Gadgets:
How To Make A Burning Laser Flashlight

From an old CD ROM drive

1. Step 1: Take Apart Your DVD Burner

   First you'll need a 16X DVD burner.
   
   I'm using a LG that I had as a spare. Remove all the screws and take apart the case.
   
   Remove the drawer to expose the carriage assembly. That's where you will find the powerfull laser diode.

2. Step 2: Remove The Laser Diode

   All DVD burners will have a set of rails that the laser assembly rides on.
   
   After pulling out the assembly, start removing all the little screws to get to the laser diode. Be careful because the diode is a fragile electronic component.

3. Step 3: Disassemble An AixiZ Laser Housing

   Then you'll need to pick up an AixiZ laser housing.
   
   You will have to disassemble it and also remove the laser that comes in the housing.
   
   I used the back end of an exacto knife handle and gently tapped out the existing laser diode.

4. Step 4: Install The Laser Into The New Housing

   Then you're going to carefully install the DVD laser into the new laser housing. You're almost done.

5. Step 5: Connect Up Your Laser Diode

   All DVD laser diodes use a similar configuration. Be sure to test your polarity using two AA batteries.
   
   Then you're going to solder two longer pins onto the positive and negative terminals onto laser diode.

6. Step 6: Add The Laser To The Mag Lite

   Disassemble your Mag Lite, removing the ring, the inside reflector and of course, the bulb.
   
   We'll need to drill out the existing reflector so it sits around the laser housing.

7. Step 7: Test It For Yourself

   Now put everything back together.
   Load your two AA batteries,
   And here are the test results.
   
   Your new burning laser pointer easily lights a match and pops a balloon in an instant. That's how you turn a mini-mag flashlight to a powerful burning laser pointer.