WHAT IS THE BEST BURNING LASER TO PURCHASE

[Tmack]

The pens have a rear switch. They have proven very temperamental in high power. The highest power I can do is 1w in those.
VERY short battery life. (1x10440)

I recommend something larger when considering high power.

Edit: Those were the last of the pens and are no longer available.

I have a wicked laser pen modified to be 1.7w and focus able, but because of the host, and labor involved, that one is expensive. It has a custom driver with a switch right in the board so it does have the side button. It has a rear key pin to lock out the laser. It's very nice, and I put alot if work in it, with parts I'll probably never be able to get again.

 

[Tmack]

I have only seen one of these ever made, and it was not focusing at all.
I would have to ask $250 for it because it was so difficult to make, it required custom machined parts to make it focus , uses the side button x switch driver, I'll and I guarantee you will never find another person with one.

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I have since mirror polished the button. I personally love to this laser, and it's part of my collection.

 

[Tmack]

1.7w c11 side click. Very nicely heatsinked. Takes 2x18350.
Burns EXTREMELY WELL.
Just found a new home!

 

[wolfstyle]

WOW!!! Just received my laser from Tmack yesterday, truly amazing. Mine was the blue Mag in the pic he posted earlier. He answered all my questions and provided updates along the entire build process. I can definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a custom built laser. Happy Burning!

 

[dradee1]

Check out my new hosts!

Tmack, what kind of blue burner can build with this style of host?

 

[Tmack]

I can build a 3w 445nm monster in one of those. That's the strongest you can go safely right now. They are custom made to order and take a couple weeks, but man they are worth it. A complete 3w would be $400.
They are $100 more than a maglite, but just look so good
They are pretty large. 2 18650s to give an idea. Heatsink is beautifully, finned helping with heat dissipation of course. It's been my unrivaled favorite for a while now. The host is over $100 without the marble anodization. Made specifically for high mW lasers, this is no flashlight host

 

[Tmack]

Just have to build that expensive green!

By far my favorite hosts. Marble Zasers. Some of the best performing hosts too. The 3w lpm graph is almost dead level at three minutes during heat testing. This is attributed to the mass and fins of the heatsink.

Hopefully soon I'll be building actively cooled maglite with unlimited duty cycles.

3w blue, 500mw red, 500mw violet. Came out beautiful.

 

[Arilou]

I bought the 1.7W 445nm laser (above) from Tmack. Works great and doesn't get hot at all. It's built into a flashlight case, so it has an on/off switch rather than a momentary pushbutton switch.

Very bright... I measured the output and it is close to 1.7W. Use eye protection if you buy this!

 

[Tmack]

Monster 1w 638nm red in a solid copper custom host. "The Cyprus"
Camera really doesn't do the red justice here. Irl the red beam is spectacular to say the least. I'll get a better camera for beams shots and put them up tonight. Really happy with this build

.
That's a whole Lotta red! Not your typical cat toy here fellas

 

[RCantor]

Can you explain to me (or give me a link) why blue is a better burner than red?

 

[Tmack]

Blue can be had in 3x the power for the same cost.

This 1w is an accomplishment for red. While I can make blue wavelength 3w.

More power = better burning.

 

[Tmack]

445nm(blue) vs 638nm (red)
The blue is a shorter wavelength, making it higher frequency. That makes more of the energy absorbed by the target, = better for burning.
405nm ( violet) is even better for burning, but can't be had in 3w. So 445nm is the best middle ground. The most power, and a good wavelength for burning.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

Energy density and the target material's absorptive properties play a role in "burning" too. 405nm can be focused smaller than most available 445nm diodes, given the same lens. But these are not used for lighting, so are not commonly available in multi transverse mode variants.

 

[Arilou]

Can you explain to me (or give me a link) why blue is a better burner than red?

Simply that gallium nitride has a higher melting point than GaAs or GaP. You can push a lot more power through it without it overheating and damaging the crystal.

A red laser wil burn just fine, if you can get enough power output.

 

[Tmack]

Just put this kit together for someone.

2.8w 445nm MS-SSW
1w 638nm Cypress
700mw 405nm Copperhead

A charger for each
And those are actually my
NOIR Lasershields DBY filter.

Nice grab and go kit.

 

[Arilou]

The reason I would not recommend a red laser for burning has nothing to do with the power output. I have a 400mW 808nm laser and it burns just fine. The problem is, if you are wearing safety glasses that block the red light, then you can't see it at all. Most materials have a red fluorescence when illuminated with blue light. If you are using a blue laser and wearing goggles that block the blue light, you can still see the spot because of the red fluorescence. With a red laser, there is no visible fluorescence and you can't see it at all unless you take off the safety glasses, which I wouldn't recommend doing.

 

[Tmack]

I only recommended red for beam viewing, never burning. Because of 445nm extreme power, that's all I'd state as a good burner. 808nm may burn well, but at very close range.

I just want to remind people this wasn't my thread, and my full focus of laser ownership is not burning. It's just a feature many people want to know about.
I stumbled across this thread, and just started posted laser related things
I don't want people to read the title, assuming it's my thread, and think it's all about burning

 

[Str8stroke]

Tmack, I clicked on the thread to read about what is the best burning laser, and you opened my eyes (my cheap attempt at a pun) to the whole Laser thing. WOW, I had not thought about the invisible reflections zapping ones eyes. I have always wanted a laser to bring out at the next camping event or bbq and fire up the pit to impress people! lol I am guessing unless everyone within a 1/5 mile radius dons some shades that look like they are off the set of Terminator 2, I shouldn't do it! I also understand different power levels would require different safety precautions. I am just curious and kinda generalizing.

If I get a laser that burns well, how far are they dangerous to bystanders? I ask because I like to look at stars and astronomy I use a small pointer it goes out a little ways, I just thought it would be cool to have one laser that could do that and then with a flip of a switch light the camp fire! Do they and or you make a two mode laser?

Also, do I understand you correctly in that depending on the wavelength, one should have appropriate safety glasses for each wavelength?

So in summation, I now understand blue is the way to go for burning and I should have safety glasses for that wavelength.

Thanks for the info. Neat stuff.

 

[Tmack]

I recommend glasses if your indoors and viewing the dot at a fairly close range. Kind of like a firearm. You and the people very close or participating need protection, but not everyone spectating.

There are many glasses that cover several wavelength. You can get filters that cover few or many of them. Mine cover all but red, and I have a separate pair for red when I'm testing. When star pointing, even with a very strong laser, I don't wear glasses.

I personally don't make lasers with mode selection. I use drivers with a soft start feature, that multi setting drivers don't have. The drivers that I use are especially made for lasers diodes and don't offer more than 1 setting I'm sorry.
There is a custom builder that offers this, but I do not agree with many aspects of his builds, and would tend not to recommend his lasers.

Let me know if you have any further questions

Happy to answer.

 

[Loed7984]

I make some artisans engrave in metal and glass, I find usefus for that purpose the famous arctic, from wickedlasers. Had momentary on and a secure,so one can use it safely