hello first post and ir laser question

[scottyled]

okay hello all. and i will say i have read a lot of the posts here so i am not completely stupid

i am getting some night vision soon and i want an ir laser sight. i know i need to keep it under 15 mw, but what i was wondering is if you all knew of a good source laser to put in a standard laser sight ( swap lasers )? i dont think i will ever need over 15 mw, because most laser sights i looked at where 10 mw or lower. i was also wondering if just getting an unfiltered ( no ir filter ) green laser and using a filter to block the green. although using a green laser with a green filter might be easier, i dont like the thought of having 25 mw or more ( maybe much more ) siting behind a simple filter waiting to get out.

so simple ? is where to get a 10 to 15 mw ir laser to mod in to a standard laser sight ( red most likely ) ? also has any one done it ?

tia
scott

 

[chuck]

Well, it sounds like you definitely know what you want...but I have a question for you. IR is, essentially, invisible...the *most* you'll get, depending on your diode's exact frequency, is a VERY dull red spot that wouldn't show up even in normal sunlight.


What possible good could an invisible gunsight be?

-- Chuck Knight

 

[Aseras]

www.mfgcn.com

aixiz has some cheap IR modules. like 100mw+ for $15. just pick your wavelength.

only reason for a IR gunsight is NVG ( night vision goggles ).

 

[scottyled]

What possible good could an invisible gunsight be?

-- Chuck Knight

well there are 2 ways to do night vision and shoot. one is weapon mount the night vision behind a compatible optic. the second is head mounted with an ir laser. if you go weapon mounted you cant see unless you are looking down the weapon.

scott

ps thanks for the link Aseras

 

[eztune]

okay hello all. and i will say i have read a lot of the posts here so i am not completely stupid

i am getting some night vision soon and i want an ir laser sight. i know i need to keep it under 15 mw, but what i was wondering is if you all knew of a good source laser to put in a standard laser sight ( swap lasers )? i dont think i will ever need over 15 mw, because most laser sights i looked at where 10 mw or lower. i was also wondering if just getting an unfiltered ( no ir filter ) green laser and using a filter to block the green. although using a green laser with a green filter might be easier, i dont like the thought of having 25 mw or more ( maybe much more ) siting behind a simple filter waiting to get out.

so simple ? is where to get a 10 to 15 mw ir laser to mod in to a standard laser sight ( red most likely ) ? also has any one done it ?

tia
scott

Have you seen this http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2602 ? They all so have a cool green one for about $58.http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5027 I havent tried them but for the price seem like a good deal.

 

[stephenmadpotato]

The idea with a green laser definately wont work. The IR that comes out of a green laser is most likely uncollimated (it comes out like a flashlight and unconcentrated) so it will just be like a low powered light.

 

[chuck]

Just for reference, the IR LASER in a standard CDROM drive (not even a burner) is between 1 and 5mw. A burner has a higher powered diode. Yes, I said CD drive...not DVD.

DVDs use visible red diodes. Go to your local computer repair store and ask if they have a dead CDRW drive...harvest the diode. Should be virtually free. You did ask about infrared, after all.

Be aware, though, that most lenses have a slightly different focal length for IR than they do for visible light.

-- Chuck Knight

 

[sam59]

I had this same question. I have 1/8" thick pieces of plastic filters that are rated to block out 99% of the non-UV. I tested it on a 300 lumen incandesant with a NVG and it worked great. I did not have a chance to test a green laser. I did shine the green laser through the filter and I could not see anything pass through.
My question- Would the filter diffuse the beam too much as a previous poster said? If I was to do the same with a red laser would that work better?
Any elementary explanations would be welcome as I am not familiar with this stuff, if that was not clear already.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Corona]

Understand that in order to get ANY IR through the filter, there has to be light at an IR wavelength from your source. A red laser will NOT provide any IR output because lasers are monochromatic (a single wavelength) and "red" is not IR.

IR filters work with incandescent sources because a large portion of the light emitted by a hot filament is in the IR portion of the spectrum. An IR filter is a type of "low pass" filter, so all the other wavelengths "above" the wavelength of the filter's cutoff are attenuated or blocked.

If you want IR, start with an IR laser (for a target designator) or a bunch of IR LEDs (for a target illuminator). Lenses can be applied to either to modify the beam profile for what you are after, but only lasers can be effectively collimated to useful distances.

 

[AJ_Dual]

Yes, just use an IR diode. They're quite cheap, and there are many LED flashlights that would drive an Axiz module properly, and many of those LED flashlights can fit on a firearm with 1" scope rings, or have the rail-mount brackets right on them.

