How to make your way overspec $5 pen focusable + new bonus section added

[Nutball]

It worked for me. Cool!

 

[GSS]

Nice necro post and glad it worked out.
It was nice to re read some of Pman post's, especially since just about all of content of this thread was before I joined the forum..

 

[Nutball]

I am curious to know why the power seems to vary so much with these pens. I didn't see a pot on the regulator in Pman's first post towards the bottom, so it probably isn't from slight differences in how it was adjusted. Maybe the design of the regulator is so bad that each one has a different output? I ordered 100 voltage boosters once, and found a significant variation in output to the point of being able to sort then into about 5-10 groups.

I wonder if the modules could be pressed out somehow. Problem is, it probably has to be pressed out the back, but needs to go forward to get the button out first.

Anyway I picked up 3 405's and 2 more red and greens. The 405's all seem strong, and can focus to inside the host! I got a mid power green maybe 40-60mW I'm guessing, and a low power one I'd guess to be 5-20mW. Both reds appear very similar and weak with an unusually light weight host compared to the 532 and 405.

I have to say it is kinda nice to have such variation in output,so I can decide between using a safer weak laser or a super bright burning laser.

 

[GSS]

Just cheap low cost drivers that are all over the place with no consistecy.
It looks like the pot less driver is a red laser although iv'e seen the 532's without one.
Cheapie pens are still fun and you could try what Pman did and use a 10440 battery and spacer

 

[Nutball]

I actually found last night that weak green was just an unstable one. I tried using it for longer than a quick flash and saw it flicker bright and dim for 15 seconds until it became a solid medium power. I found that if shut off for a second, then first 1/20th of a second was as bright if not brighter than my solid steady 70mW green pen just like it.

I guessed the reds were <5mW, and they are. The module is like one I recently too macro pics of. It's an exposed diode without much heatsinking. It still can hurt a little if focused and shined on a sharpied spot on the skin, but can't make a black match smoke like the 10mW setting on my pocket laser can.

 

[GSS]

Yes the 532's can have a way of using them and figuring out how they like to run. I have a few that also start "Bright" and dim. Again from cheap driver's but still fun.
Iv'e had a even cheaper 3 button top battery dollar store pointer actually melt the plastic lens. Makes me play very carefully with my cat even though the chance of hurting her eyes are very low..