Advice for first galvo/amplifier please

[-bart-]

Maybe you can adjust (decrease) the current on the drivers of the lasers to balance power somewhat.

[JasonB]

Maybe you can adjust (decrease) the current on the drivers of the lasers to balance power somewhat.

Bart, thanks, thats a good idea. I'll open up the blue driver module and see if there are any trimpots in there...

[gottaluvlasers]

Hi Jason-

It was great to chat with you the other day. Feel free to call whenever you have questions or need help. you should have your filter today or tomorrow.

-Marc

[JasonB]

Well here are a couple pictures of my new baby. What an interesting adventure this build was, took a couple years working on it 'on and off'. If I could start over from scratch knowing what I know now here would be the changes:

- Purchase higher PPS scanners (This is 20K, 30 or 40 would open up the world of graphics quite a bit, but 20K *does* do some impressive animation for a hobby projector). Galvos/amps are Phenix Electronics from China.
- Go Analog instead of TTL; I would gladly have lower power and analog lasers instead of 'higher' power TTL
- Purchase ALL my optics from Marc at CT Lasers! The dicro on the right is from CT Lasers, it is efficient and has excellent quality. The one on the left is from (embarrased) o-like in China.
- Layout the hole patterns in CAD, if you look carefully you can see my primary beam (green) has quite an angle to it with respect to the scanner. The center laser (blue) has a wicked angle as well, this should all be perpendicular. But I gotta say I had a hell of a time getting this thing aligned so I'm just happy it works! Notice the paper shims there? LOL
- It would have been much easier to use a steering mirror for the primary laser rather than mounting it like I did shooting straight into the scanner.
- Find some nice laser drivers such as flexmod, right now I don't know where to purchase analog drivers for diodes <1 Watt.

I am glad however that I sorta went 'cheap' because there is so much to learn. Burned out the red once due to a reflected beam from another laser going into the aperature during alignment. So it was nice that was not a several hundred dollar mistake.

So here is a huge THANK YOU to the community! I'll have to start working on the wife and plant the seed to attend a LEM in the near future, I'd really like to meet some like-minded folks in person.

Still working on getting the blue laser blanking circuit working correctly, will post some scan images when that is complete.

-Jason

[Bradfo69]

Nice job. Seriously, for a new person and a first attempt, you're to be commended. I've only built one so far and it's not quite finished. I learned a lot in the process but, I'm willing to bet you even learned more than I did since I started with standard parts.

LEM.... without question, start putting the bug in her ear about letting you come to SELEM in mid August!

[edison]

- Find some nice laser drivers such as flexmod, right now I don't know where to purchase analog drivers for diodes <1 Watt.

here you go.....

http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...ivers-in-stock

[drezglis]

what sort of drivers are available out there?

http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...ivers-in-stock[/QUOTE]