# Help needed! Unable to open my green laser pointer



## SeBsZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Hi there,

I've been trying to open up my green laser in order to access its circuit board in order to do things such as a pot mod and allowing it to run on continuous DC power (instead of batteries). Unfortunately, opening up my pointer has proved to be a difficult task. Above the laser warning sticker there was clearly a "crease" going all the way round. I thought this allowed me to just unscrew the top, but the top would not give way. Using my various tools on the top have caused it to suffer quite a bit of damage (if anyone knows how to mask this damage, let me know )

Here is a picture of the laser pointer, overall view:







I can unscrew the middle which allows me to access the battery compartment (2xAAA). If I look into one of the halves I can see the battery spring and the circuit board, but there is no way I could get to the circuit board like this.

Here is a view of the top, after I decided to use a knife to cut through the "crease". This did not help at all:






Help is appreciated. Hopefully someone recognizes the model of the pointer and is able to tell me how to open it up. Preferably I'd like to open it up and be able to put it back exactly the way it was (with glue if necessary!)

Many thanks, and awaiting someone's reply... :thumbsup:

SeBsZ


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## Kenom (Jun 5, 2007)

Looks like a newwish/dx laser exept silver. Have you tried the wood trick? cut a hole the size of the laser into a piece of wood and then cut that piece of wood in half right down the center of the circle. Put your cap in between those half circles and put it into a vice. tighten it down and twist pull and whatnot. be gentle if it will come off it will given time. Some lasers just can't be taken apart short of cutting the barrel open. I use a pipe cutter to get access to the one's I can't.


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## Corona (Jun 5, 2007)

Yep the crease is probably a rolled crimp that permanently (well, sort of) crunches the sections together. It's like using a pipe / tubing cutter with a dull wheel; it displaces the metal and forms a really tight interference fit between 2 or more concentric tubes. A commonly used method to fix tubular items together (grrrrrr)...

I'd use a needle file (slightly wider than the knife cut) to form a groove all the way around the creased area, to relieve the pressure on that crimp. File down until you see another layer of metal under the outer barrel. Then it should slide apart.

Kenom's wood collet / clamp idea is a good one and you may still need to do this after you relieve the crimp, to get the (slippery!) sections to part ways.

Not sure how to get the button out, but maybe the electronics will slide free with the button still in place, and it can stay attached to the barrel.

Good luck and keep us posted.


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## SeBsZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Hi there, thanks for all your replies.

When I checked the opening of my laser (the hole that the beam comes out of), I realized that there is quite a bit of empty space. So I decided to start cutting a little higher up the laser (not at a crease). I kept going and completely cut through. The result can be seen here:






As can be seen on the left, I accidentily broke off the tiny microswitch while trying to push the module out. Of course I should have pushed the other way. However, I'm good at soldering so I think I'll be able to put it back. This also caused the button to fall out.

The thing that worries me is the depth I had to cut through. If you look from the other side, you can see how thin the metal housing is. This is why I thought cutting at the crease was useless - I didn't know it was actually that thick! Here is a view from the other side:






My question is, where to go from now? Was it good to cut it like this? Should I try cutting at the crease? Should I try pushing the inner "thing" out? Also, in the end, do you think I can glue these cut off pieces back?

Many thanks again...


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## Corona (Jun 5, 2007)

WOW that's a lotta thick copper! Unreal!! They evidently designed this to soak up and spread out / dissipate the heat from the diode very well - and now that you've cut it off, gluing it back on won't make it any better. Kinda like a circumcision :lol: err sorry folks

I'd try separating it at the crease; it's how it went together and - usually - that's the best way to take something apart. 

No matter what you do from now, it ain't gonna look like it did. But - if your plan is still to make your own case, power supply, etc. you should be fine. Just mount the innards into a tight-fitting copper or brass tube - better yet, bore a hole in a heatsink or block of copper (or aluminum) and make it more "industrial laser" like. 

But mod it first, and see if the efficiency / output of the unit warrants such extra effort.


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## SeBsZ (Jun 5, 2007)

Well I broke the laser... I got the module out. I tried turning the pot, broke the pot. So I turned it with a knive as much as I possibly could and left it at that. It looked good, power seemed to have doubled.

I then tried to put it back together, but as I pushed the module back into the tube, it caused the little micro switch to bend backwards, breaking off one of the legs' pads. I decided to pull the module back out and try to fix it. The pad was gone and there was nothing left to solder to, so I figured it was internally connected (using traces) to a pad right next to it. I connected them together, pushed the power button and a huge beam of light shows up for a millisecond. I released the button quickly. To verify my finding, I stupidly pushed the button again, and I already was seeing the beam fade away rapidly into nothing...

