My first build

[BobMc]

Sorry guys, I did my first build today and tried to post a whole bunch of pictures but did something wrong so I edited post. My son's coming over today and I'll ask him how to post pictures again ( he showed me once but guess I'm having a senior moment) will try to post pictures later, Sorry, Ok, My son showed up and showed me what I was doing wrong so here's a start. I will post more pictures later because right now we're hungry! Ok back from time with my son, lets try this Again!!!

[/URL][/IMG] This is getting all the goods in order.

[/URL][/IMG] The module wont go all the way through so I've got some filing to do

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[/URL][/IMG] Module goes all the way through now

[/URL][/IMG] cutting the wires for the amount I need

[/URL][/IMG] Tinning the ground wire

[/URL][/IMG]Tinning the postive

[/URL][/IMG]Soldering the ground wire

[/URL][/IMG]Soldering the postive

[/URL][/IMG]heat shrinking the wires

[/URL][/IMG]Thermo compound on module

[/URL][/IMG]Putting module back in the host

[/URL][/IMG]Changing the focus adapter for a custom one so I don't burn my fingers

[/URL][/IMG] module is finished

[/URL][/IMG]Oh forgot here's one tightening the module

[/URL][/IMG] getting ready for the big test

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[/URL][/IMG][/IMG]

 

[BobMc]

I have no idea what I did wrong tried to post a whole bunch of pictures of my first build but I messed up something big time!! Can anybody tell me what I did wrong? This message is no longer necessary, but o-well, life happens!

 

[BowtieGuy]

Hey Bob, I've got Photobucket also, and what I do is while in my photobucket library, I click on the picture that I want to copy ( click on the center of pic. so that the edit, delete, etc. option doesn't pop up).
The photo will come up full size, by itself, and over on the right side of the page there are four options; pick the "Direct" option, highlight it, and then "copy".

While on LPF, click on yellow box with mountains on it (pictures icon), above the text box, click on the line by http://, and "paste" your photobucket info, then hit "OK".
The photo info should now be in your text box.

Sometimes, the line of photo info text transfers to LPF with two "http://" in a row, and the pic. won't show up; just delete one of the two http://'s and the pic should show.

I hope that's not too confusing.

Good luck!

Edit: I see I'm too late, glad you got it!

 

[HydroSean]

I use imgur because you can resize and link pics easily. Looking forward to seeing the finished build!

 

[ElectricPlasma]

Looking good, nice setup you have there. Keep up the good work!

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi BM,
Nice job on your first buddy great equipment to you will be needing more tools LOL + Rep

Rich

 

[BobMc]

Thanks for your help BowTieGuy can take all I can get. And thanks Electric Plasma for the encouragement! And Lifetime you old friend and buddy of mine could not have done it with your help and advise! ( not to mention the free goody bag you send me with the solder, flux, shrink tube and wire,etc,etc) so a big shout out, THANKS!!!!

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi BM,
Hey no problem there buddy glad to help and get you off to a great start. We are all here to give a helping hand when needed. Keep them coming i see a lot of folks buying chinese lasers and some prefer to mod and build their own, I like the latter myself more self satisfaction and great therapy to relax by to. Our mods might not have all those fancy hosts, bells and whistles , but at lease we know what is inside them. This is aside from the exotic WL's .....

Rich

 

[BobMc]

I agree Lifetime, I have bought many Ebay lasers, some are "ok" but the thing is, if they die their all epoxied together, and you can't get in them to do any repairs. I'm liking the customs myself, because like you said you know whats in them and you can get back in there if they give up the ghost.

 

[BobMc]

HydroSean, My son showed me what I was doing wrong, hope you enjoy the pictures of my first build. I know I enjoyed building it. Got another build done last night will be posting it later today, this one is a lesson in what "not" to do. But it's a learning curve and I'm learning. Hope you enjoy that one also.

 

[bdgreenb]

Nice build! Glad you made the plunge into building!

 

[Pman]

Yes, congrats on your first complete build!
You should use just a bit of thermal grease on the module between it and the heat sink as nothing fits perfect. You can almost always press the module into the sink with a bit of force and sometimes you can rotate the module until it fits in a bit easier. Obviously you want the best thermal contact you can get and I have had to lightly sand something too to get them to fit. I would rather have to mess with something too tight than loose. One thing I have run into more than anything else with the fit is the junction between the front of the module and the back half are not always perfect and it might get stuck not wanting to push in there.
I would try to make a smaller solder joint between the wires and less heat shrink just so the wire is more flexible and has less chance of twisting poorly and a wire coming off something. I tend to keep the wires long enough so that you can easily work on it if you have to and for most builds the wire isn't going to have an issue carrying the load especially if you are using at least the gauge that DTR sends his modules with.
OK, I am only mentioning these things to help and am NOT meaning for it to sound as if I'm critiquing your build like I'm anything special. Trust me, I've made some interesting builds using all kinds odd things which may seem weird to someone else. I don't care how simple someones build is I always appreciate seeing the steps and what other people are doing.
Big thanks to all those who helped you out whether it's sending stuff or encouragement. Now that you completed one you have the basics down so you can see how it's not "that" difficult. I've seen a bunch of really in depth long builds lately that are something else but as Life mentioned there's plenty of satisfaction to go around regardless of how complicated the build is. Also just like anything else the better tools you have to work with the easier and more pleasurable it is. Costs a bit to get set up but once you do the build flows easier.
Anyways, congrats and I'm looking forward to your next build

 

[chueliang]

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[BobMc]

Thanks bdgreenb, When I can do work like you did on that little laser I bought off you, than I'm a laser builder! Till than I'm a work in progress. but thanks for the words of encouragement. I had all sorts of fun building too !! Pman: I thank-you for your advice, will take it to heart, you are one of those who's build threads I went through studying how people built them, learned alot. Still got a long way to go, but I'm going. Will be posting pics of my second build here shortly and made a few different mistakes, but as they say you got to brake a few eggs to make a omelet.