instructables
How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!
by joeismydad
After watching many videos on youtube of people
burning things with high power lasers, I wanted
one.Those lasers can cost a lot of money though,
something I don't have. In this Instructable, I will show
you how to make one for cheap. This burning red laser
outputs about 400 milliwatts(I think) and can burn
electrical tape, light matches and melt thin plastic. I was
messing around with this laser one day, and I shined it at
a mirror, and the laser shined back in my eye for a
second. I heard a popping sound and I couldn't see
anything for a couple of minutes. Now, I was LUCKY that
I did not get permanently blinded, but if I shined it a
second longer I probably would have been. Now with
that said, NEVER point a laser at another person, animals,
or any other living thing.
Okay, Now let's make the laser.
[UPDATE]: This has been my most popular
Instructable so here are some long overdue updates.
Firstly, I would like to bring to attention the
"popping sound" when I hit myself in the eye. Yes,
that turned out to be eye damage. I didn't see a
specialist about it until recently due to nancial
reasons. I now know that I have a scar in my eye that
needs possible ongoing medical attention and
constant checking with an Amsler grid. Another
How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 1
serious accidental laser eye damage story can be found
here. I would like to stress that at the time I wrote
this Instructable I was young, dumb, and broke. I did
not think that getting laser safety googles was
needed or worth it. LASER SAFETY GOOGLES ARE
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND FAR CHEAPER THAN
EYE SURGERY OR ANY MEDICAL ATTENTION! You
only have one pair of eyes!
Second, I got a lot of comments asking questions
such as: "where did you get the parts?", "why isn't
my build working?", etc. I wrote my original parts list
based on how I got my parts (hence why I said the
soldering iron was free). I have since changed my
parts list source to Amazon since many international
readers do not have access to local stores like
RadioShack. Do bear in mind that some of my links
are Amazon a liate links and that I receive a
commission for purchases made by you on the
a liate website, at no additional cost to you. Such
funds are needed for possible future medical
treatments.
I have also updated the instructions to be more clear
and speci c. I included troubleshooting and possible
reasons for failure.
 1 1
1 1

1. Unfocused laser dot on wall 1. Laser lighting a match!

1. Unfocused laser dot on wall 1. Laser lighting a match!

1 1

1. Did some wood engraving with a laser. Pretty cool eh? 1. Not my eye, but this is what happens when you don't
practice proper laser safety. That red blob in the middle is
blood in the retina.

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 2

 1

1. Took me a while to take this pic just right. See that burn mark on the
safety goggles? That was from a high power blue laser. Had I not worn
goggles my eye would have probably exploded.

