Why are 405nm.....

[Commander J. Bloodmaker]

Why are 405nm diodes 100mw and above so freaking expensive? I can find 20mw-50mw all day long for around a dollar, or two. That's new and use. Just scored 20 pcs of 405nm at 20mw for 8 bucks. I spend a lot of money with a certain surplus laser store, and they return the favor by sometimes giving me sweet deals on things I want. For the life of me I can't figure out why above a certain mw range they just go crazy in price. I really like the violet color, but for my old eyes, maybe yours too, it takes a bit of power to make that dim color light up better. Anyone know where I can get a sweet deal on some 1000mw+ 405nm, like the deal I got in the text above. $40 to $100+ just doesn't cut it for that tiny 5.6, when I can get way more powerful diodes for cheaper, just a few nm's higher.

 

[hakzaw1]

If you are wanting to see the beams- 405 is only a bit brighter (to our eyes) than IR. lol
BUT it is the best burner--the beam is very concentrated. 405 can burn from a greater distance too.
405 is the best for day-glo objects and of course GITD.
But the beam is not easy to see. (from the side)you need something more than 300 or 400 mW to be twice as bright as 50mW of 405.
There are now a LOT of nice blues-- check out 488-very bright and best shade of blue. (IMO)
More 405 power will not actually fix that- 100mW is not twice as 'bright' as 50mW--
I would seriously look into buying from a vet here- by far the best source. AND they often are willing to repair for a fair price.
OR look into JETLASERS Lasers and Sanwu -both have lots of fans here. AND....I would not really need/want the highest power they both offer.
too much heat & $$ for not much more brightness--the 405 JL Pro-PL E Mini is what I have.. takes 18650s and has lots of heat sinking. Comes in any color you want---as long as that color is black (Henry Ford)
Kits --like JADs or JAD&Ds are a good way to go and learn at the same time--

hk

 

[gazer101]

Why are 405nm diodes 100mw and above so freaking expensive? I can find 20mw-50mw all day long for around a dollar, or two. That's new and use. Just scored 20 pcs of 405nm at 20mw for 8 bucks. I spend a lot of money with a certain surplus laser store, and they return the favor by sometimes giving me sweet deals on things I want. For the life of me I can't figure out why above a certain mw range they just go crazy in price. I really like the violet color, but for my old eyes, maybe yours too, it takes a bit of power to make that dim color light up better. Anyone know where I can get a sweet deal on some 1000mw+ 405nm, like the deal I got in the text above. $40 to $100+ just doesn't cut it for that tiny 5.6, when I can get way more powerful diodes for cheaper, just a few nm's higher.

I really don't see what the problem is, your 20 pcs deal costed $0.02/mW while a 1W+ diode from eBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/174766429732)--assuming you run it at 1.5W, which it has been proven to easily handle--costs $0.019/mW

The cost/mW is nearly identical?

 

[Commander J. Bloodmaker]

If you are wanting to see the beams- 405 is only a bit brighter (to our eyes) than IR. lol
BUT it is the best burner--the beam is very concentrated. 405 can burn from a greater distance too.
405 is the best for day-glo objects and of course GITD.
But the beam is not easy to see. (from the side)you need something more than 300 or 400 mW to be twice as bright as 50mW of 405.
There are now a LOT of nice blues-- check out 488-very bright and best shade of blue. (IMO)
More 405 power will not actually fix that- 100mW is not twice as 'bright' as 50mW--
I would seriously look into buying from a vet here- by far the best source. AND they often are willing to repair for a fair price.
OR look into JETLASERS Lasers and Sanwu -both have lots of fans here. AND....I would not really need/want the highest power they both offer.
too much heat & $$ for not much more brightness--the 405 JL Pro-PL E Mini is what I have.. takes 18650s and has lots of heat sinking. Comes in any color you want---as long as that color is black (Henry Ford)
Kits --like JADs or JAD&Ds are a good way to go and learn at the same time--

