Mr Steak's laser rifle

[steaksoep]

Short introduction, Im a student in electronics and got quite some experiance in developing embedded systems and making mechanical drawings for CNC and 3D printing purposes. Im looking mostly for information and doing research for the next month, so i can get started on this project in the summer.

Here is my idea:
I was thinking of using 2 lasers. One to give a somewhat bigger visual dot, and the other one with some more focus for melting/ingraving. Those two would then be combined with some sort of optics so they overlap. Looking for preferably blue or purple beams with power between 1W-7W.

The lasers would be fired for about half a second. Should be enough time to get a good view of light on the target you hit, and for the focused laser to leave a small mark. (not sure about this yet, but its just to give you an idea what it would be used for).

The entire thing would be controlled by a microcontroller on a pcb that will read the input of an electronic trigger, control a bunch of leds that will make it look better. Im also thinking of adding 2x blue-7 seg displays where i could represent the charge left in the battery (form 0-99) if i can find a way to make that happend.

the gun itself would be used as a heatsink. I believe that should not be an issue to still hold it without getting burned as the surface area is quite big to disperse the heat. Roughly 60% of the gun would be aluminium, 30%
acrylic glass and the remaining parts will be of black plastic for the handheld parts. The total lenght i estimate to be 60cm.

I'd love to make my own driver for this, but it doesnt seem to be easy to find High powered lasers that come without those. Anyone who can point me in this right direction for driver guidelines and laser diodes without driver would be a great help.

So any input on what laser, optics, batterys or power supply to use is greatly appreciated.

Here are the parts i tought might be interesting for this project.
NUBM44 ( https://www.ebay.com/itm//171841770497 )

And if I end up not making a driver myself:
BlackBuck 8M - 8A Buck Laser Driver ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/182404712160 )

If you suggest new parts, keep in mind that the buget for this thing is around 500 euro (about 600 dollar). for the laser, optics and driver combined.

Ill be around to post progress when i get started when i've gathered enough information.

 

[Encap]

Suggest you get some experience with lasers that output more than 1mW to 5mW which you indicated is the only the experience you have with lasers in your Welcome post and what they are and are not before you get involved in building a complicated + dangerous for many reasons, physical and legal, toy rifle.

Make sure you understand Belgium's laser laws and blinding weapons laws (Belgium’s Law Regulating Economic and Individual Activities with Weapons (2006) ) unless you intend to use it alone and indoors where nobody will see it.

Maybe get a high output hand held from either:
https://www.jetlasers.org/ or
https://www.sanwulasers.org/

 

[diachi]

Suggest you get some experience with lasers that output more than 1mW to 5mW which you indicated it all the experience you have in your Welcome post and what they are and are not before you get involved in building a complicated + dangerous for many reasons, physical and legal, toy rifle.

Make sure you understand Belgium's laser laws and blinding weapons laws (Belgium’s Law Regulating Economic and Individual Activities with Weapons (2006) ) unless you intend to use it alone and indoors where nobody will see it.

Maybe get a high output hand held from either:
https://www.jetlasers.org/ or
https://www.sanwulasers.org/

What he said, mostly.

Do you have any experience with high power lasers? If not, I'd get some with something <100mW before jumping into something that's 1W-7W

 

[steaksoep]

Suggest you get some experience with lasers that output more than 1mW to 5mW which you indicated is all/the only the experience you have in your Welcome post and what they are and are not before you get involved in building a complicated + dangerous for many reasons, physical and legal, toy rifle.

Make sure you understand Belgium's laser laws and blinding weapons laws (Belgium’s Law Regulating Economic and Individual Activities with Weapons (2006) ) unless you intend to use it alone and indoors where nobody will see it.

Maybe get a high output hand held from either:
https://www.jetlasers.org/ or
https://www.sanwulasers.org/

That is interesting. I did do a search regarding laser regulation but not a lot turned up. Ill read that trough. development would be garage only (got a pretty long one) so i dont see that being an issue. What is possible as to the experiance and probably safer aproach, would work with a 100-200mW laser for the visual dot and keep the actual burning aspect on the shelf until thats done.

 

[steve001]

You're jumping right into the deep end of the pool without swimming experience. I suggest a proof of concept first using low power class 3A lasers.

 

[paul1598419]

Why in the world would you want to use the most powerful visible diode available to us which, by the way, has the worst divergence specs as well to do an experiment that would likely work better using a 2 watt 445nm laser with better divergence specs? Is it because it is the most powerful that got your "wow" factor engaged in doing this with the NUBM44 diode? I think this project is doomed to fail as you have not done the requisite research to set this up properly.

 

[Encap]

Why in the world would you want to use the most powerful visible diode available to us which, by the way, has the worst divergence specs as well to do and experiment that would likely work better using a 2 watt 445nm laser with better divergence specs? Is it because it is the most powerful that got your "wow" factor engaged in doing this with the NUBM44 diode? I think this project is doomed to fail as you have not done the requisite research to set this up properly.

Agree. Seems to be another laser project like many we have seen here based on misconceptions about and daydreams of laser "power" and "burning" stuff with a laser but with the twist of make it look like a rifle for whatever reasons in this case.

steaksoep: You need to get some experience not only with handling higher output power lasers but also with building/assembling a laser. Would suggest you buy the parts and assemble a 1 to 2W 445nm blue hand held before you go further or just buy one already complete.
PS You don't "fire" a laser of the type being considered you simple turn it on an off.

 

[Radim]

What was said. Start small and educate yourself. Safety is crucial for such a project. Trust those working with high powered lasers daily.

 

[Cyparagon]

Ouch you guys.

I'll add a tip: instead of using two lasers, use the main laser at a below-threshold current as the aiming beam. This changes complex optics and mounting mechanics into adding a resistor.

 

[RedCowboy]

I can see steak turning on his mighty 44 mark burner and at 5 meters wondering: Why the hell is it a dam line.....I can only focus it to a dam line.

If you are building a rifle themed device then why have an aiming laser at all, just put a pair of sights on it.

Hell to burn a mark at any real distance is not that easy, not with just a LD and lens, well if you use the right LD you could pop a balloon across your yard, but it's not the nubm44, not with just a focusing lens.

Also you need to wear laser safety glasses as would anyone viewing the spot, you should start by testing the laser diode you plan to use in a test bed, and think about building it into a flashlight housing, put sights on the flashlight if it makes you happy or use a dicro and an aiming laser if you want to, but a rifle shaped housing is inviting trouble unless you only use it inside your home, take it outside and you could be asking for trouble depending on where you live, especially if you are pointing and aiming a rifle looking device outside, depending on where you are of course, but even pointing it out your window into your yard it would draw less attention if it looks like a flashlight.

A very quite lightly marked police car rolled by and saw me pointing a flashlight into my yard recently and went about his business, but if it was shaped like a rifle he would have been concerned, very concerned as most areas with a population density over a set amount have an ordinance against discharging a firearm outdoors even on your own property.

I can walk to my car with my rifle slung over my shoulder and no one is going to be concerned, but if I was pointing and aiming it there would be concern, I actually put my long guns into carry cases when going to the range just to avoid alarming anyone, I think it's a bad idea to make a rifle looking laser " toy ", and to burn a mark at any real distance is not that easy with just a LD and lens, it takes a steady base and time on target even with a corrected nubm44 at any real distance.

Lets not forget wearing safety glasses, the concept of a rifle suggest greater distance than a pistol or HH device, but even if you plan to use it up close you need to wear laser safety glasses as will anyone viewing it.