Uncollimated DVD laser - got it for FREE!

[Minousoft]

Today, I picked up a free broken DVD burner, took it apart, guessed which diode was the 650nm one, and painstakingly soldered it to my rckstr driver board. I now have a free laser diode to replace the old one I managed to overcurrent. It's powered by a 9v battery (right now I'm using a 7.2v rechargable NiMH) and makes an oval-shaped cone of red light with a slight moire pattern on one side.

I would take pictures but there's nothing spectacular here...

Problems with my setup:
-It has no case
-It has no on button
-It has no collimating lens
-I left the metal thing the diode was soldered to intact, so the diode is still stuck to a piece of metal. I can't remove it without getting a better soldering iron.
-I didn't check the current. I set the current pot all the way down. Any ideas on how far I can turn the pot before the laser burns out?

Also, I got the CD diode out of the laser head as well, but I'm not sure of its specs.

 

[bobhaha]

LOL seems you have no clue whats going on! read all the stickies man! I can build you a dummy load for your red diode, it emulates the voltage / current of a real laser diode that way you can measure its current. You have to solder it onto your driver, then use a DMM to measure the current output of the driver. This way you know how much current the laser diode is being given. I can make it for you for free, but you pay postage... how does that sound? But you must read all the stickies and FAQ's first, otherwise there is no point!

Let me know! -Adrian

 

[Minousoft]

I lost my dummy load somewhere.

Also, I figured out that the pot on my driver is broken and is not providing enough resistance, and the laser diode was getting overcurrented, so it's dead now. I have to get another driver.

EDIT: And another diode - maybe I'll use the IR one I have.

 

[lasersbee]

Any ideas on how far I can turn the pot before the laser burns out?

That's like asking how far should I turn the steering wheel to get around
the corner before I crash....

Jerry

 

[BuildAbluraylaser]

It's not a good idea to use a IR diode because you can't see the beam.

That makes it more difficult to collimates, and poses a bigger safety hazard (unless you have IR safety goggles) because you wont blink if you get it in your eye.

You should get a full laser kit from Jayrob, and it will make it all easier...

 

[bobhaha]

It's not a good idea to use a IR diode because you can see the beam.

You mean.. Can't see the beam.

 

[BuildAbluraylaser]

Thank you for the notice...

It happens to me quite often...

And most of the time it ends up making a very contradictory post...