I going to fit a laser diode to a flashlight instead of a bulb as seen in this video:?
http://lifehacker.com/software/diy/turn-a-flashlight-into-a-handheld-burning-laser-287252.php
what’s the most powerful diode I can fit without without needing a cooling system?
I saw a 1 watt diode on ebay for 35 dollars would that work?
feedback please
To answer your question about cooling, they all take some sort of cooling system. Normally it’s just a passive system where normal conduction and convection disperse the waste heat. Depending of the amount of metal the diode physically attaches too, you should be easily be able to handle 10W without getting too warm to handle. If you have higher power lasers than that, you might have to add cooling fins, or decrease the duty cycle (ON time). You should not need anything like forced air or fluid until you get to hundreds of watts.
Some 1W diodes will work and some won’t. You will not have to worry about heat. What you have to worry about is mounting and wavelength and dispersion.
By the way, this project is a good way to put your eye out, or your friends eye. DHHS strictly forbids open burnable lasers, and for good reason. I would not trust myself to handle one and I am a mature engineer. I could easily keep it pointed away from people, but there are too many reflective surfaces around. If it hits something smooth and 10% or more reflective then bounces into an eye, that eye is gone in an instant. Bottles and pop cans are close to 100% reflective, and the curved surface makes the bounce wildly unpredicable. Bouncing off bark would probably be okay, but probably not smooth wood or sand. Not a good idea, unless you are trying for a Darwin award.
Re: Wicked DVD Laser Flashlight Burning Hack!