fixed laser

The freakin' green laser that I bought from Khan Scope broke (again)! The switch "fell" inside the case (this time).

I tried to use it last night when the China 200 mW (cheapo) special started acting up. I chalked its odd performance up to weak batteries. I simply put it down and grabbed the Khan 40mW (expensive) unit. After loading the second battery, I tried to hit the power switch. It was not protruding as per normal from the shell of the pen. When I pressed the button within the hole, the response was mushy. No positive click sound. And, obviously, no wonderous green laser light.

To carry on, at the time, I swapped the batteries from the Khan unit to the China product: joy! Bright steady green crowd-wowing beam.

At the picnic table, in the bright sunlight, I began to debug the laser pointer. Looking down the shaft, I could see the back of the business end, the spring contact for the battery, and the collapsed button. There didn't seem to be anything behind or beneath the button... It was flopping around. Huh. I tried to remove the emitter from the pen casing but it didn't move. Phil suggested it was probably crimped. I got an idea.

I wondered if the engine was rotating within the head. I asked Phil if he had a long-necked flat head screwdriver. Happily, he reappeared with one just long enough. I jiggled the pen until the button popped out the side hole, its regular OFF position. Then I plunged the screwdriver into the pen. It worked! I was able to turn the assembly inside the tube. With the squared shaped under the button, I gave it a press. Click! That sounded good. Tactile response! Felt good.

Popped the AAA batteries back in and put a green dot on the picnic table. Back in business.

The campers near our site must have covered the ears of their kids. I did not have pleasant words for Khan Scope...