High powered hand held lasers

[the laser guy]

Am I still getting slammed here?
whos is this guy anyway? I am a single widowed father of a 11 year old girl. I was burned in a aluminium smelter accident in Salida Co. The guy I worked for , Terry Earl, of Salida Salvage and Leadville Auto Salvage, Penrose truck salvage, didnt carry workmans comp insurance because he was cheap. I was in debreedment for over 3 months. I couldnt work, he would hire me back.
a year later my wife of contracted Adeano carcinoma. I was jailed for 6 months for non-payment of 6 months of child support from another marriage, even though I was burned by molten metal and my wife had terminal cancer. The court saw fit to jail me in my small town anyway leaving a 10 year old girl to care for her terminally ill mother. 30 days after I was released from the Chaffee County Jail, my wife of 15 years died. Colorado is a probate state and EVERYTHING we owned was sold to cover her medical expenses, leaving us homeless.A father and a Daughter. With not so much as 11$ in my pocket I decieded to do something creative that I CAN at the very least, do something constructive with what remains of my life without being a burden on society.
My question is to the Aryan leftiest hillbilly is, would you perfer that I go on welfare and have you, and the rest of America, provide for every facet of my life? What would you suggest that I do? The state wont re-train me into another field. The state wont go after Terry Earl for not having workmans comp insurance even though I was a 2 year employee and he had taken the money out of my checks to pay for it. The State wont help me get an attourney to collect what OI lost or to pay for new training. There isnt a laywer in the world that wont take this case........ simply because there was no workmans comp insurance, even though the case is strong. I would love to pay the $7,000 retainer to one to go get his *** and correct the wrong doings put against me. Wont happen..... right now I fix laser pointers. it is the only job I can do sitting down. And I did this by myself.
Suggestions? Solutions? I am all ears....
Dwight

 

[the laser guy]

his email to me..................
>From: slave ed <[email protected]>
>Reply-To: [email protected]
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: Man, do you know ....
>Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2002 14:08:45 -0700 (PDT)
>
>You once wrote:
>"You are nothing more then a greedy moron that is going to wind up hurting someone. I wonder how the CDRH would feel about my comments? I bet you they would agree 100% with me.. "
>
>Hey, I wonder if the CDRH would be interested in YOUR credentials. Are you licensed to "FIX" lasers. Alignment and recoating mirrors doesn't count, as any asshole can do that. Adjusting apertures, again, any dipshit moron can do that too. I'm talking about complete rework. Are YOU licensed? Besides, the CDRH, the FDA and the ilks of them are primarily composed of politicians, NOT scientists. As anyone worth their salt in the scientific community would agree, science and politics DEFINITELY don't mix. They pander to public opinion, morals and religion, none of which have any foundation based on fact. Opinions and morals are like "assholes", everybody's got one, but all they do is basically hold hot air and crap. Nothing based on REALITY.
>

 

[Darell]

Originally posted by the laser guy:
Where to see what I do.
http://www.backdeckstudio.com/lasermods/

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">This here link no workee for me. How are you guys seeing the goods and the prices?

 

[x-ray]

Dwight,

Please don't let these emails from a single person tarnish your view of CPF

For what it's worth (IMHO) I think you've acted perfectly reasonably, you have clearly stated that your modified lasers are not toys and if handled incorrectly can be very dangerous.

Look at it this way, If a person buys a set of steak knives from a department store and then uses one to murder someone, is the department store manager/owner liable ? - I think not.

The email sent to you doesn't exactly give a cogent argument against your work, and it would seem the person responsible is not exactly up to speed with CDRH regulations.

Judging by the personal insults in that last email I honestly don't think the writer is a member of this board, that sort of thing just doesn't happen here (and hopefully never will).

