You are most welcome
Kind of fun messing around trying to fit stuff together on your own and refusing to fail. Even a low powered 532nm can be impressive compared to other colors. I have this one 25mW 532nm module like the ones you used but it has a very low % of IR and it's much brighter than you would expect.
Did you remove the adhesive on the copper sheeting to fill the gaps? Takes some work but you can make it really tight between the copper pieces. Found that paint thinner takes it off immediately. Got to be careful to not cut yourself with the edge of the copper sheet though
I believe that most of the Fasttech ones (that they still sell) are about 10% IR if I remember correctly so they tend to be very bright. When I get them (either the 3 or 5V versions I set them all to about .43 amps using my variable DC power supply as that is about the max output setting that I found from purchasing way over a 100 of them. I set them with a non-metallic screwdriver so there's no chance of shorting anything. I know that at least 40 of them output over 100mW as every laser I own has been labeled for output. Most of the over 100mW are the 5V version which work on as low a voltage as the 3V ones. They seem to just waste the extra voltage.
An easy spacer so the batteries don't rattle is just paper rolled up with a piece of tape. I like to use photo paper but have used copy paper too. Can't stand loose pieces/parts.
Honestly I think people get so caught up in the high powered units that some of the "fun" is lost. I have about 25 units from 200mW to 3.6W but the truth that the other ***'s were way more interesting/fun as I built them into all kinds of interesting hosts. Some were easy and some were quite the challenge.
Back when I made up and gave away those "kits" I was trying to inspire others to just have fun with it and to think out of the box a bit. Don't know why I never bothered to look but talking about this reminds me of how I used to think about just looking through toy stores to see what I could find to stick a module in like Jayrob does with his StarTrek phaser kits. For some reason I don't see many people build that kind of stuff on their own. Seems like back then when I gave out that stuff it was a different group of guys. Feels like we lost too much of the "wonder of it all".
I actually have a couple of the 5V modules coming and a couple of rechargeable USB 532nm pens that Fasttech started selling to do a quick review on them. Should be here by Monday at the latest. Didn't buy them because I needed more 532nm. Bought them for something to do and to report on a new inexpensive laser offering.
I see you have an M462. Really nice blue isn't it. Really think it makes all my other blues look a lot more purple/violet. Don't think enough people have jumped on them yet to really see for themselves the difference.
I'll have a 1.5W 520nm probably today but the host I'm putting it in won't get here until next week. Tempted to toss it in another host I have in the meantime. Spent all my Christmas $ on a few things to go in my 2 extra special showpiece cases. Don't think I will bother with one of the newer 3.5W blue diodes for a 5W because of $ and the 1.5W 520nm will be way brighter anyways. Truth is that what I really want is a 100mW+ 589nm but don't see that happening anytime soon since $ and they seem to be going away with no-one guaranteeing that output anyways. Could have bought a possible 50mW one instead of the 1.5W 520nm but from what I've seen that's not really guaranteed either. Would have to have someone sell theirs to me.
Anyways, think I just wrote all that because you brought up this thread and things were different at that time. Oh well, can't go back
Pete