Laser Diode Holder and Wire Clamp

thingiverse

I'm tinkering with those budget-friendly red laser diodes from Banggood, using an Arduino to make them flash and shine. I've rigged up a chain of them on some ribbon cable, spaced about 10cm apart, and mounted them in a servo-controlled sweep device that's stuck to the walls with Blu-Tack - it's a real showstopper with a bit of smoke in the air. The problem is those solder joints keep breaking down in the harsh environment of sweaty clubs, so they don't last through the night. I wanted to create a housing for the laser diode and resistor that would also secure the wire to prevent breakages. It's a simple two-part design held together with an M3 x 8mm screw and nut. There are little pockets and bosses to keep everything aligned, and the diode is constrained by a ridged anti-groove - it's a clever bit of engineering. The best part is that the wire is clamped in place between the top and bottom parts. Now I can swing these devices around without breaking them. This is the static "Blu-Tackable" version, but once I've made a bunch of them, I'll add features so they can swivel and move more freely... If you live in Bristol and enjoy house music, disco, and general nonsense, come check out Rumpf and experience the laser glory for yourself. Here are some videos showcasing a bunch of these devices flashing in all their glory: https://www.instagram.com/p/Brb5yrgHGuE/ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq2_aeIHvzh