a couple "wanna be" laser moduls

well, the reason for posting this in the lounge is that these are not finished moduls yet and i'd just like to share at this stage (as i can't foresee a completion time, being swamped at work this time around)

the reason that the pics are so low-res and crappy is that i prefer to take crappy pics of the first stages of my builts, so that i will get this "old" and "worn" feel when i look back at them after the project is complete. So the crappy pics are not due to incompetence, but due to a certain artistic view of things :) :) :)

the first one actually emits blue photons. it has been built to house two blue diodes (runs on one at the moment), has room for a pbs in front of them and a small optic table just enough for a pair of anamorphic prisms. Got a 30x30x60mm piece of alu, went to a local machinist and there it is. Then, there is a 40x?x5mm baseplate so i can sandwich a tec in between. flexmod from drLava, "industry standard" p1t8ull PBS and anamorphic pair, lasorb from francesco, a 405-g-2 lens and matching housing from laser66. So here it is, a crude, unfinished blue one. just don't ask about beam specs, i have not measured anything (although judging by the naked eye, i get similar results to the builts in here, a fat but usable beam with a divergence around the 1-1.2 mrad mark. i'd like to thank all the above for the parts and zoof for the prism templates.

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/2817/dsc0000023.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5782/dsc0000025.jpg


The second one is just uncut or left-over pieces of alu placed on top of each other at the moment. Nothing is drilled, nothing is bolted in place yet. This will eventually turn out to be a 12 banger around the 2-2,3w mark, set up like two 6-diode-builts placed side by side. I will use the o-like lens, going for a 3x5 beam from each diode with a low divergence. Then i am going to stack each 6-diode array like ::: for a beam of 9x10mm at apperture. This way i end up with two beams of 9x10mm, which will be combined with a waveplate and pbs and then run through 3:1 telescopics.

Putting it this way, i have room left in front of the knife edging mounts to place a couple of flexmods, the tec controller, the pbs and waveplate and the telescopic lenses. Maybe in the far future, i will start swapping the LOCs in this one with 640 diodes and get a module with 8 LOCs and 4 6385DGs, or a 6 + 6, who knows? For mirrors, i will use the ones that came with the 815 sleds. My only problem at this time is that i am missing 2 micro-mounts, as i only have ten :) But i'll think of something for sure

I can't find enough words to thank p1t8ull for the mounts and his generosity, this built will be finished only because of his mounts. I wouldn't be attempting a 12 setup without these little gems. I'd also like to thank andy_con for all his shared projects in here, they were a source of serious inspiration. I couldn't forget solarfire too, for sharing his own design and discussing a few points with me

So here is the second crude, unfinished, wanna-be laser modul, next to the above mentioned blue

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/3606/dsc01834p.jpg

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/108/dsc01835c.jpg

evetything is going at snail pace, but i don't really care.

cheers,
chris

Pure pr0n, keep em coming! *retardo

just a quick update here. things still go at snail pace, but still progress can be reported (most of it theoretical, general projector layout etc but some of it concerns the actual photon emmiting parts)

the blue is now tec cooled (huge thanks to solarfire for the info and huger thanks to dnar for the actual programming of THE KEG!!). the angle of the prisms seems final, i'm settling for the highest possible angle, close to the zoof's brewster template

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/2757/dsc0000079.jpg

http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/873/dsc0000084j.jpg

some progress can be reported on the red, too. i tried some lenses, aixiz plastic and metal, o-like and modwerx and they all invariably resulted in a large round beam, around 5-6 mm in diameter. then i used a 405-g-2 in a dave-lens-barrel. you can see what happened below, 405-g-2 on the left, aixiz plasic on the right. i guess i will have to throw in a couple of 405-g-2 lenses so as to make the beam fit on the PBS, or just to see what happens if you telescope beams that come from different lenses

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/3392/dsc0000076q.jpg

nothing is even close to being permanently bolted, i'm just toying around with harvesting diodes, trying out lenses and thinking over general layout