1. I gotta check my vision with this constantly...such a pain

Step 1: The Parts Needed

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 3

[UPDATE]: New parts/tools are added with
explanations for each part. Pictures are added,
descriptions added in pictures.
Parts Needed:
1. Laser Safety Goggles: Choosing a quality pair of laser
safety goggles can be a real challenge since there are
many subpar laser goggles on the market. If the goggles
are super cheap, there is a good chance that it is
untested Made in China crap. Another way to tell bullshit
is when goggle manufacturers make really bold claims.
I've seen a manufacturer claim that their product can
"block all wavelengths from 200nm - 2000nm". If that
were true, you literally would not be able to see out of
the goggles since the visible light spectrum is 380nm -
740nm! That being said, my personal recommendation
would be these 625-850nm goggles by AixiZ Lasers.
AixiZ has been in the game long enough and has a solid
reputation. Eagle Pair is another good brand but there
are a lot of fakes. OMG check out these $6 Eagle Pair
knocko s that are TOTALLY just as good!
2. A old DVD burner: The DVD Burner option is cheaper
than buying a diode ONLY IF you get it for free. Which is
not hard since you can nd these in old computers,
computer repair shops, stores that o er tech recycling,
in the junk, etc. Another pro is that DVD burners also
come with a lot of other cool components including
brushless motor, stepper motor, and a high power
Infrared laser diode as well (which you could use to
make yet another burning laser). If you decide to go the
DVD Burner route and can't nd one for free, my
recommendation would be this one, as it is the cheapest
one I found that is capable of both 24x speed and dual
layer recording which according to this eLABZ article
means that it contains the strongest laser diode possible
at 400 mw.
OR
1. Soldering Iron: Any soldering iron will do really, but I
prefer lower power or adjustable power because laser
diode are heat sensitive. I couldn't nd my exact one but
here's the closest thing: Dual-Power Soldering Iron
2. Solder: Duh. I use this brand and it practically lasts
forever. Seriously I still have this same spool of solder
since 2007 and I solder A LOT.
How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 4
Laser Diode: You can buy just the red laser diode
(without the DVD Burner) here. Great option for those
who don't have a DVD burner or too lazy to take one
apart. Laser diode is also cheaper if you don't want the
other DVD burner parts.
3. LM317 Voltage Regulator: I got mine at a local
RadioShack. Many people don't have a local RadioShack
so Amazon it is. I chose this one since the other ones
seemed a bit dodgy and because it is shipped by
Amazon you can always hit them up if something is
wrong.
4. 10 ohm resistor: Once again, got mine from
RadioShack. Here's the product on Amazon: 10 ohm
resistor
Optional: If you want MOAR POWER out of the laser,
you could use a 4.7 ohm resistor instead (here). Doing so
may shorten the laser diode life though.
5. Laser Module:This laser module by AixiZ comes
preinstalled with a 5 mw red laser diode and driver, and
is the exact one I used. We will be removing them and
just using the housing to install our high-power laser
diode. You can keep the original 5 mw diode + driver, but
just be warned that you CANNOT use the driver for the 5
mw laser diode to drive the new DVD burner diode.
6. 4 AA battery pack: The one I used also came with an
ON/OFF switch built-in. Here is the exact one I used.
7. Wires: I made the unfortunate mistake of not color-
coding my wires. I have actually burnt out a very
expensive (blue) laser before due to incorrect polarity. I
did some digging and found what I deemed to be the
best wires for this project. Red/Black color-coded,
bonded wire, and 24 gauge (best for high power lasers).
Tools Needed:
3. Desoldering bulb: For extracting the diode. I got
mine from RadioShack but this one looks exactly like
mine.

4. Screwdriver: For disassembling the DVD burner.

Cheapest set on Amazon.

5. Anti-Static Wrist Strap: People have asked why their

build doesn't work. It may be because they
unintentionally zapped the diode with static electricity.
Get an anti-static wristband to ground yourself before
working with the diode.

6. Laser Diode Press Tool: Used to press the laser diode

into the AixiZ module. There are actual specialty tools
made to press diodes, but since this Instructable is about
doing things for CHEAP you could instead follow this
advice and use a 1/4" male coupler as a press instead.
Costs almost nothing. You'll also need a bench vice to
exert force on the press tool.

7. Basic Multimeter: Diagnostic tool to test setup. Highly

recommended but not required.

8.Lab power supply: Only needed if you are not 100%

certain on diode pin layout. Recommended if you
extract from DVD burner.

9. Breadboard (Optional): I'm not the best at soldering

things and have destroyed components before due to
overheating. I used a breadboard to test my build
initially to see if things work before soldering.

1 1

1. I know they look a bit like sunglasses, but sunglasses definitely do not work as laser 1. Old DVD Drive. I got it for free by asking my neighbor.
safety goggles!

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 5

 1

1. You can buy this laser diode by itself. Note that this is an 1. LM317 or LM317T. Doesn't matter they are essentially the same.
open can diode and should be handled with extra caution.

1. Resistor. Lower wattage = smaller package, which is nice. 1. Although this picture doesn't show it, some AixiZ modules come with a sticker on
the outside. They are all the same though.

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 6

 1
1

1. 6 volt battery pack, comes with nifty switch. 1. This particular one is sold out at the moment, so I recommended a
similar iron.

1. I used this stuff to solder AND make metal castings 1. These are the recommended wires. As a bonus, they are also stranded :)
and I still have so much left. Crazy.

1. Reminds me of those snot removal bulbs. You could probably use this for that haha 1. You probably already have
a screwdriver. If you don't,
these have all the bits to get
you through a DVD burner.
How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 7
 1

1. Wear it and clamp this to ground when 1. Improvised diode press. Works just as well at a fraction of the cost.
working with the laser diode!

1. Make sure the jaw opens wide enough to fit the front of the AixiZ 1. Cheap multimeter, but it works.
module and the diode press.

