My first laser

[Jakedjoe]

Im trying to build my first laser. I know i want to to be around 100-200mW, preferably 100mW. I plan to use aixiz housing to fit a 5.6mm diode. I plan to build it on the cheap side. I would like some help on which diode to use along with which driver to use. I will also need some help on how to connect the driver to the diode along with which batteries to use. I also want to throw in a momentary switch. I hope someone can help me and hope this thread can help other people

 

[ARG]

Cheap? Build a DIY LM317 driver. For the diode grab a cheap LPC-826 off of ebay, or rip apart a DVD drive.

 

[Pi R Squared]

You need to do some more research. Also post a thread in the welcome section and add your location or at least the country to your profile. Then a few people will be more likely to answer. Also what color laser do you want?

Alan

 

[Jakedjoe]

thanks. i dont really care what color as long as its in the visible light spectrum, which ever color is cheaper. i just need to be pointed in the right direction, mainly with the diode and driver set up.

 

[Pi R Squared]

Cheap? Build a DIY LM317 driver. For the diode grab a cheap LPC-826 off of ebay, or rip apart a DVD drive.

thanks. i dont really care what color as long as its in the visible light spectrum, which ever color is cheaper. i just need to be pointed in the right direction, mainly with the diode and driver set up.

Well the advice from ARG is very good, that is the cheapest way to go for a red laser in that power range, you could build it in a project box or something as many have done and that's as cheap as you can go.

Your choices in that power range are: Red 635 - 650nm or a Blue 450nm or a 520nm Green or maybe a Green DPSS module 532nm.

Did you have a host in mind? Do you want it hand held battery powered? or does it matter? How much work can you do yourself? You can make it easy and buy some parts partially assembled.

You may want to buy something from DTR https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/ Also check out AixiZ, they may have one or two items of interest http://www.aixiz.com/ am not sure how cheap you want to go.

Alan

 

[Jakedjoe]

Well the advice from ARG is very good, that is the cheapest way to go for a red laser in that power range, you could build it in a project box or something as many have done and that's as cheap as you can go.

Your choices in that power range are: Red 635 - 650nm or a Blue 450nm or a 520nm Green or maybe a Green DPSS module 532nm.

Did you have a host in mind? Do you want it hand held battery powered? or does it matter? How much work can you do yourself? You can make it easy and buy some parts partially assembled.

You may want to buy something from DTR https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf/ Also check out AixiZ, they may have one or two items of interest http://www.aixiz.com/ am not sure how cheap you want to go.

Alan

I was hoping the driver would fit in an aixiZ module. I'm not too concerned with a host yet. My primary goal is to just make a working laser, so far I have been unsuccessful. But I know I want it battery powered and hand held. My thought process was to find reasonably priced diode, then find a driver for it, then put in in an aixiZ module, and then find an appropriate host. I don't mind paying a couple dollars extra for a driver that fits in an aixiZ module. I plan on making more lasers in the future but I just have to start somewhere and learn some techniques before I start buying more expensive diodes.

 

[Jakedjoe]

I also want to know if I need a heat sink or not

 

[Pi R Squared]

I was hoping the driver would fit in an aixiZ module. I'm not too concerned with a host yet. My primary goal is to just make a working laser, so far I have been unsuccessful. But I know I want it battery powered and hand held. My thought process was to find reasonably priced diode, then find a driver for it, then put in in an aixiZ module, and then find an appropriate host. I don't mind paying a couple dollars extra for a driver that fits in an aixiZ module. I plan on making more lasers in the future but I just have to start somewhere and learn some techniques before I start buying more expensive diodes.

The driver can also be a round driver that doubles as a battery contact board, if you use the rectangular ones that fit in an AixiZ module then you also need a battery contact board. Also if you want to press your own diodes in the modules you will need a special tool for that and a vise.

