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

LPF Donation via Stripe | LPF Donation - Other Methods

Links below open in new window

ArcticMyst Security by Avery

The CORE and n00b stupidity

cwm9

0
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
1
Points
0
Hi! I'm new to the forums.

Thought you'd all get a kick out of my little Core adventure story, so I registered just to fill you in.

About 3 weeks ago, I ordered a Core. It's my first laser pen, and I bought it to point at stars at night.

When I got it, it I happily stuck in the batteries, but when I pushed the button, nadda.

Well, I happen to live in Hawaii, and sending the unit back under warranty seemed like more trouble than it was worth. I mean, it would take a week to get back to Wicked, a week to get back to me, and cost me about $10 in postage just to get it there.

So, being a Physicist, and being pretty good with electronics, I figured, if it's too time consuming and spendy to bother sending it back, I'll just open it up and see if I can repair it because it's probably just a broken wire. Worst case, there's something seriously wrong, and I'll just lay out another $40.

Having no experience with these things, I'm totally working by the seat of my pants. I get a pair of pliers, and with the help of a rubber sheet, I try wiggling it out. No dice, at least not at the force I'm applying.

So I trying turning it. Hey! It turns. I unscrew the top.

Off comes the top and... somethings not right, I expected the whole unit to come out and instead I just took off a cap!

Well, I look inside and see a lens and a bunch of threads, so I think, oh, the module must be screwed in.

So I grab some tweezers and start turning the lens, and sure enough, it starts coming out.

After a few moments, out it pops, but... OH SHIT, it's just a lens, the rest of the laser is still inside!

So then I figure, maybe the rest of the unit turns out as well? I reach inside with a pair of tweezers and try to twist on the protruding area I see inside.

POP comes off a little plastic focusing lens. (*#(*&%@#

Behind it, I see what looks like a dichroic 45 degree mirror.

OK, well, obviously I've messed it up, and I'm never going to get that lens potted correctly again, so I sigh, thinking, hell, might as well learn how it's put together, put in my tweezers, and try to turn out this thing.

It doesn't turn. After much fuss, I'm about to toss the laser in the trash, and figure, hell, why not try to force it out from the rear? I've tried everything else....

So I stick in some batteries and push from the bottom. With substantial force... PLOP! Out pops the module. Well, now it's obvious that the whole thing should have been pulled straight out instead of turned from the very start, but it's too late now... but

OH SHIT.

What's that.

:eek: A (*@%(*@% SPRING?! :eek:

You know how flashlights go together? Positive always points toward the bulb? You know how the negative end of a battery always go towards the springs?

sigh.

I reassemble the unit best I am able without any testing equipment or epoxy and put the batteries back in... "backwards."

I get a beautiful green spot about 2" in diameter on the wall, and, sure enough, the directions read (when read more carefully): Positive down.

That's one green laser tossed in the trash from stupidity. Dumbass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ARG





S

SenKat

Guest
Uhm....the positive leads on the batteries for the Core go in last - it is negative side down, so the batts have the positive end poking out of the back of the laser. The positive connection is made at the tailcap, not at the spring on the inside of the laser. Placing the end cap on completes the circuit.
 
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
165
Points
0
mate your gonna think im nuts but i like ur style of writing its the style i occasionally see on the internet and forget to bookmark... anyway i have a certain voice in my head for reading story's like that.... good grief i AM NUTS..... anyway sorry u had such bad luck ay, but least u learned a fair bit :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: ARG
S

SenKat

Guest
No, Thories, you're not nuts...uhm either that, or we BOTH are ! LOL I do the same thing !
 
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Messages
810
Points
0
I think it would be a shame to throw it away, the laser unit itself is obviously working fine. Its just the focusing that is messed up. I would play around with the lenses before you decide to trash it. Fractions of a Millimeter in the beam path can make a huge difference in focus. If you have already decided to bin it, then you have nothing to loose by playing around with it and Knowledge to gain.

If it is totally messed up, then take it all apart and look at the optical train to see how these lasers work.

Good Luck.

Jase
 
  • Like
Reactions: ARG
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
6,309
Points
83
Good story about a $40 Class !!!! I agree, it came apart so put it back together. Nothing to loose. If one of those lenses is kinda sky blue, it may be an IR filter. Watch your eyes when you have your nose inside the module.

Mike
 

Kenom

0
Joined
May 4, 2007
Messages
5,629
Points
63
Welcome to the forum. We've all had similiar situations of stupidity. It's how we learn not to do them again or if we do, we have to go to great lengths to beat the last bout of stupidity. I myself am riddled with an ever increasing bout of stupidity. it's that or I don't recognize the little stupid stunts. :) hehe. Your Core is not broken beyond repair. I guarantee it. with enough time and patience you will have it fixed I have no doubt. Your narrative is defenitly remeniscent of my internal voice in my head..... what happens if we do this?? ZZZZZT! OH OW! well, we DON'T DO THAT AGAIN! ZZZZZZZZZT! #$%%^
 
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
141
Points
0
Destroying perfectly good lasers by accident is a time-honored tradition among us crazy laser enthusiasts. Just consider it your first donation to your "parts box" ;D
 
  • Like
Reactions: ARG




Top