Review of 2 Hosts with Corrective Optics

[LewDude]

I'm a little overdue on sharing a review of a couple of hosts I have purchased from fellow LPF members. Oddly enough, I wish I had more beamshots, but once the rain clears out of the US mid-west, I'll try to get some that do justice.

The 1st host is the 'lpf-member designed host slow axis correction' (here is the link, looks like it moved to the veterans section and there I cannot confirm its the right link:
https://laserpointerforums.com/f42/...axis-correction-beam-expansion-103080-18.html)

I saw the project and reached out to trinh hong phuoc to see if he'd make me one. Communication was great, everything went as planned, got pics of the host before it shipped - and the rest is history. Would absolutely deal with trinh again.

Some pics:

Very well packed!
IMAG5438 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

IMAG5440 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

Pre-wired, just needed a 20mm module - which Lifetime (Rich) made me an adapter for a 12mm module - and we were throwing light!

IMAG5441 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

This is very well put together, and has a rear latching switch, and a side latching switch w/led indicator. Takes 2 18650s. I got a pair of 6x cylindrical lenses from OPT lasers (poland - LINK). What wasn't great is that I ordered the pair WITH a brass mount, and was only shipped the lenses. OPT was quick to get the mount in the mail for me, but that was a bunch of waiting that wasn't expected.

I don't have much patience So I put these on wood temporarily:

IMAG5526 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

IMAG5528 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

Finally, I took the time to mount them on the brass:
IMAG5956 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

I do have a Sanwu 3.3x expander - but I honestly like this host just using the 6x corrective optics alone. It certainly looks awesome either way!

The 6x optics are def awesome when paid with an m44. I really enjoy this laser, I'm super thankful for the folks that put their brainpower and time into making this.

(GET SOME BEAM SHOTS..)


The 2nd host is is from badboybilly, and is made for corrective optics. Again - super easy to deal with - good communication and transaction went through without a hitch. Also, well packed, but I'm not sure where the photos went. (Side note - its really cool to get newspaper from another hemisphere as packing material!!) This host is made for 2x 18350s. This is the 1st piece of hardware I've acquired from BBB, and I was stoked from the moment I saw it posted. Originally, I was going to use it for a NGD7475, as I have several NUBM01s, but wanted a 7475. At the same time, I've been wanting a high-output RED hand-held, and my 7475 still hasn't been delivered, so I took that as a sign to transplant the USHIO HL63283HD 638nm. You might have seen my "low budget corrective optics" post a while back which resulted in this...

IMAG4997 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

a PVC cavity shoved onto the end of a C6 host. It worked. But now I had this legit hardware.

Get to work:

Another host with a rear latching switch. This host's side switch is not latching, just momentary (fine by me).

IMAG5992 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

Was not pre-wired, so that's pretty much step 1:

IMAG5990 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

This, too, was ready for a 20mm module - so I got my 1st 20mm from DTR and I'm using a Astralist Driver set to 1.5A:

IMAG5996 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

With everything together - the laser module / optics cavity portion would not fit all the way into the host:

2018-09-08_11-35-15 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

All the prices 'float' (very fine tolerances, but are not locked down) within the main cavity...so, I could do one of a few things to gain some space - starting with cutting down some of the tail-cap spring, but its a nice spring . Also, not wanting to try to remove the rear switch as the battery tube/switch is all put together very nicely to be 1 solid piece. I could use shorter batteries, but it probably still would not have bought me much room, annd I did not want to use smaller cells. So, I went for shortening the 20mm module. I am not going to go into all the painful and stupid things I did, as I think I ended up harming this WAY TOO EXPENSIVE diode in the process, but I got it shortened up and now everything is nearly flush!

Putting the lenses down into the cavity was a chore - I used electrical tape wrapped tweezers to place/adjust them, and UV glue to set them.


Without the cylindrical pair - at 28.5 feet - G2 lens: ~7"
2018-09-03_04-38-10 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

With cylindrical pair (2x from eekbay) - at 28.5 feet - ~3"
2018-09-03_04-39-07 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

This doide certainly needs more than 2x lenses. IMO, this diode is not worth the amount I paid for it, when you can get over a watt with a $20 diode, and the divergence is crazy.

This is a super nice host, and I'll likely be using it for the 7475 in the end . We shall see.

Sorry for lack of beamshots, and overall length of post. I hope to update this soon. (BEAMS in post 21)

Of course, huge thanks to trinh and badboybilly!!!

 

[H2Oxide]

That thing is HUGE! How much does it weigh?

EDIT: I realize I now have the first post on 2 of your new threads. I'm not stalking you, don't worry.

 

[trinh hong phuoc]

Nice build,thank you

 

[RedCowboy]

Very nice, reigning in the divergence of the aggressive axis can be very rewarding, also my sanwu G2's are from older purchases, so hopefully the current production will be squared to their barrels. :beer:

 

[steve001]

I'm a little overdue on sharing a review of a couple of hosts I have purchased from fellow LPF members.