I know it can't be fixed anymore, so if anyone would like to donate me a green laser I would really appreciate it. Damn I'm stupid.

Thanks for your help, I'll sit and cry all night about the $62 I spent on this <5mw green laser.

Gnight guys.


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## SenKat (Jun 5, 2007)

Oh, DANG  That was an expensive lesson there


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## Kenom (Jun 5, 2007)

Now this is where I say..... "STOP FIDDLING WITH IT.!!" at this point you have almost completely destroyed this laser but not quite. You can do more damage at this point than good. It is almost never to late to fix a good laser and doing anything more without the knowledge is going to make things worse. There are plenty of folks here who have knowledge in fixing things like this and if you ask nicely they might fix it for you. I've currently got three lasers coming to me from someone who broke them trying to modify them without having the knowledge. With a little money and a lot of time those lasers will probably shine again!! But to continue to descimate the remains of a perfectly good laser is a shame. Don't go any further plz I beg of you!!! I learned my lesson to late. I fried my first laser. POOF BIG TIME. in my curiosity I tore it completely apart. even pulled out the mca. (multiplying crystal assembly??) finger prints all over it completely ruined it. It's now on the table of the surgeon getting a make over. Although I donno if it's salvagable. God if at all send it to me. I'll try and fix it. yikes!=!


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## Kenom (Jun 5, 2007)

On the other hand if I hadn't have made those mistakes and tore mine completely apart and looked to see how it worked I'd probably still be trying to modify lasers past the point of being useful. If you want it fixed I might be able to help. If you wanna learn what makes it tick keep tearing it apart. it could be a good lesson.


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## SeBsZ (Jun 6, 2007)

Well I'm in Europe, will be hard to just send it over. I can't believe I didn't find this forum earlier. I can't believe there are lasers 6 times the power of mine for $40 (30mw), which is $20 cheaper than what i paid for this crap.

Besides lasers being really cool, what exactly do you use them for? Do you just try and burn stuff?


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## FNinjaP90 (Jun 6, 2007)

Lasers can't really burn stuff. However, >100mw can etch black plastic, light matches, kill bugs, etc.


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## Kenom (Jun 6, 2007)

Well, I know a guy in europe who might be able to do something with your laser. He lives in UK. There are lots of uses for the laser. Surgery. I use it to point to objects at my work so I don't have to get off my fat lazy butt and walk the customer to the product. I also use it to show my other customers (with a slide) a certain angle and what a camera is going to show in certain placements. There are lots of uses for a laser. I would love to have one the next time I meet up with a bear. Shine the sucker in his eyes and blind him. (oh I can hear the environmentallist going crazy about that comment.) I could use it in the woods to signal for help if I were lost and saw an airplane overhead or a helicopter. (although the cops would probably arrest me after i was rescued)


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## SeBsZ (Jun 6, 2007)

Is just the laser diode damaged? How much are these diodes? I could buy a new one and solder it on and it would work again? Or have I fried other components on the circuit board. Idon't think I have.

So, how much are these diodes. I would like one capable of around 30mw or more...

Thanks


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## Kenom (Jun 6, 2007)

You have probably fried the circuit and the diode. Luckily you can find driver boards fairly cheap for a green and you can buy a 808nm diode for around $40


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## TITAN1833 (Jun 6, 2007)

:shakehead:thinking:i don't mean to be rude.but what on earth were you trying to do. as a 5mw laser is a great tool for, pointing !at the fact! ,that you have knackered that laser.if you want more power why not just buy a wicked laser or similar. BTW hope someone can fix it for you.and i dont mean jimmy saville.


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## SeBsZ (Jun 7, 2007)

Yeah make me feel even worse...


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## Reid (Jun 7, 2007)

SeBsZ said:


> Yeah make me feel even worse...


It's only a broken toy.
Consider yourself a University of Good Luck student; you didn't get burned at all. 
You paid for your first and most vital lesson by failing. 

I wrote this for you


Regarding *Failure

 
*  What we have, we gained by trying.
What we know, we learned by failing.

What to expect? To fail again.

What we gain by turns at night
may buy a gain next day.

Again we dare to do it different.
Again, we'll get by striving thoughts.

Good begins in dreamings,
because dreams worked for
will lead to gains 

again and again. Reiterate:

Gain by failing;
it's quite all right,
it is all good,
and that is all.