Why not add him to your email blocked list and carry on the good work

 

[the laser guy]

Thanks,
I was just feeling the pressure from this guy, I think he migh be an EBAY seller that is disgruntled that his sales have fallin completely off. As a the Laser Tech for Z-bolt I help insure the stated mw is true. So this is his spin I think.
I just told the guy who hired me, the tawianese methodoligy of success. Looks like he got left out of the surging market on these pointers.
I left his email there on the chance that someone who reads this is a CPU geek and would spam the crap out of the guy

 

[vcal]

Laser Guy..-ditto to x-ray;s post.
Your earlier post re: Colorado's "probate' methods. The state of California just tried to do the same thing to me: forcing sale of assets to pay for my deceased Father's Med-Cal nursing home bills. Fortunately, in my case, and State, my own disability (in Calif.law) prevented that. It may be too late in your case, but could that exclusion also be true in Colo???

I have immense respect for people who, despite GREAT difficulties like you are going through, choose to do the best you can do for yourself (and daughter) anyway.
-Very best of luck to you!

 

[The_LED_Museum]

When you're dealing with the internet, anything is possible. Just because some dim bulb buys some of my red/blue bicolor LEDs and stabs his baby sister's eyes out with the leads shouldn't mean I need to be responsible for every LED that leaves my lab. The steak knife analogy is the same.

Your responsibility should be limited to being sure the laser will perform at or below its labelled maximum output, and to affix the correct warning label(s) near the beam aperture.

Back in the 1970s, the BRH (Bureau of Radiological Health, so-named before dissolving and re-forming into the CDRH) did have a stipulation that all Class III and higher lasers needed to have a mechanical beam shutter or interlock, a key operated power switch, an emission indicator (visible or aural), and a 3-5 second turn-on delay. I have not looked deeply in the bowels of CDRH rules in many, many years (since well before battery operated laser pointers became available) so some of these restrictions had to have been lifted for the 5mW laser pointer to even be allowable.

Back then, visible CW lasers were classified to the following criteria:

Class I - Maximum power less than 0.05mW
Class IIa - Maximum power less than 1.0mW
Class IIb - Maximum power more than 1.0mW but less than 5mW
Class III - Maximum power more than 5mW to less than 500mW
Class IV - Maximum power greater than 500mW

Aperture labelling was also related to laser classification: Class II and Class IIa lasers had a label stating "Do not stare directly into beam or view with optical instruments" (sic), while Class III and above simply stated "Laser radiation is emitted from this aperture. Avoid direct exposure to beam". With Class IV lasers, the label was the same except for adding the words " or reflected" to the Avoid Exposure component, so that part of the label would read "Avoid direct or reflected exposure to beam".

Now (to the best of my knowledge), CDRH classificatons for visible CW lasers go something like this (assumes a visible CW beam with no intentional direct eye exposure and overall bodily exposure levels greater than 250ms and relevent to laser pointers & other consumer goods with an exposed laser beam)

Class I - less than 0.05mW
Class II - 0.05mW to less than 1.0mW
Class IIa (not currently used AFAIK)
Class IIIa - 1mW to less than 5mW
Class IIIb - 5mW to less than 500mW
Class IV - greater than 500mW

Labelling to these specifications is to represent the maximum exposure possible if the interlock (if any) were defeated or failed. Some laser systems also require labelling consistent with the degree of collateral radiation exposure one would encounter if the housing were removed or destroyed, something that's quite unlikely to happen with a green laser pointer, given that most of them are built to self-destruct or otherwise become inoperative if the housing is tampered with by the average Joe Consumer wielding a screwdriver and a pair of pliers.

Maybe it might not be a bad idea to snoop through the rulebook just to be sure something hasn't changed yet again. Again, I'm not 100% on these CDRH classifications, because I haven't read them in more than 20 years and I'm reciting all of this from memory.

Here's something to print out and read on the crapper. Both of use would do well to read this.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/showCFR.cfm?FR=1040.10

 

[the laser guy]

Thanks.........
So being that I agree that I am informing you the hazdards of owning these lasers I am going to re open my site . Ok with you all?
Dwight

 

[Bernhard]

Ditto to xray... Moderator, is that any chance that the person use rude word to Dwight being banned from CPF? I don't want one "not too educated" person tarnish very good image of CPF...

 

[Starlight]

Open away, and I hope you do well!

