Practical uses for handheld lasers - What do you use your Laser for?

[HaloclineDiving]

I use mine as a star pointer to well, point out stars in the night sky!
Works great and very useful

 

[TadpolePilot]

Now one has to show Governmet ID to purchase Drain Cleaner { Drano } . Thanks people in Washington DC Butt not to Vote Where it is needed.

 

[Johnbeck180]

We use a line laser to line up the first row of tile when lying a new tile floor. I also have what claims to be a 5mw laser but it can burn through thin plastic and pop balloons. It think it was modified. There were tool marks on the end of it when it was given to me as a gift.

 

[127.0.0.1]

green laser for astronomy with my main squeeze

 

[angelofwar]

I have to agree that there is no practial use...

But they are fun and they are seriously cool and a good conversation item at bbq's and get togethers......... if you are a responsible person.

However, I feel they can be too easily obtained by people who will not use them responsibly.

That being said...I have fun with mine.



Call me Mitt

I don't own one...yet...but I do plan on getting a green one to be used as a rescue signal...which to me, is a very practical use.

 

[127.0.0.1]

I don't own one...yet...but I do plan on getting a green one to be used as a rescue signal...which to me, is a very practical use.

be mindful of which green laser you want for rescue. the technology to create a green beam is 'clunky' and you
need a very well engineered laser assembly to stand up to abuse and rough handling...in order for it to work when you need it

 

[bullofthenorthwood]

I use laser to show workers what limbs need trimming when doing limb pruning or cutting in tree. It allows the ground man to show the cutter exactly where to cut , no yelling over saw ect.

Rick

 

[FRITZHID]

I use laser to show workers what limbs need trimming when doing limb pruning or cutting in tree. It allows the ground man to show the cutter exactly where to cut , no yelling over saw ect.

Rick

excellent use! i'll have to recommend this to the boys here in WI!

 

[hank]

I keep wondering, cheap as these things are, if some army somewhere isn't being given sidearms that have fifty or sixty lasers in a showerhead-on-a-handle. I mean, what else can these things be being made for in such quantity they're dirt cheap nowadays?

 

[FRITZHID]

as toys, cause ppl just keep buy'n 'em and the tech behind them gets cheaper and cheaper just like any other electronics.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

They are being made in quantity and sold to one company. Since this company seems to be the only, or at least, the main buyer, Nichia let's em pick their package and price. You can rest assured, these powerful diodes were not made for us to use in pointers; they actually have a legitimate use, and you will see more and more of them (along with new colors of injection lasers, once they get that little efficiency problem worked out) in everyday devices.

 

[wby300]

There are many uses for handheld lasers, I am not sure how this topic got to banning them and the dangers of but he didnt mention high powered ones. The question was handheld. A cheap 2.00 pointer is fun to use with our dogs, they go crazy. I also have several on different weapons, very nice for reflexive fire in low light. Certain colors are fun to just point at different substances to see how they react, did you know pickle juice glows orange when a certain color is pointed at it? It doesnt have to be a 5w backpack laser to be fun or useful. I have a 473nm that I plan to set up with mirrors up on the ceiling in one room, it will go all the way around the top of the room to give the room a blue glow at night.

 

[peteschlabar]

You guys need to head over to laserpointerforums.com

 

[nighteyes2]

I find the only use I have for my laser is when I am doing presentations for large groups I can use it as a pointer to really drive a point home. With its pin point accuracy I can point to what I am talking about from across the room or on the large screen. That's about it for me.

 

[LZRMonkey]

Agree with previous suggestion as a survival beacon. If I were were to go backpacking out in the wilderness, my 200mw green would be in my kit. You get lost or injured, {stop here to say you should always alert friends/family where you are going and when expected back} it is entirely possibly a search team could look for you at night using Forward Looking IR on a helicopter. Also to spot your camp or signal fire. A higher power laser would be the very best thing for signaling an aircraft from a distance.

Much is made is about accidental eye damage from these lasers and rightly so. The military is already using rifle-mounted green lasers for this intentional purpose as seen on episode of FutureWeapons. Same idea as other non-lethal take-down measures such as shotgun bean bag rounds, rubber bullets and pepper spray. Soldier busts into a room at hits the bad guy in the eyes with a laser to temporarily blind them.....it's better than just shooting and killing people.

I have adopted this same idea in my home defense. My laser is on my nightstand beside the bed. Bad guy breaks into my house, I have this ready means to debilitate them so I can take further action to protect myself. I have a handgun too but I don't leave it just sitting out. It will take 15 seconds to access. The laser will give the time I need.

Otherwise just a fun gadget to amuse myself and wow my friends and that it does.

 

[Paul6ppca]

Would a laser be good for spotting bouys while boating at night? What color would be best?

 

[FRITZHID]

green is best, its dead smack in the middle of the human visual spectrum. and readaly available, most are cheap on FLeAbay, but aren't drop or water tolerant unless you buy the higher priced units from specialty laser pages, i.e. wickedlasers. i'd say keep a few of the cheapies on hand rather than 1 good expensive one.

 

[AnAppleSnail]

Would a laser be good for spotting bouys while boating at night? What color would be best?

Are the buoys reflective? I can't see putting a laser-size dot on them being easy.

 

[StarHalo]

Would a laser be good for spotting bouys while boating at night? What color would be best?

I'm pretty sure your fellow boaters would not appreciate being lased at eye level while you scan the surface of the water..

 

[peteschlabar]

green is best, its dead smack in the middle of the human visual spectrum. and readaly available, most are cheap on FLeAbay, but aren't drop or water tolerant unless you buy the higher priced units from specialty laser pages, i.e. wickedlasers. i'd say keep a few of the cheapies on hand rather than 1 good expensive one.

Do NOT buy from WickedLasers. They are made cheap, and way under spec. Head over to laser pointer forums and do some reading :thumbsup:

Are the buoys reflective? I can't see putting a laser-size dot on them being easy.

You could get a focus-able green laser and have it a little out of focus so that the beam is spread out a little, and that would be good for buoy spotting