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 8

Step 2: Get the Diode

[UPDATE]: Rewrote instructions to add more details. Take note if the diodes are open can or closed can
Pictures are added, descriptions added in pictures. diodes. Both diodes should be handled with care, but
open can diodes more fragile and requires delicate
*Before disassembling DVD burner or touching a handling. Be sure not to touch or get dirt/dust into the
laser diode, be sure to put on your anti-static wrist exposed diode element. When extracting from the metal
strap and clamp the metal clip to ground* "box", you can use the laser diode press tool in
conjunction with a vice and the back half of the AixiZ
Remove all the screws on your DVD drive, pull out all the module. Put the diode press tool over the diode pins and
ribbon cables. The main part we are concerned about is put the AixiZ module over the "metal box", then squeeze
the "laser sled" which is the (usually plastic) piece that in vice. The diode should come out into the AixiZ.
rides on the rails on the "laser tray", a metallic rectangle
thing. We will need to determine which diode is visible red by
applying power. If you choose you could also make this
When you remove and disassemble the laser sled, you'll project using the infrared diode, and you would end up
notice it contains two laser diodes, one of them will be with a burning IR laser instead.
infrared. Use the soldering iron + desoldering bulb to
remove both diodes from ribbon cable.

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 9

 2
1
3
1

1. Laser Tray
2. Laser Sled
3. Stepper motor

1. That's the "laser tray".

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 10

 1

1. Not my picture, but it's similar enough. Desolder diode from

cable.

1. Laser sled taken off the rails

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 11

 1

1. We need to remove diode from this "metal 1. This is what is known as an "open can" diode. There are some thin filaments on here take
box". extra care when extracting and when pressing.

1
1

1. This is a "closed can" diode, as you can see there is a metal 1. Back half of Aixiz Module. The white stuff in there is to insulate internals
enclosure. These are less fragile, but still handle with care. from the case. You can use this to catch the diode after pushed out of
"metal box"

Step 3: Diode Testing and Pressing

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 12

[UPDATE]: Added this new step. Pictures are added,
descriptions added in pictures.
We don't know what the exact diode pinout is for your
particular diode(s) i.e., positive and negative pins. If you
used the parts I recommended, the laser diode pinout
should be the "standard" pinout as shown in the picture.
If you used some other diode, you'll need to nd out
what the proper polarity is for you diode. I'd rst
recommend doing some research online to see if you
can nd the datasheet for your diode. If you cannot, then
you must test the diode to nd polarity. Set your lab
power supply to about 1.8 volts at low current and
double check the output with the multimeter. Put on
your anti-static wristband and laser safety goggles if you
haven't already. The nice thing about the goggles I
recommended is that they are able to protect against
both the ~650nm red and the ~780nm infrared. Now,
pick a diode and point it in a safe direction. Connect the
"standard" polarity to the diode and turn on power
supply brie y.
1 1
1. "Standard" laser diode polarity pinout.
1. "Standard" laser diode polarity pinout.
How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 13
If the diode lights up dimly, then congrats you found the
correct polarity. If not, reverse the polarity and repeat
above steps. If you still cannot see anything it may be
the infrared diode, so try looking at the diode through a
camera. More details about this test can be found here.
Once you found the visible red diode you need to seat it
inside the AixiZ module. But rst, you need to remove
the existing weak laser/driver. I went with destructive
removal with a hammer and a bolt since I have too many
diodes and don't give a damn. If you'd like to keep the
existing module intact and working, you can remove it
carefully with the laser diode press tool + vice. Then you
can use that same diode press tool + vice to carefully
press the burning laser diode into the front half of
module. Once in, you can solder red/black wires to the
positive/negative pins. Do not solder to the diode
outside of the module; diodes are heat sensitive so the
module acts like a heatsink. Also be sure to set your
soldering iron to the lower wattage setting.
1. This was the original weak 5 mw diode. I whacked it with a hammer
and the case is dented in mwahahaha
 2

1
1

1. Original 5 mw diode driver. Covered in questionable white goo. Don't 1. Yes, my soldering looks like crap.
ask. Don't judge
2. I didn't use red/black wire since I needed to use "breadboard wire" to
test on breadboard. For me, yellow = positive, brown = negative

1. All done.

Step 4: Build the Driver

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 14

[UPDATE]: Rewrote instructions to add more details.
Picture added. Descriptions added to pictures.
The orientation of the LM317 should with the black
plastic side facing up and pins facing towards you.
Solder the positive wire from the battery pack to the
right pin on the LM317. Solder the 10 ohm resistor
between the middle pin and the left pin. The picture
above shows a 5 ohm resistor instead of a 10 ohm; this is
where you could replace the 10 ohm with the optional
4.7 ohm resistor if you so choose. Test your output with
your multimeter by probing the LM317 left pin and the
negative on the battery pack. Make sure your output is
acceptable according to diode data sheet. If not, use this
calculator to nd the proper resistance values (R2) to
achieve desired output voltage.
Once that's good then solder the laser positive to the left
pin, and the laser negative directly to the battery
negative.
Yay you're done

1. Not my picture, but this is the LM317 and the orientation it should be 1. This is what the setup looks like on a breadboard.
in when wiring.

