Lasers were once the stuff of science fiction, but today it is possible to build a laser that, while functioning on a much lesser scale, works exactly like the one NASA used to bounce a beam off of the moon. Building your own laser is a weekend project that will give you a great sense of accomplishment. Knowledge of lasers or electronics is not required in order to build an actual laser pointer.
Instructions
1. Put the cloth down on the work surface. Take the LED flashlight and remove the battery cap and the batteries and put them down on the cloth.
Unscrew the reflector from the front of the LED flashlight and remove the plastic lens from inside of the reflector. Put the plastic lens and reflector down on the cloth.
2. Reach into the flashlight and pull out the LED bulb and mechanism using the needle-nosed pliers. Discard the LED bulb and mechanism.
3. Unscrew the AixiZ laser housing and separate the two halves. Put the front half down on the cloth
Heat up the soldering iron.
4. Hold the back half of the AixiZ laser housing with the exposed laser diode. Solder a conductive pin each to the positive and the negative contacts on the laser diode. Let the solder cool.
5. Take the front half of the AixiZ laser housing and hold it against the glass or plastic lens. Draw a circle around the AixiZ laser housing using the permanent ink pen.
Cut out the circle in the plastic lens using a utility knife. Return the plastic lens to the inside of the reflector.
6. Insert the half of the AixiZ laser housing conductive pins first into the LED flashlight casing. Put the reflector back onto the LED flashlight. Apply bonding glue around the reflector and the AixiZ laser housing. Let the bonding glue dry.
7. Insert the batteries into the flashlight. Put the battery cap back on. Aim the flashlight at a building across the street and press the button to project a laser beam from the actual laser pointer that you have made.
Tags: AixiZ laser, AixiZ laser housing, laser housing, plastic lens, down cloth, half AixiZ