Bought a Laserworld 250mW greeny

[450nm]

Well I took the plunge and bought a Laserworld 250mW greeny off eBay and it arrived today from Germany incredibly quickly via UPS.

Total cost including shipping was £159 (around $80). It has a 'buy now' price of £189 but the seller will haggle (make an offer). It seems very well built in a decent heat sink and while I haven't a meter I have no doubt it is chucking out the full 250mW. It burns black tape at several feet.

The dot can be seen in sunlight at 300 feet. Can't wait for tonight to see it's full capability. Beam seems nice and tight. Downside it is only TTL but I understand that Laserworld can modify units for analogue and for my purposes TTL is fine.

I wondered if it was working when I first switched it on as the slow start takes around 2 seconds to come up. It set me thinking of the idea of adding some more capacitance on my die4drive drivers to make the slow start the same and hopefully prolong the diodes life in my reddys.

[carmangary]

The slow start feature on the die4drive also applies to modulation. Adding capacitance would decrease the modulation rate.

[450nm]

One small irritating thing that got me slightly at it was the mains connector wires supplied. Who in the UK uses red and black for mains????

[allthatwhichis]

One small irritating thing that got me slightly at it was the mains connector wires supplied. Who in the UK uses red and black for mains????

Aren't those the blanking leads?

[450nm]

NO! But they are identical to the blanking leads. Both sets of mains/TTL are same type of cable and red/black. The TTL has a small label on it but I could possibly see someone making a mistake and sticking the mains up the TTL!

Anyway it's just got dark here in Wiltshire, UK and it's putting out one helluva beam! I've slapped a 555 on it to get it flashing and make it even more noticeable.

[mliptack]

I think were all waiting for pics!

[450nm]

Doesn't really do it justice. It is far brighter than it appears here. I just went for a drive and it is just as bright 5 miles down the road! I'm well happy with it.

[450nm]

LOL and just realised I have an IR filter on the camera!

[greenalien]

Just got one as well, first thing I did was try it in the garden - all the firework smoke and thin fog showed the beam up beautifully! Then I noticed that the condensation was starting to get everything wet and put everything away before I got electrocuted!

Haven't tried the TTL yet except to note that connecting the two wires dims the beam by about 95%. How did you connect the 555 to get it to pulse?

[halen]

i have that same laser too, also laserworlds 45k galvo set, but my project is still in boxes and waiting next pay day .

still missing controller software and somekind case, maybe i build it in 3U rackcradle.