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9733/dsc0000078.jpg

i'm also considering my green options... and my funding options... i have a pair of light alloy (magnesium) marchesini rims to fit any yamaha r1 1998-2003 or a gsxr1000 (03) if anybody would fancy a trade :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

i'll get back to you as soon as there is anything worthy of getting back to you. a cry of solidarity to all the low budget diy laserists out there. one day, we shall prevail!


edit: I can now verify beyond all doubt that it is absolutely and utterly futile to try any metalwork without at least a pillar drill. If you're going for a quad setup just buy the mounts. It is the cheapest way. If you want anything bigger, just get a pillar drill. So simple! (so, the quad setup is around the break even point of a make-or-buy decision)

i'm getting perplexed in theory and practice of building my "big" rgb gets left behind...

still, i got a chance to try some things last week and got a better understanding over possible designs. the outcome was a small rgb, put together really quickly, assembled like by a 5 year old. i'm sure it will give you all a good laugh

first of all, i played around with dave's mounts and a p1t8ull pbs just to get the idea. i rotated diodes, studied some posts here, fiddled with alignment and after a couple of hours of thinking, reading and understanding, i got my first dual with a pbs

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5596/pbsred1.jpg

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/4650/pbsred2.jpg

then, i had a spare dave-mount and a spare 445 diode and a pair of p1t8ull prisms, so i put together a quick blue one

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/5988/blue1h.jpg

at this point, an el-cheapo 100mw ttl greenie just siting there, was too much of a challenge, so i decided to tear apart an old rgv of mine, use the galvos (pt-40) and dichros + mounts. the basic idea was to use mm1s for beam steering onto the dichros that sat on thorlabs 2axis mounts. the whole jig was built upon two sheets of plexiglass just for speed and ease of construction. after all, this is just a test jig to help me learn about pbs combining and "secondary" beam steering

the outcome, as i promised above, looks like it was built by a 5 year old, but it does the job alrite. I even put it in the car and drove around for 10 km, just to see what would happen. Alignment stayed put, so i'm happy with the sturdiness of the build. Any sort of unsued cable length or heatsink i had got used in it, just to supplement the low-cost idea

of course colour balance is way off, as the greenie is a ttl and i have not tuned for white, but i don't care much (although i do get a sort of turqoise white out of it). this build is going to "live" for a couple more months before i tear it apart again. in the meantime, i will have gained some more knowledge of lds and i will be closer to completing my proper rgb. i have to say though, that due to the secondary beam steering, nearfield alignment was a breeze, much easier than expected, so i'll stick to this method in the future

some double sided tape that dsli_jon sent over with the MM1s proved more than valuable (muchos gracias sir jon!!)

so, here goes, feel free to ROFL :)

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5461/77265860.jpg

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5890/18536096.jpg

the beam path

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/7613/17639412.jpg

and some beamshots (some show this "projector" daisy chained to another el cheapo 100mw green of world class laserworld spec + untuned scanners). all shots were taken with the camera on a tripod and using a remote, i was overly cautious not to "audience-scan" myself with this fearsome 500mw bloodthirsty animal. ha ha ha ha!!

this will keep me happy until i decide on which lenses to use for my 12 red and dual 445 and start making my big rgb

here goes, i hope you have as much fun reading this as i had building it


http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/737/p4215066.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/2783/p4215070.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/8313/p4215071.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/5900/p4215076.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/9206/p4215078.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8082/p4225093.jpg

in some pics i used my trusty bag of hand rolling tobacco as a smoke-machine. bad for the health as we all know, but it was the only thing i could use at that time

That quickie RGB build is looking quite good there Chris.
The size of the plexiglass base plate wouldn't happen to be the same size as a certain projector winging it's way to you by any chance?

