My first build

[Kevlar]

I want to share the progress on my first build to both get the opinions of the veterans of the LPF and to give some tips I’ve learned. Everything I have learned is directly from reading LPF. I have no training in electronics or soldering. In fact, the most soldering I have ever done was over 20 years ago in my grandfather’s basement making stick figures. So without LPF none of it would be possible and I can’t thank you enough.

Two of the most important links I can provide is 1st, mfo made a laser guide for newbies, I would have been lost without it!! Thanks mfo!

http://laserpointerforums.com/f36/looking-build-laser-read-me-47684.html

And here is a helpful link I found in a LPF post (sorry I can’t remember which) for soldering

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/How_To_Solder

There are many VERY knowledgeable members here so READ as much as you can and use the SEARCH function! Almost every question out there has most likely been answered already.

My first build was going to be a PHR-803T. I got the diode, followed the YouTube video on how to extract it and that went well. Getting the PCB off isn’t that easy and I was afraid to fry the diode using the blob method so I used some thin flush-cut snips and that worked for me. I didn’t have vise and was impatient, I want to see it laze! So I used a c-clamp. That’s a no-no I’ve read here but did it anyway.

I managed to get it in there straight fixing it with a pair of channel locks. I was testing with my rckstr driver with a partially discharged 9V battery and wasn’t very impressed. I put it away for another day and forgot I had the POT cranked up and hooked up a 12V source and POP! Off it went to diode heaven.

So I obeyed mfo’s laser guide for newbies and built a test load with the help of lasersbee and his fantastic FREE 1 ohm resistors (thank you). So here it is, wired up for red and blu-ray diodes. I was able to pick up the breadboard and the 1N4001 diodes from Radio Shack. It’s not the prettiest but it works!

So I’m doing a red build (LPC-815) right now (I’ll do a GGW-H20L next with a flexdrive in a jayrob pocket-mini) and I got the diode in the mail and the pins were bent. Trying to carefully straighten them out one of them broke ¾ of the way down, of course it was the positive but I managed to save it by attaching a lead wire.

I ordered it from http://stonetek.org/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=252 and on the webpage there is a link to a video showing how to extract it from the heat sink that work great. I’m waiting for my diode press from Flaminpyro but I had this laying around. It’s one of those little screwdrivers that come in the $2.00 eyeglass repair kit. I found if you unscrew the top the pins fit in there perfect and worked great for pressing the diode in the aixiz module. It’s even small enough to countersink it.

So that’s where I am right now, waiting for my MXDL 3405 host, heat sink from jayrob, and the 10440 batteries. Waiting sucks!

 

[Flaminpyro]

Howdy and Welcome to the forum :wave: Thats the way, good for you on your first build use what you can till you have better, that is the way I started and it led me to invent a few things along the way I used a "C" clamp when I first started pressing diodes and then I cut one lead off of a 6x and said that's enough of that and went to the shop and made the self centering diode press HeHeHe then came the "outie" press and all kinds of things just been comming out ever since :yh:

 

[chipdouglas]

you seem like you got it all figured out +1 for you. also the rep is for your great picture quality. good job taking the time to do it right


michael

 

[Kevlar]

Thanks, all the time spent reading here has paid off, and thanks for the rep. Now I understand why some members get annoyed when people just come here and start asking a million simple questions that could easily be answered by just spending some time and reading.

Now I just have to figure out how to make heat sinks :yh: I have access to CNC I'm just not sure how to take the measurements. I don't want to go into business or anything it is strictly for personal use and to save $$. More money for that 12X I want.

BTW flaminpyro, I have seen some of your incredible macros, what camera do you use? My point and shoot Nikon is OK but I can't get that close (like that recent diode pic with the solder bubble)

 

[Kevlar]

Finally got my host (MXDL 3405). It took almost 2 weeks from China but it felt like 2 months. I think next time I'll just order direct from Jayrob, get it a lot quicker. This is a cool little flashlight. I might have found another hobby, maybe getting into power flashlights and check out CPF. Man, my wife is gonna kill me! :crackup:

Now I have to wait for my replacement diode. When I hooked up the LPC to the driver, nothing. Current is flowing just fine but no lasing! So I wrote Greg at Stonetek and explained what happened and he is replacing it for me. My personal experience in dealing the Greg is exceptional!

