Massively overpowered laser.

[Berc12321]

I love lasers. They just brighten my day [bad pun?].

Anyways. I have purchased a few lasers with differing powers. I have a 5mw, 20mw, and 250mw laser. I have decided that these aren't powerful enough.

So here we go.

I have always bought my lasers from stores or companies and never made one. Ive been searching for a well priced high power laser but cant find one in my color. I have decided to build myself a one watt laser. Heres the parts i will be using.
Blue Laser 1 Watt 445nm Diode with lens - eBay (item 280610851341 end time Feb-01-11 05:58:25 PST)
The laser is benched to 1.5 watts so im not concerned with blowing it out.
The driver i wish to use is a Micro FlexDrive chip preset to 1000mw.
http://tinyurl.com/dms8la

Now the manual for the driver says to just hook it up in the most basic way possible. So i just use 4 AA size batteries in series as the power source?
I come to you with these questions because all of you seem to know what your doing and i dont wanna buy all this then learn that its a lot more difficult than i thought.

It going to work???

BC

 

[Leodahsan]

do you have goggles for that?

(don't think 4AA will work)

 

[Berc12321]

Yes, i have some lab laser goggles borrowed from the University of Washington. I am taking every safety precaution necessary. Including safety's and taking care not to reflect the beam.
4AAs not gunna cut it? voltage should match.

 

[Cyparagon]

lawl@ death by AAs

4xAA is over 6 volts. The flexdrive can handle a max of 5.5V. We recommend a lithium ion battery for these sorts of things, but 3 AAs in series might work.

 

[Leodahsan]

... will they deliver the current needed?

 

[anselm]

Hello and welcome to the LPF!:wave:

Problem is not the voltage, the Flexdrive will take care of that.
EDIT: whoops didn't know, it can't take more than 5.5V
But AAs are not going to be able to sustain a current draw of over 1 Ampere
for long...
I suggest you use Li-Ion 18650s for this job.

You will also need AT LEAST a "module" into which you install the diode, and a focusing lens as well.
Look at the links in my signature, in particuar the first one.

 

[Berc12321]

Thanks Anselm! I think im going to like it here...
@Cyparagon, yea death by AAs. Had a scare with some capacitors a while back. Reminded me what a fierce beast electricity is.

So the module houses the diode i assume. Im going to mount the diode in an old laser pointer housing, is that sufficient? I have a bunch of little toy lasers around, can i use a focusing lens from one of them?? The lens would fit perfectly into the "Module" im using. Id mount my diy module inside an old metal project box. I have plenty of heat sinks and thermal paste. So after that just wire up and fire up?

Ile probably get the batteries you recommended, but for now i think a couple AAs will probably have to do unless i find a battery source close to home.