A thought. Instead of a single optical section divide it into two sections. I think doing so would allow you easier access too tweak the first lens for accurate placement and distance. Repeat for the second lens. Also using a finely round threaded lens mount for both sections like this combined with round cylindrical lenses, though rectangular would work. With a setup I've suggested you could tweak the lens position in the X,Y positions which can't be done otherwise.

 

[badboybilly]

Hi buddy!

I’m happy to see it arrived and your making use of it, I’m shocked your module didn’t fit though, The module I was working with in the pic did perfectly, I’m not sure if the alloy back halves are shorter or if I had previously shortened it down on the lathe and not realised, I see your driver is sticking out of it also, are Jordan’s modules with drivers sticking out, Anyway I have a copper spare backhalf here if you give me the dementions and tell me what driver you are using I’ll cut one down mill out the seat and ship it to you,
Also if the inner module is pushed all the way in it does lock down with the tolerances, but hanging out yes it won’t lock in!
Let me know buddy very sorry!

 

[LewDude]

Hey BBB! Don't be sorry! I think the module fits UNTIL you put a Diode in it. The back half being designed to press up against the bottom of the diode doesn't screw completely on when there is a diode pressed...something I've learned the hard way.

I dont have another 20mm module, so I'm demonstrating on a 9mm:

W/O a diode pressed - screws down pretty much fully (the 20mm screws down all the way: no gap):

2018-09-09_10-00-44 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

With a doide pressed - you can only screw it down so far (word to the wise - DO NOT try to close this gap! The soft copper will strip!):

IMAG6176 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

So you can see there is a diode in there, g-ball in-tact:

IMAG6177 by Lewie Wilkinson, on Flickr

And I think this is how it SHOULD be (to some degree). You wouldnt want that back half NOT making contact - so err on the side of being too long...if that makes sense.

This host is killer - just had some learning to do while putting it all together.

Hope everyone sees how awesome BBB is for offering to help make it work. NOT his responsibility (IMO), but just the sign of being an awesome person and standing by their work. Cheers, friend!!

 

[badboybilly]

Oh yeah in most of my builds I take a bit off that lip, it’s ok when you have a lathe but yeah
I like my modules flush also especially with the 9mm modules,

Sorry about the pic but if you see how much closer this one is with diode inside, you don’t want to take off too much though!

 

[LewDude]

That makes sense! I'm working with a Dremel and a bench grinder...it's quite painful! Hindsight, I should have tried taking it down from the inside, but I had screwed up the module pretty badly and didn't have threads left to make the darn thing stay together, lol. Again, a big learning opportunity for me!

 

[BowtieGuy]

Wow Lou, these are couple of beauties, both trinh hong phuoc's and Billy's hosts are top notch work, and your finished work is a-one! :yh:
:gj:

Did you have to modify trinhs host to fit your "Opt Lasers" 6X cylindrical lenses that were mounted on their brass mount?

 

[LewDude]

Wow Lou, these are couple of beauties, both trinh hong phuoc's and Billy's hosts are top notch work, and your finished work is a-one! :yh:
:gj:

Did you have to modify trinhs host to fit your "Opt Lasers" 6X cylindrical lenses that were mounted on their brass mount?

Thanks Bowtie

Trinh made the optical bench exactly the right length to slide that brass mount down into it. Snug as a bug!!

 

[BowtieGuy]

Thank you sir, the info. is much appreciated! :beer:

 

[paul1598419]

I've been so busy lately I just now got a chance to look at this. Glad you got the host for the NUBM44. Your 6X cyl lenses don't look like the ones I got from OPT. I have this same host too. It is in my queue to be built once I finish my NDG7475 in a MS-SSW-II host. I've been working on it today. I thought it was going to just fall together, but must have forgotten all the problems with the last one of these hosts I worked on. I have the front end finished and now need to set my CG adjustable X-Drive I selected to go with this build. It will allow me to set the current anywhere I please, but I'm thinking that 2 amps is where I will put it. Thanks for sharing your builds with us.

 

[RedCowboy]

Steve I like that optics bench, it's good to have room to work like this one I made.

Paul if you have this one with the notches you may want to get them milled off flat because they are in the way.

 

[paul1598419]

Mine does have a rough surface to it, but not as bad as the one in your photo. I thought it was unusual that it wasn't cut more smoothly. I haven't gotten to the point of building it yet, but you might be right about the area not being smooth enough. I have been thinking more about the aspheric lens I need to use to focus it properly into the cyl pair than that surface. Thanks for the heads up.

Actually, it looks like you had a whole new bench made for yours. Looks like it will take a 12 mm module instead of the 20 mm one that these were made for. I have thought that with all the trouble with the SL G2s, a 20 mm module is not going to work easily.

 

[steve001]

Steve I like that optics bench, it's good to have room to work like this one I made.

Paul if you have this one with the notches you may want to get them milled off flat because they are in the way.

Suppose the beam is slightly tangential to the long axis how would one correct for that? I have a Jetlaser and the beam is slightly off though is parallel to the long axis. I also have a beam expander. Jetlaser was thoughtful enough to equip the expander with an adjustment feature. A little tweaking of it allows the beam to come out dead center. My design allows for that. See what I mean?