 

[chipdouglas]

go to harbor freigh and get a cheap digital caliper. then just stick the aixix module in between the the caliper and read what the measurment is. to make a heatsink thatt is a press fit for the diode on the other hand is very difficult. also members make hole in the heat sink for a set screw to really get good contact against the module.

michael

 

[Kevlar]

Thanks Chip. I've been thinking about it and I'm just going to try and get my first build working first, then maybe tackle making my own heatsink. Baby steps for me :crackup: For now I'll just purchases that stuff from the more experienced members.

 

[bloompyle]

I was using a C-Clamp and it never fail me once, then I mentioned to my dad that I think the hardest part is only having 2 hands and a wobbly clamp...then he goes to the garage for a minute, and comes back with this table top vice!! I had no idea we had one, it wasn't one of those bad-ass $300 ones, it's a flat bottom, sit on top of a table kinda vice, but man it makes things SO MUCH EASIER! Better than using my middle finger and thumb to hold the module, and knuckle and bottom of the same thumb to hold the driver, and other hand to solder. MAkes things so much more convenient lol. I think that the best thing about this hobby, is that it doesn't take lonmg to learn for yourself, and I like that, I like being able to take off 80% of how long it took last time with each try at something. I went from taking 12 hours to make a red maglite laser, to 3 hours to completely set-up a PHR on a driver....now I can make a maglite in 30mins, I did it last night with a dead LPC...turns out it was deader than I thought. NICE BUILD SO FAR!!! It's nice to see I'm not the only one who started building with almost NO soldering practice. I'll be watching this thread, I like to watch build threads. Good luck with the rest, I know I'll be visiting this thread whenever I notice there's a new post =D

 

[Kevlar]

I like watching build threads too, I can get advice given to someone else and use it for my build or future build. The thing I really like about this hobby too it learning it all, and building something by hand; and there is no better way than learning by experience. You can only learn so much by reading. But there is A LOT to learn as far as the electrical / circuitry side goes, so far that is the one thing I'm buying pre-made, I can't see soldering the SMD parts myself.

Today I received the rest of my parts for my build so I'm chomping at the bits to get it together, just go to get the kids to bed :san:

 

[bloompyle]

Yeah, before I started building I read up a lot (for my maglite) and I thought "Oh this is going to be SO easy, just gotta solder on two pins, that'll take like 30min" and it took 12 hours and about a 4in of wire...Getting those pins to stay on there when I couldn't keep the iron on the diode to heat it up was a major pain in the arse...

P.S. UPDATE US ALONG THE WAY! Pics too! Not just a post 3 hours from now telling us that it's really cool and you're done......

 

[Kevlar]

I will definitely update with pics!

 

[Kevlar]

I finally get everything put together, tested out before hand, the laser works, but now the battery holder in the MXDL 3405 host is messed up and won't hold the 3 AAA 10440s. The springs got compressed and now they won't spring back so the batteries won't make a connection. I have some small Neodymium Disc Magnets but of course one isn't enough and 2 is too many. :cryyy::banghead:

 

[Kevlar]

I also noticed that my rckstr v3 driver heated up VERY quickly. After having it on for only 10 seconds or so the driver was almost too hot to touch, is this normal?

 

[Lonewolf]

I believe you should only use 2 10440 batteries with the LPC, and other red diodes. Using the 3 could be the reason the driver is getting hot. (the blu-ray does require 3 10440 batteries though)

 

[bloompyle]

Use 2 instead of three, LPC's only require 3V, and using 3 10440 is probably kicking both the driver's and the diode's ass...use only 2 =]

 

[TTerbo]

i had a rkcstr v3 driver i attached it to the red with a 6v li-ion battery the drivers transister blew killing itself and my diode :banghead: