Sketching ideas for custom host; Dreaming of my laser

[Nuguns]

Im gona need to outsource eventually and this thread I wish to be about what I have in mind and advice or learning, theres a couple people I had in mind of reaching out to when I have a realized plan host thats ready. They are entirely unaware of this though right now. My first custom made laser:

In words; I want to have this host use 18650, use a side button and maybe a tail switch to somehow able a constant on, no mode switching; after thinking of this outloud, It seems like both tail switch and side button could work just fine, one disabling the others function by normal design.

Aluminum machined host to stay light weight with at least 2 parts: the main body with battery and tail, and a separate hollow screw on holder for... ND filters! 2 or 3 of them to remove or apply easily dimming the laser for safe usage. Im unsure how they would fit into the body, my intention is to have an outside window with 1 moving part that somehow either entirely removes the filter or moves it aside for the beam. It would look closed to the outside of the host. Most likely, what would be easy to create. Open to ideas if u got em

A slightly enlarged diode housing for heat sinking, weight non issue.

The best part and Im finding difficult to imagine, Beam corrective lenses with a g7 or g8 culmination so there no large artifacts or reflections also helped by the ND filter housing tube etension... theres a word for this.. covering any outlier diverging light. If anyone is unfamiliar with what this is, youd put a square lens that changes the shape of the immediate diode light to then be culminated in a tidier fashion.

A simple and straight forward design look other than the practical functions. I like the look of the Q-line matte black host I have for the 488 with the smooth machining.

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Currently I have no driver or diode picked out yet and I have little understanding of how drivers work technically which I plan on buying a soldering kit, but I think Id want to call on someone willing to bin diodes so things go smoothly, eventually when it comes to that.

First Ill need to get the parts, honestly, because those must fit and I dont know what ill be getting yet.

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[Nuguns]

Saved for images

Rough initial drawing, the length is still in question

*requested coin

 

[GSS]

Sounds good.
Not overly complicated and very doable.
Plan it out and reach out to some host builders here. There are still some left.

 

[paul1598419]

That host looks small to me. It may not be as you didn't put anything in like a coin to show that. If it is small, I doubt you can use ND filters to reduce the output. Maybe give a bit more information so we can judge this better.

 

[Nuguns]

That host looks small to me. It may not be as you didn't put anything in like a coin to show that. If it is small, I doubt you can use ND filters to reduce the output. Maybe a give a bit more information so we can judge this better.

I was considering it should be a little longer, I traced most of the Q-line laser I got then drew more on top of that. The more room I need would be for the corrective lens'(s) plus culmination then seperate ND filter attachment. I started thinking after I saw tinker asking about the thread size of most lasers for beam epanders, what if that were the easy route..

Either way I did this in one night and I intend to draw something more in depth in multiple takes and hopefully neater looking

 

[tinkerlasers]

I was considering it should be a little longer, I traced most of the Q-line laser I got then drew more on top of that. The more room I need would be for the corrective lens'(s) plus culmination then seperate ND filter attachment. I started thinking after I saw tinker asking about the thread size of most lasers for beam epanders, what if that were the easy route..

Either way I did this in one night and I intend to draw something more in depth in multiple takes and hopefully neater looking

By the way, we plan on making ND filters for the standard beam expander port at some point!

 

[WizardG]

What about a 3-position tail switch: Off, momentary (enables the side clicky), and constant on (bypassing the side clicky)?

 

[Nuguns]

What about a 3-position tail switch: Off, momentary (enables the side clicky), and constant on (bypassing the side clicky)?

ohhhhhh. Thats a pretty good idea. Ive no idea where Id find a button with that nor have I searched for it. I was sent 2 spare buttons for my ebay 488 because it was a bit of a dodgy button which Ive since solved; melted button, I shaved the plastic. Thanks I think Id not been brave enough to think of that cause I was afraid it could end up too complicated so I settled for least possible

 

[Nuguns]

What about a 3-position tail switch: Off, momentary (enables the side clicky), and constant on (bypassing the side clicky)?

Just found some rotary switches that sounds way cool

 

[Nuguns]

By the way, we plan on making ND filters for the standard beam expander port at some point!

Dude, awesome = 0 = D

By chance do you know the power limit based on the mW and how black they get, I assume that the lightest filters would be able to handle the most. Going into a plateau of practicality, when would the ND filter begin to get damaged. Like if u had a 500mw laser put up on a ND32, Should reach it to 15mw. Or ND64, math says 7.1mw. Would the ND filter hold its form? Its ok if u wanna keep quiet about it. Ive seen a lot of pressure around here from people and now I think I understand why that happens.

For my project, I think 100mw is the limit I wish for, though 150mw has popped into my mind...... ehhhhhhhh probably too bright Ive made some mistakes with my 60mw

 

[Nuguns]

What about a 3-position tail switch: Off, momentary (enables the side clicky), and constant on (bypassing the side clicky)?

Im having a lot of trouble finding buttons, all I see are rotarys, plastic switches and stuff like that. Do u know a place where I could find a 3 position one. Im not sure Id even otherwise use the little buttons I already have from Q-line host.

 

[WizardG]

Shoehorn something like this into the tailcap: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1684

 

[Nuguns]

Shoehorn something like this into the tailcap: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1684

nice, thats a good size

 

[Nuguns]

I have decided on sharp 488 diodes. Right off the bat, can anyone point me towards good drivers for this one. If it matters, I do want to make it more powerful than 55mw if possible. Maybe one of the members sells them, im gona look around the site for people. Ill edit if I find what Im looking for

 

[paul1598419]

Okay. That host is much larger than I thought it was. You should be able to put in a bigger switch, a spdt, if you want to and the ND filter should fit as well.

 

[Nuguns]

Okay. That host is much larger than I thought it was. You should be able to put in a bigger switch, a spdt, if you want to and the ND filter should fit as well.

I saw an old laser from a thread of people showing them off that had some nice switching like that, and a good looking frame around them like a steampunk look, they were really small tho sleek looking. It was on the same spot for both buttons no tail button or switch thing. Youre the second person to be suggesting about buttons so Im gona take this in for a while and rethink.

Yeah I like that.. Ive landed on putting a sliding switch beside horizontally a thumbs width near the tactile button. This all depends on how easy it is to machine

I might later delete my conversation posts and put the final decision in my top post, unless you would prefer original conversation style since youre here. Theres a ton of conjecture and indecision