I will settle for burning anything at any distance for now
Multimode diodes diverge rapidly but with a 3 element you should be able to light wooden matchsticks on the bottom end and easily on the head end at 5 feet.
You need to hold steady and put the tightest focus you can get on the edge of the wood and hold it there until you see it glow through your safety glasses, then a flame kernel will pop out and your match is lit the hard way, once you have the kernel then burn under it as smoke is fuel for your flame and you pre heat the next burn area.
What diode are you using, what driver are you using, what battery are you using, do you have it in a good heat sink?
Here is a M-140 using a 1.8amp driver.
REMEMBER to ALWAYS wear your safety glasses because the tiny light sensing parts on your retina do not bleach out to protect themselves against blue light like they do if hit with say a super bright flashlight, so safety glasses are extra important with blue lasers, they are important with any laser over 5mw, but blue has a lot more energy than it appears to. Green lasers look 10 times as bright as blue watt per watt so never try to burn without your safety glasses, you can record your burning and watch it on your pc like this and not ruin your eyes.
Sorry for preaching safety, but it is the most important part of anything you do involving lasers.
