My first diy laser build!

[Twisted]

Hello everybody!
This is my first laser build and I was wanting to ask if I got everything correct and features I should add to it,
So far I have the large Radioshack hobby box, Soldering Iron, Solder, Wire, Some kind of circuit board, Switch, Multi-meter, 2x AA battery holders.

I'm going to buy the following:

LM2940 or LM350 or LM1117 for the chip whatever the source has(Canadian Radioshack)

LPC 826 diode (should be 250-300 or 200-300 depending on the components I use)

2.7 ohm resister to give me around 450mA

or 3 ohm for 420mA

47uf 16v capacitor

I don't know if this heatsink will work( Cooling Heatsink/Heat Sink for 12mm Laser Diode Module | eBay )

Cooling Fan for VGA Video Display Card (4cm*4cm) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

9v battery for fan and 9v battery clip

Staples® Sticker Paper | Staples®

FUJIK Silicone Thermal Glue (50ml Grease-Like) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme (or if there is another heatsink-like glue you would recommend for gluing my diode to the Radioshack hobby box?)

Professional Thermal Heat-Sink Compound with Injection Tube (30g) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme (again feel free to tell me to get a different one...)

will any of these heat sink paste/liquid/grease whatever conduct electricity and possibly short out my diode?

I also wanted for you guys to recommend specific goggles(with links please)
if you think it will work ideas for features I should add would be very helpful

 

[Twisted]

I was also wondering if you think I should get a grill so dust does not go into the fan

 

[Twisted]

Forget the 9v battery, I think I might put in a 12v mini battery for multimeters in it, Maybe I should have a switch to turn to charge moden and have a build it battery charger or something...

 

[Twisted]

Do you think the driver/circuit will work? And I found some goggles so it's okay

 

[Twisted]

what about the heat sinks and stuff?

 

[kenw232]

I'm new to this. So from what I read to build a DIY 50mW red laser all I need is a diode, driver and battery? Is that true? and if so what is a driver? Just something to takes the battery source and cuts it back to x volts @ 150 or so mA? Like this?
200mW red laser diode driver / constant current /current adjusta [OLRDB-200] - $3.89 : Welcome to O-Like.com, Your source for laser products

 

[Twisted]

I'm to offering help I'm asking for help and you pretty much have a basic idea of what one will do..

 

[Twisted]

I'm to offering help I'm asking for help and you pretty much have a basic idea of what one will do..

I mean I'm NOT offering help I need help I need someone to check it for me

 

[Carl Witcombe]

Twisted

That driver appears to be fine, for a resistor use 2.77 ohm should give
451.26 Ma @ approx 255Mw.

I would also get a 1N4001 Diode that will prevent damage caused by reverse polarity.

Have you got a diagram for a driver, see the attached image.

everything you need to know about driver building
Laser driver - It can be done

Oh and by the way, more volts means more heat, the driver will only use 2.9?v
anything over will produce heat to the regulator and damage driver/diode.

Read up

Good Luck

 

[Tech_Junkie]

@Twisted. Double or triple posting is highly frowned on here. Please wait till you get a comment before making another post, or use the EDIT button to add new information to your post.

Thanks man.

 

[Twisted]

Thx so much everyone and My friend told me it would be better to use 4v and get a heat sink for the chip...
Also do I skip the old resister and use the one you recommended?

 

[Carl Witcombe]

Thx so much everyone and My friend told me it would be better to use 4v and get a heat sink for the chip...
Also do I skip the old resister and use the one you recommended?

As to powering the diode use 2x CR2 (2x 3.6v = 7.2v), I run my LPC-815 Laser Torch with this power supply see 1st provided pic, the batteries are flat, pic 2 is with fully charged batts burning Electrical Tape, keep an eye on heat, and keep 'on cycles' down to a few seconds. if the lens is hot the diode will be hotter.

To see this laser in action

RED Laser cutting electrical tape

 

[Twisted]

As to powering the diode use 2x CR2 (2x 3.6v = 7.2v), I run my LPC-815 Laser Torch with this power supply see 1st provided pic, the batteries are flat, pic 2 is with fully charged batts burning Electrical Tape, keep an eye on heat, and keep 'on cycles' down to a few seconds. if the lens is hot the diode will be hotter.

To see this laser in action

RED Laser cutting electrical tape

NICE laser! Are you sure it will work with my components the CR2's?
And do you sell any of those lasers?

 

[Carl Witcombe]

4v would be the absolute minimum but lifetime of the batteries would be low 7.2v would last much longer, so yes your laser build would require 2x CR2's of atleast 3v each.

I won't sell that particular laser as the host that it has I cannot get hold of anymore, however I do sell the LPC-815 diodes aswell as 822's. see here

 

[Twisted]

4v would be the absolute minimum but lifetime of the batteries would be low 7.2v would last much longer, so yes your laser build would require 2x CR2's of atleast 3v each.

I won't sell that particular laser as the host that it has I cannot get hold of anymore, however I do sell the LPC-815 diodes aswell as 822's. see here

Hmm cool... What's the difference in these diodes and are there any better quality ones (not more powerful) and whats the difference from me buying from you and from modwerx? I'm in Canada

 

[Carl Witcombe]

Hmm cool... What's the difference in these diodes and are there any better quality ones (not more powerful)

Powerwise the LPC-815 is slightly more powerful than it's little sister 822, I have home builds using both diodes, and the 815 is by far the best, but less forgiving.

and whats the difference from me buying from you and from modwerx? I'm in Canada

They don't seem to sell the LPC-815 or 822, not sure what their shipping costs are. If they are US/Canada based you'll get them cheaper from there anyway. but like I said they don't seem to stock what I got.:na:

Other than that, They are a larger company, I am only helping out my fellow Laser enthusiasts, I have sold diodes to the US and Canada not many I admit, also to Europe, as well as Isreal to but a few. Just for the sake of it check out my Feedback,