameter the Aixizs have?
So you might be able to turn this thing into a 210mW greenie with 7 DX30s, higher individual powers as desired (haha, imagine seven real 200mW modles in there...1400mW of pure [incoherent] green...) or use a greenie in the middle as "targeting laser".

 

[rog8811]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

or use a greenie in the middle as "targeting laser".

I like that

 

[Switch]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Ouroboros_Rex I don't know what you mean exactly but I don't think you can combine beams with lenses :-/

 

[danq]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Ouroboros_Rex I don't know what you mean exactly but I don't think you can combine beams with lenses :-/

uhhh.... Switch, have you read the 12 pages of posts in this thread that discuss this? It's about focusing multiple beams together - maybe not coherently, but most of it has been pretty clear


DanQ

 

[Ouroboros_Rex]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Ouroboros_Rex I don't know what you mean exactly but I don't think you can combine beams with lenses :-/

 Yes, and no.  You cannot take _parallel_ beams and combine them with simple lenses, as far as I know.  For that, it seems you need beam splitter cubes or other reflective superimposition tricks.

 However, note that if you take away the moving concave lens from my quickie design, all you have is seven stationary modules (probably mounted in super sculpey to allow precise aiming), all focusing their beams to a single point.  No actual combining is done - the beams will proceed out from that point along separate paths, if no target is present to stop them.

 All the adjustable lens does is dictate how far away the focus point is formed. So in this case, the word 'combine' refers to something this design does not technically bother to do.  =)

 

[Ouroboros_Rex]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Just a little off-topicish sidenote here: Did you know the DX green pen laser's (the standard DX30s etc.) modules have the about same diameter the Aixizs have?
So you might be able to turn this thing into a 210mW greenie with 7 DX30s, higher individual powers as desired (haha, imagine seven real 200mW modles in there...1400mW of pure [incoherent] green...) or use a greenie in the middle as "targeting laser".

I have considered using six 1 watt 808 nm units in 9mm cases, with a green aiming beam, but don't want to get into active cooling if I don't have to. Maybe next time. =)

 

[danielbriggs]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

Hi Everyone
I'm Back!

Ouroboros_Rex I don't know what you mean exactly but I don't think you can combine beams with lenses :-/

Ohhhhhh yes you can!
I used some lenses that my Physics department had lying around, and managed to get, a *roughly* parallel beam out. The lenses used were not the best, (in terms of ratio/distance matchings), and they were only put in place by hand, fairly accurate, but not exact. I didn't have my meter with me, so I can't verify the total power combined, and the amount lost through optics. I'll have to try that next time.

I know I still haven't actually finished this yet, but I'm constantly adjusting the design as I go along to make the final one better

Also, just a few minor updates:

• Glass lenses ordered from Aixiz to squeeze every last drop out of the system
• Redesigned the head array to fix a few problems and issues observed with the acrylic prototype
• Purchased all 200mW diodes needed
• Purchased all Aixiz housings needed
• Purchased all circuitry components needed (I'm going for 6-7 separate LM317's in a T-629 package)

Leaving me with the following to address:

• Purchase required optics from Edmund Optics (VERY pricey!!!)
• Find a suitable housing (it's looking like it's going to be the 3-4D Cell Maglite at present, as it has a lot of room)
• Purchase suitable batteries (I think I will go for 4x 186500 - with 2 sets of 2 in series)
• Machine aluminium diode head array (design more or less worked out all of the kinks)
• Swap out 5mW diodes with 200mW diodes
• Test

Now I know I could slap all this together in a weekend, but to be honest, I don't have the money to buy everything upfront, plus I want to make this laser a great piece of engineering, not something that just about works, or will only last for a couple of hours.
I'll leave you with a quote I like from Sir Henry Royce:
“Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.”

I'll keep you all updated, (hopefully sooner next time)


Dan

 

[danielbriggs]

Re: Hex DIY Red Laser - The ULTIMATE burner idea!

or use a greenie in the middle as "targeting laser".

I like that

I like that too! I'll have to look at getting one of those bare 5mW Green modules from DX. I'd like to stick in a DXTrue30, but I've heard they are very hard to neatly extract. Anyone care to en"lighten" me on this?


Dan