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## Bimmerboy (Jun 7, 2007)

Sebsz, what the HELL were you thinking?! OMG!!! Just kidding. :nana:

An old saying in the science world goes something to the effect of "there's no such thing as a failed experiment". There's definitely something to be learned from your experience. Like, don't do that again... lol. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously though, don't let this sour you on getting into modifying and fixing lasers, lights, etc. It's really a lot of fun. I bet for all the frustration, you were probably quite entertained while hacksawing away there, right? Just be more patient next time, and do a little research first. Measure twice, cut once... and all that. It's cheaper that way. 

And, welcome to CPF!


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## Kiessling (Jun 7, 2007)

The path to success is always plastered with cobblestones made of failure, blood, sweat and tears. The only problem is that such a path might not lead to to success at all. But you can always count on the cobblestones.
bernhard


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## SeBsZ (Jun 10, 2007)

Thing I didn't tell any of you guys is that this is in fact the second green laser I broke in a short time.. The first I broke by giving it 5V instead of 3V ... this one just made me feel so bad because everything went well, the hack went just as I wanted, but right when I am putting the module back into the the laser housing I break the button off the board. That's when I should have thought, stop, don't rush and fix this slowly. Instead I just assumed one side of the switch must have been connected to the solder joint closest to the button, so I just soldered a wire between the two points. Then when I pushed the button, I should have thought - wow that beam is really quite bright, maybe I should stop pushing the button and check what's going on. Instead, I held the button and pressed it a few times to make sure it was still working. In fact, each time I pressed it the brightness quickly degraded.

Oh well, lesson learned. I also learned not to just buy a laser quickly from a local second hand supplier. Instead - I should have checked CPF and bought the $30 which has 6 times the brightness for half the price. Stupid me.


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## Bimmerboy (Jun 10, 2007)

No no no... not stupid, just impatient! In order to satisfy my flashaholism as cheaply as possible, I've had to display a fair degree of patience in making purchasing decisions. A little research and planning before buying an item and/or hacking into it, makes things a lot cheaper, more fun, and with less headache.

Don't be so hard on yourself! Many people have had learning experiences much more expensive than this. You've found a great resource here at CPF, which you can use to help out with any other purchase/mod/fix you might want to do. Let this whole thing be a positive experience! :twothumbs


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## SeBsZ (Jun 13, 2007)

Thanks... the only problem is that I'm addicted to these lasers now and I don't know why. What on earth is the point of having a laser. Is it just because it's cool? Why do we always want to go brighter brighter brighter! I guess that's human nature - more more more!


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## SenKat (Jun 13, 2007)

SeBsZ said:


> Thanks... the only problem is that I'm addicted to these lasers now and I don't know why. What on earth is the point of having a laser. Is it just because it's cool? Why do we always want to go brighter brighter brighter! I guess that's human nature - more more more!


 
It's because there is this clear powder inside them - as soon as you insert the batteries, it puffs out, and infects you with the laseritis virus....this is often fatal to your checking account, savings account, relationships, and possibly work. You have to fight it pretty hard to not stay up all night talking to people about them, and filming crazy little movies, melting various dark colorored objects, etc.... Muahahahahahaha ! It is an epedemic of sorts.....


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## The_LED_Museum (Jun 13, 2007)

Is "laseritis" anything like "polyinsulitis"?


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## cage (Jun 13, 2007)

Could you replace burned diode with one taken from regular cdrom drive. Aren't they infrared like the greenies.


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## The_LED_Museum (Jun 13, 2007)

The laser diodes in CD-ROM drives are 780nm at ~5mW.
They would ***_*NOT*_*** work as replacement pump laser diodes in any green laser pointer - you need radiation at ~808nm with a power output at or exceeding 100mW to make things work.


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## chuck (Jun 13, 2007)

Out of curiosity...what would happen? If memory serves, the crystals merely double (or is it half) the wavelength of the light injected into it. Are the crystals specific to a single frequency, or do they work on a wide number of wavelengths? Of course, the output frequency would be different...but would it work at all?

-- Chuck Knight


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## The_LED_Museum (Jun 13, 2007)

Absolutely nothing would happen...the crystals are extremely sensitive to only a very narrow wavelength range centered at 808nm.
Go much higher or lower than that and you'll get bubkus. :shakehead


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## chuck (Jun 14, 2007)

Thanks -- I thought it was a reasonable question.

-- Chuck Knight


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