Turn Your PC Into a Red Burning Laser

This laser can light matches and burn plastic.

Ever wanted to create your own eye-searing laser capable of burning through plastic or igniting matches? Now you can simply by using parts from your old, unused PC.

As seen in the video below, only three components are needed from the PC: the rig's power supply, a DVD Burner and the available heatsinks (the example had two). However additional items are needed to complete the project including an Aixiz module, a LM317 constant current driver with a 3 ohm resistor and more

After removing the three items from the PC, the instructions start with disassembling the DVD burner and removing the laser sled. If the optical drive writes slower than 16X (or the PC doesn't have a DVD burner, but rather just a reader), the LPC-815 sled is suggested, costing $15 including tax.

Either way, the actual laser diode is the only component needed, crammed into the Aixiz module and connected to a DIY LM317 driver using long leads. Once the actual laser is assembled, the modder then drills a 1/2-inch hole through the side of the CPU heatsink and shoves the laser module through, making sure it doesn't stick out and sits flush against the side.

The next step involves cutting the power supply wires and connecting the laser's LM317 driver. For this example, the black and green wires were clipped, stripped and tied together while the yellow wires served as positive and the red as negative. The resulting laser was shown cutting through black tape, lighting matches and burning a hole through plastic.

"If you don't use goggles, you're an idiot," the instructions state.

While building the project sounds like fun, naturally modders will need to take careful precaution while using the laser. The finished project will also need to be kept away from children and bitter spouses.