JayGuin 445nm "Razor Lazor" Review

[kevinmassey]

Nice hosts . Sorry my pics suck .
Ra, How hot does your host get after 2 minutes at 900mw? My build putting out 900mw goes from 81 degrees to 93 after 90 seconds. I don't run it longer than that.

 

[Traveller]

@Traveller:
By "these hosts" I meant the Cree A10B specifically ... If I knew we would have 1W blue diodes available, I would have chosen copper as the heat-sinking material rather than brass...

Cool!
I didn't know it came in black too?!? I didn't see it at DX, where did you buy it? Btw, do you make your own builds / heatsinks...?

Coming from a PC-building background, I like the idea of a Cu core closely coupled with Al fins. The reason is that Cu absorbs heat more efficiently but Al "releases" heat more efficiently... . The A10B doesn't quite have fins, but the Cu on the inside, Al on the outside comes close I don't know much about brass but I can't imagine it is as efficient as either Cu or Al... :undecided:

Nice hosts ... How hot does your host get after 2 minutes...

I realize your question is directed to Pierce but I wanted to say that this is one very hot laser, even at my more humble 650mW...

Pierce, how hot is your 445 compared to your 12X, given the same host-heatsink configuration?


@both: I'm talking to Jay about making and "extended" nut for the lens assembly to facilitate focusing on these "tactical" hosts... . What are you guys using and are you satisfied with your solution?

 

[kevinmassey]

I'm using 405 glass half threaded aixiz on mine. They work fine for my I've never even burnt my fingers. I think it's because they stick out a little further than full threaded aixiz lenses, but I have 2 445 aixiz lenses coming from jay. We'll see how much better they actually are.

 

[Kenom]

Excellent review as always traveller. No need to comment on the already stated quality of your writing. It's a pleasure to read.

although I'm hurt that you didn't mention me as the first to utilize something other than the aixiz for our laser diodes and a direct diode host/module..:cryyy: I Joke. There are some AWESOME host and now modules out nowadays that utilize a direct pocket. To think that not using an aixiz or meridith module was unheard of over a year ago and we've come so so very far since then.
Ken

 

[nikokapo]

Trav, I'll be expecting your arrival

 

[Prototype]

@Traveller, just noticed what you said. There's nothing like that around here, although there is a classic car show every now and then that's within walking distance, maybe I'll go down there the next time it's in town and see what I can find.

 

[RA_pierce]

Cool!
I didn't know it came in black too?!? I didn't see it at DX, where did you buy it? Btw, do you make your own builds / heatsinks...?

Coming from a PC-building background, I like the idea of a Cu core closely coupled with Al fins. The reason is that Cu absorbs heat more efficiently but Al "releases" heat more efficiently... . The A10B doesn't quite have fins, but the Cu on the inside, Al on the outside comes close I don't know much about brass but I can't imagine it is as efficient as either Cu or Al... :undecided:

I realize your question is directed to Pierce but I wanted to say that this is one very hot laser, even at my more humble 650mW...

Pierce, how hot is your 445 compared to your 12X, given the same host-heatsink configuration?


@both: I'm talking to Jay about making and "extended" nut for the lens assembly to facilitate focusing on these "tactical" hosts... . What are you guys using and are you satisfied with your solution?

I thought about the materials and there were several reasons I chose brass over copper and Al:
-I have an Al version and it is not ideal for high power diodes/modules. It gets very warm quickly with a LOC @ 450mA.
-I wanted to be cheap, and brass was less expensive.
-Brass is heavier than Al, I like the heavy feel

Despite brass' slightly inferior heat-sinking capabilities, it does a very good job. Brass is a copper alloy so it's really not "bad" compared to other metals. And it's other properties score points.
I would say it is better than the Al heat-sink.

The 12X is set at 300mA. With a 5.8Vf, that equals 1.3W of heat.
I can run the 12X at 100% duty cycle. The host never gets much warmer than room temperature and power is rock solid 480mW.

The 445 is set at 1A. The Vf is 4.0V. That equals 3.02W of heat.
I can run the 445 for ~4 minutes at a time before it gets too warm, but output sags as it heats up (temperature sensitive diode?) and by the 3 minute mark the output is usually down to 890mW. It starts off between 980mW and 990mW. I'm not afraid to let this laser heat up a bit, since it is designed with a wide operating temperature range. These diodes are hot, though.

I have no problems focusing mine with a "custom focus ring" I made. I just cut a brass tube to size and pressed the Aixiz focus ring into it. Then I gave it a coat of matte black enamel. It's easy to focus without protruding past the crenelation.

 

[Traveller]

...The 12X is set at 300mA. With a 5.8Vf, that equals 1.3W of heat ... The 445 is set at 1A. The Vf is 4.0V. That equals 3.02W of heat ... These diodes are hot, though.

I have no problems focusing mine with a "custom focus ring" I made.

Hey Pierce, a "belated" thanks for the detailed info (I was on vacation w/limited access to the Net).

3.02W of heat... Sounds like we'll need an "active" cooling solution if we ever want to go continuous with these diodes... !

As for focusing, I recently got Jay's Aixiz 405 lens *and* his custom Aixiz nut which is slightly longer than the standard nut. I'll be testing both lens & nut and will report back with my results

 

[LikeitBright]

The 445nm laser diode is the most exciting development I have seen in a while. The visibility of 1W of this light even in low daylight or dusk is impressive to say nothing of night. The possiblilies..!

 

[Traveller]

... The visibility of 1W of this light even in low daylight or dusk is impressive...

Took it out for New Year's and I have to say that it still blows me away... ! I know that we could just as easily use Moore's law in DIY-lasing but I just can't imagine what's going to replace these 445nm diodes as the next stepping stone in the hobby.

More power makes little sense though... what I'd love to see is more work in various wavelengths and a drastic decline in the price of the more arcane wavelengths :beer:

 

[rvrh3]

Great photography! some of the most impressive ive seen around here. Its like porno for laser geeks!

 

[Traveller]

... Its like porno for laser geeks!

Wow, now that's a compliment! :evil:
No - seriously, thx / much appreciated

p.s. make sure to click on the "thumbs" for the original rez... it only gets better