I've just finished building my first Blue Ray laser, got today in the morning some nicely assembled diodes from BluRay 
It's build in a simple electronics project box, with a LM317-based variable current driver. Maximum current is set to 130mA, with a push button to get it to about 160. By now there's only a switch to power the laser on, maybe I'll add a key for safer non-authorized usage
Power is given by two 4xAA rechargeable packs, I'm waiting to get some CR2 from DX and ebay, as I'll get the 3.6V ones for the incoming dilda this laser will run off 3x 3V cr2's, should be a good supply and most of all I'll be able to stick them inside the small box
Total cost is about 20€/26$ excluding the two battery packs.
Focusing is pretty good, at 30cm from the lenses (1ft) it's pretty easy to focus the dot to a really small pin, eating electric tape like butter or btw melting any other dark plastic easily. Output power after the optics should be >100mW at 130mA.
I'm designing a switchmode step-down driver based on maxim's max16820, I'll post results in this topic as soon as I etch the first pcb and try it on a sled.
It's build in a simple electronics project box, with a LM317-based variable current driver. Maximum current is set to 130mA, with a push button to get it to about 160. By now there's only a switch to power the laser on, maybe I'll add a key for safer non-authorized usage
Power is given by two 4xAA rechargeable packs, I'm waiting to get some CR2 from DX and ebay, as I'll get the 3.6V ones for the incoming dilda this laser will run off 3x 3V cr2's, should be a good supply and most of all I'll be able to stick them inside the small box
Total cost is about 20€/26$ excluding the two battery packs.
Focusing is pretty good, at 30cm from the lenses (1ft) it's pretty easy to focus the dot to a really small pin, eating electric tape like butter or btw melting any other dark plastic easily. Output power after the optics should be >100mW at 130mA.
I'm designing a switchmode step-down driver based on maxim's max16820, I'll post results in this topic as soon as I etch the first pcb and try it on a sled.