The main issue would be adjustability so your point of aim and point of impact coincide at the range you want. You could try replacing the diode in one of the cheap Chinese red firearm lasers, but I don't know which ones dissasemble easily, and if the optics that are optimized for the red wavelength would work well with the IR or not. That would take some experimentation.

There are IR laser modules with firearm mounting hardware made specificially for this purpose, but most all of them are expensive, $200-400 in price because only the high-end makers produce them, because they assume people who can afford NVG gear can afford their lasers too...

 

[EVAN_TAD]

Yes, just use an IR diode. They're quite cheap, and there are many LED flashlights that would drive an Axiz module properly, and many of those LED flashlights can fit on a firearm with 1" scope rings, or have the rail-mount brackets right on them.

The main issue would be adjustability so your point of aim and point of impact coincide at the range you want. You could try replacing the diode in one of the cheap Chinese red firearm lasers, but I don't know which ones dissasemble easily, and if the optics that are optimized for the red wavelength would work well with the IR or not. That would take some experimentation.

There are IR laser modules with firearm mounting hardware made specificially for this purpose, but most all of them are expensive, $200-400 in price because only the high-end makers produce them, because they assume people who can afford NVG gear can afford their lasers too...

Weapons grade IR lasers are expensive because they are built for durablity and reliability.

 

[AJ_Dual]

Weapons grade IR lasers are expensive because they are built for durablity and reliability.

You are correct. I sort of left that implied. There is indeed a major quality difference in the top-tier weapon laser makers. And they're all you should consider for military, LEO, or any "life or death" use.

I probably should have said the inexpensive generic makers DON'T make many IR weapon lasers for the exact opposite reason, that owners of NVG's can afford the high-quality lasers.

 

[f22warzone]

What you could do is what i found out by acident. i droped my green laser and it messed up the cristal assembly in my lead light so i took out that and the ir filter all it had was the diod and the focus thing. i put my battries back in the leadlight and turn it on in my room against the blue wall. (probly not all that smart sicen i had done the pot mod to thats a lot of ir i bet) i turnd on my night vision and lookd at the wall. it lookd like a dam flashlight so i adjuststed the focus of the laser so it went closer to the diod and then turnd it back on agenst the wall and i had a invalbel dot unless i used the night vision then it was a very clear dot i didnt get up close becaus i have the 5x maginfaction night vision so this is only from 20' away was a nice dot tho and invisable to the eye.
idk if that is what you want but i imagen you could tape this to your gun and have an ir gun sight

 

[GenesisFactor]

Just for reference, the IR LASER in a standard CDROM drive (not even a burner) is between 1 and 5mw. A burner has a higher powered diode. Yes, I said CD drive...not DVD.

DVDs use visible red diodes. Go to your local computer repair store and ask if they have a dead CDRW drive...harvest the diode. Should be virtually free. You did ask about infrared, after all.

Be aware, though, that most lenses have a slightly different focal length for IR than they do for visible light.

-- Chuck Knight

I am actually doing similar project with invisible IR lasers and NVG/IR imagers. My biggest fear has been the power form the military ones as we're using this in paintball and other projects, which means i want my friends to live, preferably with their sight unmarred

Are you saying that CD-ROM drives or CD-R/RW drives have the neccessary IR laser? If so, how can i harness it? I have access to some lenses, so which could you recommend (spec wise) for an IR laser? I know this sounds newbie and everythig, but is there a way to project a croshair, ike some of those other cheap laser pointers have with the multiple heads have?

Thanks!

 

[stephenmadpotato]

I am actually doing similar project with invisible IR lasers and NVG/IR imagers. My biggest fear has been the power form the military ones as we're using this in paintball and other projects, which means i want my friends to live, preferably with their sight unmarred

Are you saying that CD-ROM drives or CD-R/RW drives have the neccessary IR laser? If so, how can i harness it? I have access to some lenses, so which could you recommend (spec wise) for an IR laser? I know this sounds newbie and everythig, but is there a way to project a croshair, ike some of those other cheap laser pointers have with the multiple heads have?

Thanks!

I'm sure theres a lenscap somewhere that can do that. Check google and www.wickedlasers.com www.novalasers.com you'll find one.

 

[VaThInK]

I just would like to add that DVD drive has both though. IR and red laser diodes. So DVD-ROM or DVD-RW drives are usable as well for your purpose. The main difference is that DVD-RW drive has a lot more powerful diodes.

 

[GenesisFactor]

thanks, i will be looking!
lol, i think i'll rather harvest a CD than a DVD rom, but thanks for telling me the option. i've been researching them since the idea was posted.

nova and wicked dnd't have what i was looking fr, sadly.

do you think i can swap out the diodes from this? this:http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/m2122.html

BTW, if anyone needs these iR led illuminators, i have a whole bunch form a few IR imagers i have. just LMK. I am just trying to help