Recent content by Greenhorn

I have been running mine at 150mA for well over a month, and I've used it at least a few minutes every day. I'd say that I've run it at least several straight hours. It still stings my skin in a few seconds focused to infinity.

I knew that different wavelengths refract at different rates, but I just got a really good understanding of just how much today.  I unfocused my blu-ray until the beam was about as big as my palm and shined (shone?  I can never remember which is correct) it at my hand, which was also illuminated...

Not including the flashlight body, I paid about $50 for my blu-ray laser, including diode, aixiz module and driver (rkcstr).   I paid $30 for my diode on eBay, which is apparently more than most people buy them for, as I found out later. Some people get heatsinks, but I've found that I don't...

Is there a way to directly double the frequency of a 808nm diode? It would be pretty cool if I could get a 1W or bigger 808nm diode and double it, and have a superbright violet laser. I don't know anything about doubling crystals, but wouldn't doubling 808nm just involve using the same crystals...

It's not hard to turn a canned diode into a open can.  I just did it with one of my 808nm diodes.  I just took needlenosed pliers and squeezed the can a bit all the way around until the entire thing looked shrunken.  Part of the can was now detatched from the base due to the careful crushing...

I could do that.  Stand by . . . EDIT: I tried, but the cameras just don't work with it very well. With one camera the dot looks like a rather bright white dot, while with my picture camera set to video it looks violet. In reality it is a VERY dim, deep red dot. Also, if I get the laser focused...

OK, I got it to work, and it burns black stuff when focused.  Excellent. I think I burned out one diode, but the rest work. It's kind of scary to play with this laser since I know it's bright but I don't BELIEVE it's bright.  It looks awesome in the camera on night vision.  I can't wait to...

So which is negative?

I've made drivers with LM317s before and never had a problem.  Now I've tried THREE different diodes, and none work.  I got them from Stonetek.  I use my camera on night vision to look for the light - but of course, if it's working, I'd be able to see it with my naked eye too. My driver setup...

I use a 150mA for mine. Works great. I've had it for a few weeks and used it often, and it still burns very well.

Re: More power with an extra AAA - bad for WL lase Why is that?  With my DIY lasers, I can give it any range of voltage because the driver regulates it.

My Wicked Laser (I know, I know, they're not well-liked here) 95mw green usually has a very hard time lighting a match even when the beam is focused. Sometimes I can't at all. Sometimes it burns OK, and sometimes not, with the same batteries. I started wondering if perhaps it wasn't getting...

I bought a few glass lenses that fit in aixiz modules from Stonetek.  EVERY SINGLE ONE is bad.  At about 15 meters, no matter how carefully I focus the laser, the best I can get is a diffuse dot with a fan sticking out of the side.  All of the lenses with all of my lasers (violet and red) do the...

I've seen that phenomenon, and I've also seen the patterns change due to the surface melting and changing how the light is reflected. It's pretty cool.

Regular, uncoated glass shouldn't reflect much of the light - at least no more than a red or green would reflect, right?