I used a laser from a 16x DVD-R drive for a burning laser but it only shines dimly, what is wrong?

I followed the KipKay Maglight Burning Laser Pointer Tutorial It uses everything described. It only shines dimly a few inches. What did I do wrong?

Comments

[dombeef]

Can it still burn stuff?

[TheNuclearWatermelon]

You used Kipkay's tutorial? WELL THATS THE PROBLEM xD
In Kipkay's video, he does NOT use a driver. Without the driver, it may last a few minutes, but them burn out to a dim glow. The driver regulates current going to the laser, and without it the laser draws way more current than it can handle and dies

**I'm not paying for the funeral**

[sry9681]

if u used a mag light try focusing it to where it becomes a single strong point

[S1L3N7 SWAT]

It could be an Infra Red laser diode. Some players have those instead of the traditional red ones. There's an easy way to find out if it's IR. Turn it on, and while it's one take a look at it through a digital camera/web cam/etc. If you see a brighter light than what you see with the naked eye, it's probably IR.

[Jayefuu]

Well.... at the top of his instructable it says.... NOTE: This Instructable WILL NOT WORK with any CD burner/player diodes or DVD player diodes! I'm guessing since for DVDs to work the laser only needs to travel 10mm or so, reflect back and be read, it doesn't need to be particuarly powerful. You'd need to get a 250mW or higher laser if you wanted to burn stuff.