hk

I'm not really much of a burner. Yeah it's cool for like 10 seconds, for me. I like fat collimated beams that go on forever, the best. I'll have to check out 488nm. I tend to just buy a bunch of whatever I like that I see. Slowly building a very large and mostly un needed laser pen collection, but who doesn't like to dance around in their underwear " edited for sensitive eyes" and blowing the smoke all over with laser beams in their hands. It is a very adult activity. lol. I know it won't make it 2x as bright, but it does make things fluoresce brighter when you can get more power in a fatter beam. I plan on building a lot of useless and cool projects. I have an engraver if I feel like burning things, I need fat straight beams of pure sexy light. lol

I really don't see what the problem is, your 20 pcs deal costed $0.02/mW while a 1W+ diode from eBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/174766429732)--assuming you run it at 1.5W, which it has been proven to easily handle--costs $0.019/mW

The cost/mW is nearly identical?

see $30 bucks for 300mw. I can get 4.75w in royal blue for less. Do you know how fat I can make a 4.75w beam without lossing that beautify shine when the fog hits it, oh boy it can be massive. lol. A 5 inch beam at 300mw is pretty weak, I was looking for new . I like new, I know a lot here can't afford a new diode sometimes. I'm not cheap when it comes to my hobby's. I'm pretty wasteful, which may benefit some here in the future, and buy more than I need. It has gotten some friends into the hobby though, free stuff for them. A good brand , and brand new only at like 1000mw is what I'm wanting. But golie, The price is crazy. I can get my supplier to drop 44's to 50 bucks for me sometimes. I can cram 8w into that diode with a Tec setup and have it glowing like the sun. Thats more than I need and not the right color for what I am making though. I want a 1000mw for like 20 bucks, and new. lol. I want a huge beam.

edit: oh and thats another reason why I need more power, the optics can really eat some of the beam power.

 

[hakzaw1]

zactly what ^ said.

900mW 405nm BDR-209 Blu-Ray Laser Diode In Copper ...​

https://www.ebay.com › ... › Laser Modules & Heads



Listing is for a single 900mW 16X 405nm BDR-209 Blue-ray Diode in a standard 12mm copper modulewith leads and thee element glass lens. This is the most ...
$41.00 · ‎In stock

 

[gazer101]

That 300mW diode is well known for being overdriven to 1W+, haven't done it myself but have heard good things in terms of its reliability at those high powers.

BDR-209 is single mode and much more finicky at high powers afaik

 

[Commander J. Bloodmaker]

That 300mW diode is well known for being overdriven to 1W+, haven't done it myself but have heard good things in terms of its reliability at those high powers.

BDR-209 is single mode and much more finicky at high powers

But how long will it last overdriven that hard without a Tec system? I'm housing them in smaller modules for this project and only using 33mm fans for active cooling. More than enough for the greens and red's I have in the housing box. I haven't overdriven any of those, they have more than enough output for the fat beam. Mainly because the wavelengths are tuned more for our eye's. I'm making a homemade laser show box for my backyard fun. Only instead of getting a rgb unit, I want the fun of mixing them myself in a motorized set up. I know it is going to cost me 10x's as much as just buying off the shelf already made stuff, but this isn't for anything but learning and fun. I'm more than willing to waste the money. lol. I'm just wanting to know why a rated 1cw 1.5pulse violet is so much more than a oh say nubm08, an they are 4.75w. I have used Tec to cram almost 6 amps in them. I get brand new( no tin pin) nubm08 for $20 bucks window canned and around $15 for a Gball. Yet the violets I feel like I'm being ripped off. lol.

 

[Commander J. Bloodmaker]

zactly what ^ said.

