Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

Buy Site Supporter Role (remove some ads) | LPF Donations

Links below open in new window

FrozenGate by Avery

Need advice on hosts

J

jordanka16

New member
Joined
Dec 15, 2023
Messages
17
Points
3
I've mostly just been messing with my lasers on my bench, playing with lenses and power outputs and getting a feel for things. My brother is a rockhound though, and thinks the UV laser I have would be awesome for finding fluorescent rocks. I'm a little more skeptical since it's a very long wave 405nm, but it sounds like it's worth a try.

That means I need to actually build it into a handheld, I have the diode, and I can press it into a 12mm module. I'm thinking of running it around 500-750 mA for a good lifetime, and I have some boost circuit PCBs being made at oshpark right now so I'm covered there. The only thing I'm having a hard time finding is a good host. I'd like something that takes 1 14500 or 18650, but just buying a flashlight body doesn't seem like it would fit well. Plus a lot of them seem made for the circular drivers and mine will be square. Any ideas? Places to look?
 





Do yourself a favor and purchase a 405nm pointer on eBay for $9.99 shipping included. Several are available at approx $10. Have your brother give one a try on fluorescent minerals.

Search "405nm laser pointer" on eBay.
 
Encap said:
Do yourself a favor and purchase a 405nm pointer on eBay for $9.99 shipping included. Several are available at approx $10. Have your brother give one a try on fluorescent minerals.

Search "405nm laser pointer" on eBay.
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea, if for nothing else than a comparison. It's cheap enough anyway. I made an offer for one for $8 that was accepted so worth a try.

I think I'll contact lifetime 17 to see what he can do about making a proper host as well.
 
I was a rock hound as a kid, but that was a very long time ago. Back then we used fluorscent looking tubes to get minerals to fluoresce.
 
paul1598419 said:
I was a rock hound as a kid, but that was a very long time ago. Back then we used fluorscent looking tubes to get minerals to fluoresce.
Click to expand...
You still can, I have UVC tubes that emit at something like 185nm and 250nm and they can really make things fluoresce . They're not that powerful though, and also pretty dangerous.

His idea was to use binoculars and just scan with the laser over a large area at night. It's a cool idea, so I'm all for trying it.
 
Yeah, I hope you have luck with this. Somethings fluorsce with 405 nm like uranium glass, but I'm not sure it will work well with all minerals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top