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FrozenGate by Avery

need some advice

ndrew2505

ndrew2505

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was looking into making a burning laser pointer but i dont have that much experience with lasers as far as the parts needed to build it. i know about what i need but not where to get it. i know the things i need are diode, casing/heatsink, driver, and a collimating lens but is that all i need desides the housing i choose?
 





ok so im looking at aixiz laser site..does the module(for the kip kay project) already have the driver for the 200mw diode or do i have to get that seperately? im getting confused on the drivers b/c i have no idea which 1 i need. :( any 1 help? im looking for 1 that will power a 150-250mw red/ir diode(smaller is better since i want to make a laser pointer). right now i havent actually bought a diode yet but i can provide tech specs of 1's im lloking at if needed. if there isnt a place to buy 1 could some 1 tell me how or show a tut on how to build 1?
 
The "kipkay" project is a bad project because it doesn't use a driver, so the diode is at extreme risk of death every time that you use a "kipkay" laser. Search this forum for the Daedal or DDL driver. Use of this driver will give your diode a long and productive life. Only with a driver can your diode be run near or at max and still be reliable. The driver can be built small and be fitted into a flashlight type host. You will want 7.2v to run this driver well. Two lithium ion rechargeables will give you this voltage. Maybe browse DealExtreme's site, they have these batteries, chargers, and laser hosts all cheap with free slow shipping. Parts for the driver are common radioshack type stuff. You can of course get laser diode from cheap 16x or better dvd burner, or buy from stonetek or even e-bay. If this is your first laser, stay away from IR until you gain experience. Buy laser goggles as your first purchase. IR lasers are fun and very powerful, but require goggles on 100% of the time, as the beam is invisible, so you don't know if your eyes are being exposed. You should also have a DMM and know how to use it. Best of luck, there's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment from building your first DIY laser. This forum has all the info you need.
 
save yourself the trouble, just go here and buy the Sony 16x diode pre-installed in an aixiz housing:

http://sales.stonetek.org/ldi.html


The Kipkay video was an attempt to make a quick buck. If you realise, Kipkay is the highest earner on Metacafe and one of his tricks is to create short and quick videos that make things look very simple. Of coz he if told everyone that the laser diode would burn out w/o a drive and then go into details of the driver construction, people would have dropped interest in his video half way. ::)
 
thanks for the replies guys. i was also wondering if any1 knows whats the best kind of batteries to use? doesnt matter about size b/c i can make a case to fit. ;)
 
AAs are the most common batteries to use, but basically any kind will work if the proper voltage and current are supplied. Lithium CR123As and CR2s work well but are a bit expensive. Rechargeables (NiMH or Lithium Ion) are the most cost effective.
 
For DDL's driver it's best to use 6 nimh batteries, or 2 rechargeable cr123 batteries, anything that adds up to a total of 7.2 volts or more, just don't go over 9 volts unless you heatsink the LM317. Oh, and don't use alkalines because they sag a lot. ;)
 
so does the ddl diy driver board power the blue ray diodes he sells as well as the red 1's? i would have posted links to make it easier for you guys to help but i guess i have to low of a post count to link... :'(
 
The LM317 is no mystery and very easy to work with. The following calculations always apply since it uses 1.25 volts for its reference voltage.

To calculate the resistor needed for a given current, take 1.25 and divide it by the current. So say you want to drive a SenKat diode with 250 ma's. 1.25 divided by .250 = a 5 ohm resistor.

Another way you could do this is to take 1.25 and divide it by the resistance. 1.25 divided by 5 = .250.

Next you will want to calculate the wattage of the resister needed. We know 1/2 watt resistors are common for use with the regulator. But to figure it out, simply take the 1.25 and multiply it times the current. 1.25 times .250 =.3125 watts.

The rule of thumb for the voltage going into the regulator is it should be 3 volts more than the voltage going to the diode. A SenKat diode running at 250ma's will have about 3 volts across it. Therefore a minimum if 6 volts is needed.
I recommend 6 nimh batteries or 2 RCR123's for use with Daedal's driver.

This is why you need at least 8 volts to run the blu-ray. You will find when you have it hooked up, the voltage across it will be appx. 5 volts. But since it will only draw ~38ma's, you can run it with a 9 volt battery.
 
Hey Gazoo what happens if we undersize the resistor's (wattage) by accident? Will it overheat, get damaged or will the resistance change coz of the extra current it can't handle?

Thx.
 
The resistance of a resistor can't change... except occasionally to zero. When a resistor is fried it either goes short circuit or open circuit, neither is good in this situation. They get hot at first, a basic resistor takes a lot of heat before it blows though.
 
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