1. Optional 4.7 ohm resistor. I've tried both 10 ohm and 4.7
ohm and the 4.7 gives a brighter beam.

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 15

Step 5: Burn Stuff! (and FAQ)

[UPDATE]: Added FAQ section. Pictures are added, descriptions added in pictures.

Your laser should be working at this point so have fun and be safe! I don't want to continuously ramble about safety, but
I'd advise you to check this laser safety checklist, especially if you are new to lasers. Here's an FAQ to clarify so common
questions. I may update this in the future as more questions are asked.

FAQ

1. Why isn't my laser working?

I cannot diagnose that since there are many things that could go wrong. If you took every precaution I mentioned and
the laser still does not work, it is possible the diode may have been dead to begin with. If you used a DVD burner, you
could always test the same driver on the other (infrared) diode. If that also does not work it may be a problem with the
driver.

2. Why doesn't my laser burn things?

For burning, you need to turn the adjustment lens (black plastic piece) until the size of the laser dot is the smallest at a
particular distance. Like burning with a magnifying glass. Also, be sure that you are using a DVD burner and not a
reader/player. Another thing to note is the speed of the DVD burner. The faster ones have stronger laser diodes. If you
happen to have a slower burner, you may struggle to burn non-black objects. If you use the recommended diode or
burner you should have no problems.

3. Can I connect the diode to the battery without a driver?

You COULD do that just like how you COULD jump o a cli . All joking aside, the driver is not mandatory, but helps
greatly to ensure longevity of your laser diode. It is a constant current source that protects against over voltage,
voltage/current inconsistencies from the battery, excessive current ow caused by diode overheating, etc. It actually
allows you to get more power output from the diode without the risk of destroying it.

4. Is it strong enough to burn wood, remove rust, engraving, etc.

Depends on the particular diode, but even the lower power diodes are su cient to light matches, pop (black) balloons,
and some of the other fun laser things.

- Burn wood: Yes, should be able to burn wood, although it may be a bit slow depending on the diode and color of
wood.

- Remove rust: No, this laser will not be able to e ectively remove rust. Rust removal lasers are usually pulsed lasers
(similar to the lasers used in tattoo removal) and are generally several hundred watts.

- Engraving: Yes, this laser should be su cient for engraving. There was a similar Instructable here that showed a
homemade engraver using a ~200 mw laser.

5. What if I want a di erent color laser?

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 16

Sure, like I said before you have the choice to make the laser red or infrared. You could also use blue or green diodes with
this setup with some modi cation. Here are some of my recommended diodes:

1.6W blue laser diode (450nm) => Because this is a much higher power laser you'll need G-2 lenses.
1W 9mm green laser diode (520nm) => Because this is a 9mm (and high power) diode, it requires a larger
module and G-2 lenses.

And here are the safety goggles for the blue/green lasers. Yes, these goggles work for both.

1. A match fraction of a second before ignition. The timing was perfect

1. This is the standard 5.6mm size blue laser diode.

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 17

 1
1

1. This is the recommended green laser diode. Notice it is larger 1. AixiZ module for the green diode
than the blue diode so it requires a bigger AixiZ module.

1
1

1. G-2 lenses for my blue laser build. 1. Safety goggles that works for both blue/green lasers.

1. Laser dot from my blue laser. Looks a bit violet on camera but regardless
this thing is a BEAST

i built this and it didn't work with either of the laser diodes i got out of the DVD burner.

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 18

radioshack? why do you suppose all people live in USA?

Sorry for making that assumption. I have a local RadioShack and just listed it as where I got my
parts. I understand I have international viewers so I have updated the instructable to include
Amazon links that you hopefully have access to.

- joeismydad
well, most people know what radioshack is i would think. so you could most likly find a similar
store close to you.
I opened up a few old electronics and now I've got one infrared, two red, and one blue laser. Will
this instructable work with the blue or infrared lasers? I know I can't see the infrared, but could it
still burn?
Yes and yes.

would it be safer to use if i had on smoked glass goggles or sun glasses?

also can your laser melt solder?

No.