Carl

well, it is quite bigger but, as you can see, there is lots of unused real-estate in it, so it could fit on a "hypothetical" projector with a "hypothetical" 240x298 mm baseplate :) :)

of course, plexiglass will have to go. i have a 10mm aluminium plate that will support all these bits and bobs. and i have started contemplating a quad 660, as i can't convince my self to fork out the funds for dual opnext at this time.


another finding of the above build is that maybe i should use a 2:1 telescope to expand the green beam, to match beam diameters of the blue and reds. haven't seen anyone doing it, but maybe it is a good idea, depends on the green beam. This 100mw had a really thin beam, around 1-1,5 mm

I would advise putting the red closest to the scanners since its going to be the weakest color... besides that, looks like your coming right along :)

Nice build and pics. I like it!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LaNeK779

in some pics i used my trusty bag of hand rolling tobacco as a smoke-machine. bad for the health as we all know, but it was the only thing i could use at that time

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Pot works better (so they say...) but a little expensive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LaNeK779

of course, plexiglass will have to go. i have a 10mm aluminium plate that will support all these bits and bobs. and i have started contemplating a quad 660, as i can't convince my self to fork out the funds for dual opnext at this time.

---

A 10mm base plate is what I plan to use to replace the steel folded one in the case now for my RGB build. The 10mm base plate will put all the optics and lasers at an almost perfect height for the beam to exit the window near centre with out intruding in to the bottom half of the case for the electronics.

Carl

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phredy1

Nice build and pics. I like it!!!



Pot works better (so they say...) but a little expensive.

---

I bought an optic from someone who used that to make smoke and let me tell you, it leaves some nasty stuff on your optics, its like a sticky tar... so ya, no so great lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flecom

I would advise putting the red closest to the scanners since its going to be the weakest color... besides that, looks like your coming right along :)

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point taken, in this build the order of the colours was dictated by the dichros i had at hand.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phredy1

Pot works better (so they say...) but a little expensive.

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i don't think i would be in a fit state to operate anything, after using pot to fill up a largish room with smoke. :) :) :) :) so, i guess i have to find a smaller room. LOL!!!

@ Carl B: thankd for the tip mate. We'll see how this turns out. i have to confess though that i've got a really good feeling of success

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LaNeK779

i don't think i would be in a fit state to operate anything, after using pot to fill up a largish room with smoke. :) :) :) :) so, i guess i have to find a smaller room. LOL!!!

---

Put it on autopilot and sit back and enjoy the show! Don't forget a few bags of Doritos.

got a chance to change the lenses of my reds tonight. went from aixiz glass, to optima.

results? beam is now half as fat as it used to be, much more visible and 20% more powerfull (from 213 to 258 mw) using the same mounts, diodes, drive current, just changed the lenses. i also took the time to align a bit better, up the blue a bit and enjoy the result. this plexiglass projector is turning out to yield much more than expected :) :) :)

now red is around 250mw, blue is doing 100mw and green is doing, well, pretty much as it wishes. anything between 45 and 65 mw. but it has character!

i am really happy about this and about the optima lenses, too. thanks edison for sending these over. i will make a more in-depth approach concerning the lenses within the weekend (at least i will try to)

and my white looks much much better now :) (in a couple of pics i used the flash, so it could be considered cheating a bit)

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/1725/44288182.jpg

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/8809/16819232.jpg

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2417/12907711.jpg

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/6206/19354922.jpg

this one is misaligned and upside down and i don't know what else, but i like it!!!

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4441/60795558.jpg

i have a feeling that i have not yet seen the limits of this build and with carefull tweeking i could push some more out of it.

Great that you have recieved them. If you can post a beamshot from the red that would be great.

If you can measure the raw output from the diode and then with the optima lenses just to see what the losses are :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by edison

Great that you have recieved them. If you can post a beamshot from the red that would be great.

If you can measure the raw output from the diode and then with the optima lenses just to see what the losses are :D

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i plan to do all these over the weekend, as i want to spent more time experimenting. after this i'll post it all at solarfire's thread. in general, i expected a great lens, and it lived up to expectations. more than happy with it Johan

all i can say for now is this...

before...

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2213/p1100484l.jpg

after... (changed only the lenses)

http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/7168/p1100485.jpg

beam bouncing off the same MM1 (optima to the left, aixiz to the right)

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4277/redcomp2.jpg

Hehe almost 40mw. that,s 20% Nice to see you have such good results. Just to be clear i,m not selling more of these lenses because i,m not planning on selling parts. Doing a groupbuy and help a few hobbyist is fine but to sell lenses with the groupbuy will take a use cut out of my stock and i need them for my own use. ;)

So who is going to contact Optima and organise a groupbuy*retardo