Making a high powered laser *New Q's*

[el-taco]

What would be the easiest way to make a laser myself?

Im looking for quite high power, but sub-$100.

I dont have many tools or much knowledge aswell.

Look afew replies down for the new questions

 

[GooeyGus]

Re: Easiest way to make a reasonably high power la

get yourself a diode and module from senkat. http://sales.stonetek.org

next, build an LM317 driver (look in the experiments and mods sections for a thread started by daedal called make your own driver, or something like that) or buy a rkcstr driver from senkat's page (if he still has them?) or straight from rkcstr.

Hook it all up to 7v and you're done.

 

[GooeyGus]

Re: Easiest way to make a reasonably high power la

I thought I would add, its a bit more involved than that, but one cant really lay it all out in one post. I would highly suggest read this section, the red laser section, and the experiments and mods section for more info. You'll find it, it's everywhere!

 

[Bionic-Badger]

Re: Easiest way to make a reasonably high power la

Or you could just buy one.

Wait... but you want to build one right?  Still, you're going to need a decent host for the laser or you're going to burn it out pretty quickly without decent heatsinking (I know plenty about doing that).  So you still might consider buying a laser and then just taking out what's inside so you can have a decent host.  Even that $17 red stage laser is pretty nice for its metal laser housing and heatsink.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Re: Easiest way to make a reasonably high power la

Let me figure this out ---

Quite powerful Laser = Easy + no$ + no tools + no knowledge + no desire to research for knowledge = ZERO.

Sorry -- It doesn't figure in my book.

Mike

 

[GooeyGus]

Re: Easiest way to make a reasonably high power la

Let me figure this out ---

Quite powerful Laser = Easy + no$ + no tools + no knowledge + no desire to research for knowledge = ZERO.

Sorry -- It doesn't figure in my book.

Mike

These things don't build themselves anymore? I wish I had gotten the memo...

 

[keeperx]

Re: Easiest way to make a reasonably high power la

ok what you need to do is build a solar laser.. its easy.. just get a magnifying glasses and BAM burn ants all day long...

 

[GooeyGus]

Re: Easiest way to make a reasonably high power la

ok what you need to do is build a solar laser.. its easy.. just get a magnifying glasses and BAM burn ants all day long...

that's not a laser though, just focused light

 

[el-taco]

I have been looking around the forums and Ive seen various things that I'd need if I wanted to make my own.

The ones I am aware of is an Aixiz module, a driver, a diode, a heatsink, and something to put it in.

Is there anything Im missing? Will the Sony module from stonetek work with a regular Aixiz module?

Also, another question. I have an old Maglite rip off which one day many years ago stopped working, and this thing is quite big. Would that be okay to hold all the components?

 

[pseudolobster]

yes, the stonetek diode will fit in an aixiz module.

yes, a maglite will work... really anything you can jam it in will work, though you might need to figure out a way of heatsinking the module.. if you have access to a lathe and some scrap aluminum it shouldn't be much work.. otherwise you may have to look for some kind of washers or something that will fit in the lens portion of the maglite and fit snugly against the aixiz module.

 

[el-taco]

yes, the stonetek diode will fit in an aixiz module.

yes, a maglite will work... really anything you can jam it in will work, though you might need to figure out a way of heatsinking the module.. if you have access to a lathe and some scrap aluminum it shouldn't be much work.. otherwise you may have to look for some kind of washers or something that will fit in the lens portion of the maglite and fit snugly against the aixiz module.

Does the image below sort of show what the heatsink should be?

Where the green is the module, the black is the maglite or whatever and the red is the heatsink itself?

EDIT: Also, which driver would be the most suitable? Im not too confident I could make one myself.

And beside the ones I listed above (Aixiz module, diode, driver, host and heatsink), what would I need?

Also, could someone please explain which of what I should get. Im looking at Stonetek's Sony diode preinstalled in the Aixiz module, but thats all Ive really come to a decision on.

 

[pseudolobster]

well, rckstr has a cheap adjustable driver that does the job quite well.. they're about $10 and you can get them in the buy/sell/trade section. they take 6-12v though, so you'll need more in the way of batteries.

drlava also has an adjustable driver for about $20.. his runs off a couple AA batteries or a single lithium cell, and is much more efficient than rckstr's. also available in the buy/sell/trade section.

 

[el-taco]

well, rckstr has a cheap adjustable driver that does the job quite well.. they're about $10 and you can get them in the buy/sell/trade section. they take 6-12v though, so you'll need more in the way of batteries.

drlava also has an adjustable driver for about $20.. his runs off a couple AA batteries or a single lithium cell, and is much more efficient than rckstr's. also available in the buy/sell/trade section.

For rckstr's drivers, would a couple of CR2 batteries do the job? Or does it require more? Is it worth paying double for drlava's?