900mW 405nm BDR-209 Blu-Ray Laser Diode In Copper ...​

https://www.ebay.com › ... › Laser Modules & Heads



Listing is for a single 900mW 16X 405nm BDR-209 Blue-ray Diode in a standard 12mm copper modulewith leads and thee element glass lens. This is the most ...
$41.00 · ‎In stock

Not that I won't buy them, just why are they so much? A nubm08 brand new cost me $20 bucks. They are the wrong color for what I want though. I have my own housings for my diodes, bought a lot of 200 for $110 bucks from my awesome supplier. I'm not sure everyone gets the deals I get though. Then again, they probably never email and ask them or make then an offer on bulk items. I'm going to have to try some more negotiation with my supplier. I don't like buying one diode at a time. I buy like 20 or 50 at a time.

edit---- Buying in a larger lot allows me to hand pick the diodes I use. I'll then put the rest in pens or give them to friends or just stack 'em away for another project. I noticed early early on in my lasing, there is quite a spread in quality among diodes, new and used. Even with the high dollar names attached.

 

[gazer101]

But how long will it last overdriven that hard without a Tec system? I'm housing them in smaller modules for this project and only using 33mm fans for active cooling. More than enough for the greens and red's I have in the housing box. I haven't overdriven any of those, they have more than enough output for the fat beam. Mainly because the wavelengths are tuned more for our eye's. I'm making a homemade laser show box for my backyard fun. Only instead of getting a rgb unit, I want the fun of mixing them myself in a motorized set up. I know it is going to cost me 10x's as much as just buying off the shelf already made stuff, but this isn't for anything but learning and fun. I'm more than willing to waste the money. lol. I'm just wanting to know why a rated 1cw 1.5pulse violet is so much more than a oh say nubm08, an they are 4.75w. I have used Tec to cram almost 6 amps in them. I get brand new( no tin pin) nubm08 for $20 bucks window canned and around $15 for a Gball. Yet the violets I feel like I'm being ripped off. lol.

This guy said he was running it at 620mA without any problems for over a year. Correlated with DTR's measurements, this would give an output power of 0.948W but I imagine a couple more mA wouldn't hurt... I don't think he needed a TEC, in fact I have never seen anybody have to use TEC for such low powered lasers: https://laserpointerforums.com/threads/sharp-gh04w10a2gc-350mw-405nm.104348/post-1561182

 

[hakzaw1]

Early on I looked at diodes as one big group... BUT that is not the way it works- mW and SAME nm is about as close as we can get.
There are many factors that dictate prices (& as you know--how big is the order)
We do not really have ANY 'buying power'--of all who use lasers== we are the smallest group and afaik none are made with US in mind.
Contacting places like Nichia on our behalf is a waste of our time. Prices change as new devices evolve for large volume users --
For instance-- yellow diodes and yellow DPSS- UNTIL some mass produced item comes along and makers are now in need many millions of them instead of hundreds will cost change much. That may be something we will never see on our lifetime .

Comparing lasers with fruit-- at the market we see many 'types' of apples, oranges and lemons- And prices are varied-- common lemons are much cheaper that, say, Ponderosa Lemons (thick skinned and used for making 'candied' Lemon Peel) or Blood Oranges- are much higher priced than 'ordinary ' common fruit. Seeded oranges are cheaper than navel oranges (seedless) -and blood oranges cost more than navels.
and... so that is your answer. Even within that same or close to the same wavelength cost varies. ..AND what we want means little to diode makers.
I do not know what the first 532 dpss were used for. my first green pointer was >10X what we pay now and before that even more costly .. and now green pointers are for sure the largest use. BUT us 'users' still do not have much influence on makers.
The pointer makers are the ones with the actual buying power, not us.
I remember a question-- "why are 650 reds so much cheaper than 635/638 reds ( of the same output)? .' Its the demand. And as we have seen-- prices on the 'brighter reds' has dropped some. So the demand has made these now made them cheaper.
see this pic from Norty- can you tell which PJ has red diode with 2X the mW?
I can guess ...but it is only guess. They look the same to me.
also cost is NOT even close to the 'same'(but NOT 2X) -- but one is only 10nm more than the other. go figure.