TO build or to BUY?

[jtroutt19]

So I am wanting an ~1 watt blue 450nm. I can not figure out if I should buy the stuff to build one or just buy one. If I'm correct I will need the constant current driver board, 1 watt diode, a housing for the diode, and then a sled. Those are the main things at last that are coming to my head. I have batteries and the ability to make other things if needed. So what do you guys recommend.
buy This 5 in 1 Blue Sky star 1W blue laser torch/focusable/hunting/outdo [OL-445-1W5] - $98.00 : Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

or build one?

 

[NightExplorer96]

It depends on what you like best. Do you like to tincker with electronics? I personally do not. That being said I've never tried much

Anyway, O-Like is pretty good and I believe building your own would cost slightly more($100+).

-Alex

 

[jtroutt19]

Yes I love to tinker with electronics. I am a CET(Certified Electronics Tech).

I could get this kit which they say is a 2 watt for $100
501B DIY Complete Kit

 

[NightExplorer96]

Yes I love to tinker with electronics. I am a CET(Certified Electronics Tech).

I could get this kit which they say is a 2 watt for $100
501B DIY Complete Kit

Yikes, never saw that before! Up to you now, good thing about building your own laser is you know exactly what goes into it, so if it breaks fixing it will be easier.

Don't forget the safety goggles!

-Alex

 

[Laser Chick]

Just want to make sure that you know that 450nm is blue as you posted this in the green lasers area
If you like to tinker then building is right up your alley. Sure you can buy an already built cheap laser but you get what you pay for most of the time.
The ratio of already built to building your own almost always favors building your own for quality lasers/components.
Watch out for really cheap kits as they are the same as cheap built lasers.
BTW you do not need a sled for a hand held laser
These links might help ...
Build a laser = http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/i-want-build-laser-thread-52972.html
All in one thread for beginners = http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/all-one-thread-beginning-hobbyists-95218.html
Over eager noob on building a laser = http://laserpointerforums.com/f37/word-eager-newcomers-68338.html
How to search the forum = http://laserpointerforums.com/f37/lpf-search-introduction-tips-75992.html

 

[jtroutt19]

Just want to make sure that you know that 450nm is blue as you posted this in the green lasers area
If you like to tinker then building is right up your alley. Sure you can buy an already built cheap laser but you get what you pay for most of the time.
The ratio of already built to building your own almost always favors building your own for quality lasers/components.
Watch out for really cheap kits as they are the same as cheap built lasers.
BTW you do not need a sled for a hand held laser
These links might help ...
Build a laser = http://laserpointerforums.com/f51/i-want-build-laser-thread-52972.html
All in one thread for beginners = http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/all-one-thread-beginning-hobbyists-95218.html
Over eager noob on building a laser = http://laserpointerforums.com/f37/word-eager-newcomers-68338.html
How to search the forum = http://laserpointerforums.com/f37/lpf-search-introduction-tips-75992.html

Yes sorry about the blue laser thing. I have a green laser that I built from a harvested diode out of an old laser light show box. That is what originally led me to here. Thank you for the advice and links I will go and read and educate myself. Much thanks.

 

[jtroutt19]

I have been looking at the 501b DIY kits that sci-fi lasers sale the 3watt versions. I have read good things about them on this forum. Whats the take on this kit?

 

[binarycode]

You know I made a purchase on the first of the month with Sci Fi lasers for one of those kits. And have yet to have it arrive. Being use to this 2day shipping amazon has provided. 2 weeks and no product from Sci-fi with $30 shipping is no go:tsk:. So I placed an order with DTR and a few with Survival lasers and they literally have my tracking number same/next day.


I also ordered a few things off O-like but purchasing seems a lot harder than with Sci-fi, O-like did accept payment then proceeded to tell me the item I only really wanted was out of stock...

Take what you will. But I've just sunk around 1k into this hobby and I can tell you who I will and wont be making any purchases from in the future.

 

[EllyEnthusiastic]

I have been looking at the 501b DIY kits that sci-fi lasers sale the 3watt versions. I have read good things about them on this forum. Whats the take on this kit?

I don't own it (though I plan to buy the prebuilt 1W version of that laser)-- but I hear it's a good product.

From what I hear, O-Like can be a bit dubious. It seems like they used to be good, but their quality has dropped over the past few years. Their sparse spec sheets also shy me away.

Course, I'm very new to the hobby, so don't take my word as gospel.

 

[Encap]

I have been looking at the 501b DIY kits that sci-fi lasers sale the 3watt versions. I have read good things about them on this forum. Whats the take on this kit?

Sci-Fi offere a great complete kit for a 1W 445nm for $69.99 501B DIY Complete Kit only $50 more for a 2.6 to 3W version

 

[jtroutt19]

ALrighty then that settles it. I will buy from sci-fi. Thanks for your guys input!

 

[Davidx]

Yes I love to tinker with electronics. I am a CET(Certified Electronics Tech).

I could get this kit which they say is a 2 watt for $100
501B DIY Complete Kit

Survival lasers sells some great kits. Built a few myself. Get the diode from DTR
The rest from SL. Solder two wires together.

 

[jtroutt19]

So I am a bit confused here. I thought about buying the JAD from Sci Fi and adding my own diode. I would like to maintain a fairly focus beam even at a distance. I've read that multimode diodes are not the best for this. Can someone provide a link how to identify a multimode from a single mode? Are singlemodes more expensive? Do multi modes look the same as Single modes and Dpss laser? Which kind of diode would be good for this housing? Lots of question but having hard times finding the answers to them. Thanks for any help.

 

[DTR]

So I am a bit confused here. I thought about buying the JAD from Sci Fi and adding my own diode. I would like to maintain a fairly focus beam even at a distance. I've read that multimode diodes are not the best for this. Can someone provide a link how to identify a multimode from a single mode? Are singlemodes more expensive? Do multi modes look the same as Single modes and Dpss laser? Which kind of diode would be good for this housing? Lots of question but having hard times finding the answers to them. Thanks for any help.

Single mode diodes are mostly lower power diodes in red, blue and green the highest power is 250mW rated. Violet has the BDR-209 which does 900mW or so.

Multimode diodes are usually the higher power diodes like the 1-6W diodes and how bad the divergence is varies. The worse beam specs are a trad off for really high power and high visual brightness compared to single mode diodes.

DPSS can vary from lower power to some very high power and can have very good beam specs but they have drawbacks compared to the direct laser diodes most of which really show up based on quality of the unit. IR leakage, power level may not hold very steady, very sensitive to temperature and very susceptible to damage from shock/impact.

:beer:

 

[RedCowboy]

I like to build my own everything, it's not hard once you get started.
Parts and even ready to go modules with diode/driver/module/lens I get from DTR in literally 2 business days and hosts are all over the place.

I would recommend before you make a purchase that you read a bit, even the Quick links tab top right then todays posts can give you needed info, good luck and be safe/enjoy.

 

[jtroutt19]

I would like to pull the diode I have currently out of the heatsink it is in and put it in something a little more easier to work with

. THat is what I got now the tag says it is a 100mw. It is green and I was told it is a dpss. That being said it will burn if the spot is left on a spot for about 5 seconds without having to focus the beam further than what it is. But this thing is alot bigger than the ones I see for sale. Whats your take on this particular diode.