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Let there be light - an Ebay deal erco would be proud of! — Parallax Forums

Let there be light - an Ebay deal erco would be proud of!

ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
edited 2013-08-26 12:55 in General Discussion
I have always been interested in lasers. I built my first lower power 1mw helium neon laser in the early 80's. So I looked around Ebay recently to see what the highest power visible light laser diode for the best price including driver board, fan cooled enclosure, and collimating lens.

I found those four pieces for just under $89.00 shipped and I have built a 1.4 watt (1400mw) 450nm blue laser using an OSRAM diode. After running for quit awhile the enclosure only reached 97 degrees. It only draws ~700ma @ 12V. I have the driver set to run the diode at 1.2 amps.

This one has a bit more kick than my 532nm 300mw green. Yes I know about laser safety precautions but I seem to have a hard time seeing the keys on the keyboard.
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Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-08-02 10:45
    Love it. Can u burn anything?
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-08-02 10:51
    erco yes this one burns - skin, eyeballs, anything that gets in the way. Not metal except maybe the paint that's on it.
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-08-02 13:22
    strong enough for engraving or etching?
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-08-02 13:31
    skylight it is potent but not that potent. You could engrave your name on something like wood or plastic, just burning and melting it. Earlier I had it on for awhile and it was pointed at a white Parallax shipping box across the room and it didn't take long for it to burn a hole.
  • DaveJensonDaveJenson Posts: 375
    edited 2013-08-02 13:36
    ratronic wrote: »
    skylight it is potent but not that potent. You could engrave your name on something like wood or plastic, just burning and melting it. Earlier I had it on for awhile and it was pointed at a white Parallax shipping box across the room and it didn't take long for it to burn a hole.

    I assume you burned that hole on purpose? (Otherwise we'll have to revoke your laser license!)
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-08-02 13:42
    Yes I make sure what it is pointed at when it is on!
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-08-02 13:56
    obviously not metal but with focussing could it cut gels or vinyl for labels, stickers etc
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-08-02 14:01
    I just tried burning thru black electric tape and it took me apprx. ~5 seconds to burn it in half.
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-08-03 14:19
    So probably not then, have you tried focussing it with a lens?
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-08-03 15:00
    No just a collimating lens. I built this because I want to eventually upgrade the power output of a cheap Chinese RGB ILDA laser projector from Ebay that only has a total output of ~.4watts, as the optics that came with it can handle more power.

    If your considering building one of these be very careful with it's use as it will put eye(s) out and start smoking most things it's pointed at.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2013-08-03 15:11
    Don't you guys worry about blinding yourselves?
    I also built a 1mW red helium-neon laser back in the 1990's. Made a few white light visible holograms on glass plates with it. Great fun.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2013-08-06 18:43
    ratronic wrote: »
    I want to eventually upgrade the power output of a cheap Chinese RGB ILDA laser projector

    Okay, I've been looking at some of the laser projectors on ebay. I know I need one, but I haven't figured out why yet.

    What do you intend to do with yours?

    And why do I need one so badly?
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-08-06 19:29
    Duane unless you have a "thing" for laser's you probably wouldn't get much from one. I am not an artist but I have fun drawing things on the computer then displaying the pattern with the projector (better with smoke or fog in the air). The one I got was cheap it only has TTL

    color control.

    That means I only have 7 colors. It only has 20K galvos but it scans fast enough to provide animation. I use a cheap program called iShow. What ever you draw up, the program is able to make the projector rotate it just about any way @ any speed.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2013-08-06 19:47
    ratronic wrote: »
    Duane unless you have a "thing" for laser's you probably wouldn't get much from one.

    Well I do have a "thing" for lasers. It might take me a bit of thinking to figure out why I need one of these.

    Several years back someone made a laser projector with a couple of old hard drive voice coils and mirrors. It was really cool. The project has come to my mind many times since I started learning to use the Propeller. I keep thinking I'll attempt to make my own at some point.

    A RGB laser would make the project even better.

    I found the Propeller controlled laser scanner. It was done by Scanlime. An awesome project IMO. It looks like her scanner is limited to about 4K.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-08-06 19:54
    The new bot I'm building for Jameco's Coasterbot contest has a targeting laser anyway. To aim and fire the projectiles...

    @Duane: I finally modified am HXT900 servo for CR tonight. A bit rough but it works OK. I just gutted the potentiometer and put it back in with a drop of silicone oil, since that pivot is needed to support the output shaft. I replaced the pot with two 2.7K resistors. Now I need to see if it drifts from a center setting.
    Coasterbot.jpg
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  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2013-08-06 20:19
    Duane that is just the laser combining platform that produces a white laser beam. You would also need an X/Y scanning setup to deflect the beam. Also an external ADC control & software. This is what I bought to interface the projector to the computer.

    I bought one of the advertised 410mw projectors and when I got it I tore it apart (to see how it works!) and found it had less laser power than advertised. So in my sneaky Ebay ways I was able to get him to refund another $40.00 from the price.

    erco laser targeting - so you can get better aim with the flame throwers?

    Edit: I have talked about upgrading the power output of mine but if you are using it in the house .41 watt is fine. It is still too bright to look at. I am very worried about messing with the optical alignment on mine.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2013-08-06 21:01
    ratronic wrote: »
    Duane that is just the laser combining platform that produces a white laser beam. You would also need an X/Y scanning setup to deflect the beam.

    My thought was to make a scanner like Scanlime's to deflect the beam. These are more thoughts than plans at this point. I still need to figure out why I need it.

    @erco, I need to catch up with the coaster bot thread to figure out what the heck you're making.
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2013-08-26 12:55
    ratronic wrote: »
    I have always been interested in lasers. I built my first lower power 1mw helium neon laser in the early 80's. So I looked around Ebay recently to see what the highest power visible light laser diode for the best price including driver board, fan cooled enclosure, and collimating lens.

    I started building one of those sometime in the 80's (can't recall just when). Actually the mechanical/electronic part was complete, but when it to procuring the gasses required, my significant other was less than enthusiastic... "Are you f*****g crazy?" :-(
    (These days, a Sheldon Cooper quote comes to mind! :-> )

    Anyhow, the laser diodes available today make experimentation so much easier.

    Amanda

    Current inventory:
    5mw 650nm diodes
    10mw 650nm diode
    50mw 532nm diode
    50mw 405nm diode
    300mw 808nm diode
    1000mw 808nm diode
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