How to Make a Red Laser Pointer
Laser pointers take advantage of the pure and coherent beam of light that is projected by a laser diode. You can make a red laser pointer for significantly less than one bought in a store because the red laser diode is inexpensive compared to other types of laser diodes. You will need a few parts from a hardware store as well as a red laser diode module purchased from a laser parts supplier. The red laser pointer you will make will work as effectively as any you could buy, even if it is not as powerful as some that are commercially available,
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Things You'll Need
- Newspaper
- Wire cutters
- Wire strippers
- Breath mint tin
- Portable drill
- Bonding glue
- Microswitch
- Red laser diode module
- Soldering iron
- Solder
- 9 volt battery snap
- 9 volt battery
Instructions
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1
Put the newspaper on a table. Put the breath mint tin down on the newspaper. Take the lid off of the breath mint tin and put it down on the newspaper with the inner side facing up.
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2
Use the portable drill to drill a small hole in the side of the breath mint tin. Drill a small hole in the middle of the breath mint tin’s lid.
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3
Put the microswitch into the hole in the breath mint tin’s lid so that the switch comes out of the top. Apply bonding glue around the hole to keep the microswitch in position. Let the bonding glue set for at least one day.
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4
Use the wire strippers to strip 1/2 inch of insulation off of the ends of the two wires attached to the 9 volt battery snap. Do the same with the two wires attached to the red laser diode module.
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5
Solder the black wire from the 9 volt battery snap to one of the two contacts on the microswitch. Use the wire cutters to cut off the red wire attached to the battery snap.
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6
Solder the red wire attached to the red laser diode module to the contact on the battery snap where the red wire was just cut off. Solder the black wire attached to the red laser diode module to the other contact on the microswitch.
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7
Place the red laser diode module into the hole in the side of the breath mint tin from the inside. Apply bonding glue around the hole to keep the red laser diode module in position. Let the bonding glue set for at least one day.
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8
Attach the 9 volt battery to the 9 volt battery snap. Place the 9 volt battery snap inside of the breath mint tin. Push the wires inside of the breath mint tin. Put the breath mint tin lid onto the breath mint tin.
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9
Aim the red laser diode that is in the hole at the side of the breath mint tin at a far wall. Press the microswitch on the top of the lid to project a red laser beam onto the wall from the red laser pointer you have made.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear safety laser goggles when using your red laser pointer.
Do not aim a laser beam at a person or at a plane flying overhead--both are dangerous to people and can result in a criminal prosecution.