Here are two more links for parts and supplies in case you haven't found them yet:

Survival Laser USA Home
https://illuminationsupply.com/

Also Mrcrouse sells hosts that are pre-wired with a battery contact board, see his sales threads in the B/S/T section.

You may want to start with something easy and then move up to something more do it yourself later on. For some very detailed examples of some of the easiest ways to assemble a laser from readily available parts see the white links in my signature.

Alan

 

[dubious speculation]

It really depends on how cheap you actually want to go. If you think you are not up to pressing your own diode into an axis module go to DTR's site (mentioned above) and choose something that suits you, along with a driver that will fit in the module.

If you wanted to go as cheap as possible you can pull apart a DVD burner and extract the diode. Or you can buy this diode and press it into this module. You can then purchase this driver from FT (remove one of the AMC chips to provide 350ma). With these three items you have a working ~200mw laser for $13 (all you will then need is a 3.7v power source).

If you are not planning on buying a host or heatsink then you will be limited to a ~30 sec run time before heat starts to become an issue.

Considering everything that has been said we cannot decide what you want to buy for you. You need to browse around the forums as well as the above links to come to a conclusion that will best suite your budget and your needs.

 

[Jakedjoe]

The driver can also be a round driver that doubles as a battery contact board, if you use the rectangular ones that fit in an AixiZ module then you also need a battery contact board. Also if you want to press your own diodes in the modules you will need a special tool for that and a vise.

Here are two more links for parts and supplies in case you haven't found them yet:

Survival Laser USA Home
https://illuminationsupply.com/

Also Mrcrouse sells hosts that are pre-wired with a battery contact board, see his sales threads in the B/S/T section.

You may want to start with something easy and then move up to something more do it yourself later on. For some very detailed examples of some of the easiest ways to assemble a laser from readily available parts see the white links in my signature.

Alan

I saw someone on YouTube use the back of the aixiZ module to press the diode in so I was thinking I could just do that. I didn't know that I needed a battery contact board with the rectangular driver, it seems weird that you need one for that type of driver and not one for the DIY LM317 type driver. What I was really hoping for with the thread was for someone to tell me "get this diode, this driver and these parts. Solder this point here and that point there and hook up these type of batteries here." I also want to know if I would need a heat sink for the type of laser I want to build.

 

[Jakedjoe]

It really depends on how cheap you actually want to go. If you think you are not up to pressing your own diode into an axis module go to DTR's site (mentioned above) and choose something that suits you, along with a driver that will fit in the module.

If you wanted to go as cheap as possible you can pull apart a DVD burner and extract the diode. Or you can buy this diode and press it into this module. You can then purchase this driver from FT (remove one of the AMC chips to provide 350ma). With these three items you have a working ~200mw laser for $13 (all you will then need is a 3.7v power source).

If you are not planning on buying a host or heatsink then you will be limited to a ~30 sec run time before heat starts to become an issue.

Considering everything that has been said we cannot decide what you want to buy for you. You need to browse around the forums as well as the above links to come to a conclusion that will best suite your budget and your needs.

This post helps a lot I already have a module like that one. That is a powerful, cheap diode. And a very cheap driver. The only thing I need to know now is how to hook up the diode and batteries to the driver and which batteries to use.

Since this is my first laser I was hoping someone could just tell me what to do but I plan to make my own in the future. I just wanted some guidance for my first one.

 

[Gadget]

All the guidance you need already exists here on the forums. It sounds like what you want is for someone to do all the research you should be doing. Most folks here don't much like that. If someone tells you like you want them to...you'll learn nothing.

The search function is your friend.

G

 

[Jakedjoe]

All the guidance you need already exists here on the forums. It sounds like what you want is for someone to do all the research you should be doing. Most folks here don't much like that. If someone tells you like you want them to...you'll learn nothing.

The search function is your friend.

G

I have been doing a lot of research but my main concern was how to find an appropriate driver and what kind of power source to use. I only meant to pick the brains of the people who have been doing this for years. I have learned more with this thread than countless hours of research.