NO! Please do not try to use sunglasses as laser safety glasses. They are not the same thing
and if you get hit with sunglasses on you will still get eye damage!
I opened up a radio/CD player, and found the 3 pin diode and tested it with 2 AA batteries. But
when I attached the wires, there was no visible light coming from the diode. Is it possible this
thing is in an another spectrum like Infrared ?
Please help !
The IR diode should be SLIGHTLY visible.

You could have either:

1. Killed the diode because you ran it without driver
2. Got the IR diode and connected it wrong polarity (IR diode different than red diode).
3. Killed the diode some other way
Yea, lasers in a cd player are infrared (invisible to the naked eye). You need to use one from a
dvd drive.
yes, cd uses infrared. only dvd players and burners use visible red light. blue ray player uses blue
to uv I believe
Will it burn paper and/or kindling?

If the paper/kindling is black or dark in color, definitely. Not to sure about white paper though.

can i use a blue diode? if yes can someone please send a link to buy a cheap blue laser diode in
australia? thx
Hi,
Please recheck the last step of the instructable I added a link for a blue diode.
Try a bluray drive similar instructions

yes, PLEASE listen to this about how dangerous lasers can be., I am now permanently blind in a
small 1mmx1mm up close spot that progressively gets bigger the farther away at a max of 5mm.
This was caused not due to stupidity but a freak accident. Sadly its dead center of the eye almost
but its been almost 2 years. it seems to hopefully be getting better, but I doubt it. PLEASE take
lasers seriously. They can be a fun toy but can be very hazardous. You've been warned!
How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 19
Very sorry to hear that. I recently discovered that I also had eye damage that I brushed off
before. I have rewrote the instructable to put more emphasis on laser safety.

- joeismydad
how is a soldering iron free??

It's not. I wrote free since I had one. I've since changed it so that it shows where to get parts +
prices.
you might have one at your house

will this remove rust ?

I wish. Laser rust removal requires REALLY powerful + expensive lasers.

CLR does you should buy that its cheaper than 9 bucks

Hi all,

This was my first instructable and was long overdue for an update. I've read many of the
comments on here and decided to answer as many questions as I could in the instructable itself
instead of replying to each and every one. I tried to cover all the problems I missed before.
Please reread it if you are troubleshooting or looking for parts. Of course, I will be monitoring new
comments now so feel free to ask me stuff.

Also, check out my other instructable on how to 3D print a phone case:

https://www.instructables.com/3D-Printed-Smartphone-Case/
For the record, according to internet research I believe the popping noise you heard was water
explosively boiling at the back of your eyeball. It's been a few years, but you should probably get
it looked at the next time you go to the ophthalmologist.
Hi there,
Thank you so much for posting this comment. Shortly after writing this 'Ible years back, I noticed
that my vision in the eye that got blasted had a fairly large blind spot. I didn't see a specialist
about it until recently due to financial reasons. I now know that I have a scar in my eye that needs
possible ongoing medical attention and constant checking with an Amsler grid. I WAS AN IDIOT
BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WROTE THIS AND I WANT EVERYONE READING TO KNOW
THAT LASER SAFETY IS NO JOKE!!! I will update this Instructable with necessary safety gear
and tips to hopefully prevent this from happening to anyone else.
- joeismydad
Yeah, that doesn't sound good.

if there was enough damage inflicted there is nothing an ophthalmologist can diagnose. Not untill
symptoms of sight loss occur. So ya, probably don't tell on yourself.

;-)
WHERE DO YOU GET THE OLD DVD DRIVE??? I NEED TO KNOW!!!

You can get it out of an old cpu that is not working

rip it out of something that plays dvd's

from a computer shop

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 20

were ever you can find one

From garbage yard.

See above comment.

Form any computer or device that says it is a dvd drive/ CD burner (literally means burn)

You should be able to go to a goodwill or somewhere similar and find an old one. Or just buy a
cheap one from Walmart.
Also, an old computer tower if you have one.

What if I just join laser Dodie with battery

What's a DODIE? Your spell check must be off :)

It will fry in like 10 second

without the resistor it will burn out quicker

Hi guys ,I got a laser diode from my lite-on DVD drive.I powered the diode using multimeter it
won't work..is that spoiled?
Unless you have a special multimeter I've never seen or heard of, you can power things with a
multimeter. Try a 3v coin cell but do it quick
If you power it without an actuall driver it is likely to fry the diode if you do it too long

I am very curious to find out how you powered it with a multimeter

How to Make a Powerful Burning Laser for CHEAP!: Page 21