I want to build a lab style very well heatsinked laser, any tutorials?

[ossumguywill]

So I have my little aixiz module with a red powered @ 200mA in it. Now today at my school, there was a box of broken computers. I naturally dissected one, and took some stuff from it. I have a big old copper CPU heatsink from thermaltake (but I gave the fan to my friend for his xbox) and I got a little northbridge cooler with a tiny little fan. It works really well, I lit some alcohol on the back, it burned for about a minute but was cool to the touch (fan on), so I assume it's good. I also went out and got some thermal compound, I'm thinking of smearing a bit around the head of my laser, but I have no idea how to attatch the aixiz to the heatsink. Does anyone have any advice or tutorials?

Thanks,
Will.

 

[BuildAbluraylaser]

You should take a look at Jayrob's TEC tutorial, that's realy one of the best way to heatsink a LD.

Else you'll need to drill a hole the size of the module and squeez it in, applying thermal
compound at contact points.

 

[ElektroFreak]

Using a TEC is a great way, but building a proper active TEC driver is not for the faint of heart. A simpler approach would be to use a z-bolt heatsink: Class IIIb Green Laser Modules - > 5 mW for OEM Products, Research, Hobbies

It's the HS-1a heatsink third down in the list in the middle of the page. It fits aixiz modules or any other 12mm module (most green modules are 12mm) and will keep your module nice and cool. The top is drilled for a small fan.

 

[ossumguywill]

OK guys so I found a project box that fits my big copper heatsink perfectly, it already has some switches in it I can't get out so I'll just use those, and I have the holes for my fan all drilled out. It's gonna suck air past the batteries, drivers, etc and out near the diode itself. I just need to find a good non-battery power supply.

 

[BuildAbluraylaser]

When I want a power supply, I go to my local surplus shop and grab a wall power adapter ($2 to $6), most of the time 12v 1A, sometimes 9V 0.5A. If you have any of those, then it's a good way to go. Else I heard you can use computer power supplies, but they are bigger.

 

[ossumguywill]

When I want a power supply, I go to my local surplus shop and grab a wall power adapter ($2 to $6), most of the time 12v 1A, sometimes 9V 0.5A. If you have any of those, then it's a good way to go. Else I heard you can use computer power supplies, but they are bigger.

Lol, today at school I found a computer in the trash, so I took the PSU home. I just finished it, it gives 3.3, 5, 12, and with the -12 rail, 15.3, 17, and 24 volts. It has a switch, now I just have to give it indicator LEDs. And the laser, I took out some heatsink fins to make space for the module, got the fan hole drilled out, just need to polish it to keep the fins from hitting. Cracked the housing when I was drilling holes for wires but it's a small crack. about 1/3rd of they way there to my first "real" home built laser, the circuit I have right now sits on a solderless breadboard and therefore does not count. Thanks guys now I just need to check my soldered circuit with a test load when laserbee's resistors get here...