 

[Darell]

Hi again Dwight -

YCLO asked a quetion that I'd like to see answered as well: What can you do with a laser that we might send to you for a "tuneup"?

I personally have one of the cheaper 5mw greens from Z-bolt. Can you work your magic with it?

 

[Icebreak]

the laser guy-

How was this determined?

Originally posted by the laser guy:
My question is to the Aryan leftiest hillbilly is

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">If you knew the word history of Aryan you might be surprised.

My goodness. What has happened here? I don't read the thread for a few days and whoa.
Here's my take:

Originally posted by the laser guy:
Am I still getting slammed here?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You weren't getting slammed here. You decided to share these disturbing e-mails from two addresses with the forum. The moderators would not tolerate it much less the members.

Originally posted by the laser guy:
The state wont go after Terry Earl for not having workmans comp insurance even though I was a 2 year employee and he had taken the money out of my checks to pay for it.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I won't go into why here, but please be careful about statements like that. Here's some information that, if it doesn't help you; it may help others:

Insurance is one of the most frustrating aspects of life. In each state there is a Department of Insurance. These Departments have divisions usually referred to as "Consumers". They also have divisions usually referred to as "Fraud". The Insurance Departments regulate the activities of insurance companies, agencies and agents doing business in the respective states. If the Insurance Department rules against any of these entities they must comply with the rulings or they can no longer write business. This is one of the few tools that a citizen can use on a state level and get a ruling in their favor against a person, business or corporation that is final and can not be appealed except at a state level. The insurance departments are usually directly coordinated with the state's Attorney General's office.

This is a template of what can and does happen:
A citizen of a state speaks to the "Consumers" division of the Insurance Department about an alleged wrongdoing. If "Consumers" determines that "rules" have been broken they may intervene themselves or turn it over to the "Fraud" Division. These people are investigators and can, in most states, make an arrest. If they determine that indeed laws have been broken they can option to bring their findings to the state's Attorney General's office or just make an arrest. If the AG's office is involved they can, of course, sue civilly or criminally, win settlements, put companies out of business and imprison offenders. These are not the only tools that state Insurance Departments have at their disposal but just a few I thought spoke to your dilemma.
The process can be tideous but here is what the citizen gets: An entity that has many divisions that are expert in a multitude of areas including law and law enforcement.

If I had been dealt your hand I would hope that I could improvise, adapt and overcome as well as you have. I might be pretty darn sensitive to comments about it. I say this because you may have already pursued this course and if that's the case please don't respond harshly. I'm not only trying to help you but also banking that you know that other people may benefit from this information.

Another take:

CPF, to me, among many things is a group of highly intelligent people that are a club that has welcomed a newbie like me even though I ask silly questions and stray off topics. Most of the group is intelligent enough to not do stupid things yet, I see them protecting one another with valuable information. CPF members generally know to be careful with lights whether they are over-driven Luxeon Stars, tritiums, lasers or 6D Mags.

Another take:
Relax when you come here. You are home now.

I must go. I need to investigate a suspicious column of green light originating from the northwest and focusing on the full moon giving it a cheesy kinda glow.

-Jeff

 

[Albany Tom]

I'm curious about the conversion, too. And - is it possible to convert one of these to be interchangable with IR or green beam? I'm not sure the wavelength. I thought there were 2 IR wavelengths emmited from a green laser, but normally filtered out. One around 880, and one around 1000nm?

 

[Light-Headed]

Hmmm.....my concern is whether or not the individual sending these emails to the laser guy is a CPF member. And, did he got the laser guys email address off this forum in order to send these messages. If that is the case, this should not be tolerated. Is there any way to find out this information and deal with it?

It sounds to me like the laser guy has had enough hard times and could offer valuable information and products to the members of this forum. I would hate to see him chased away by one careless individual. Just my thoughts.

 

[the laser guy]

To all supporting members.
Thank you for not only the emails but your understanding. I have decided to open the site back up. thanks again....... I really dont have much to say BUT alot to read! ( thanks Craig)
Side note
I was able to use my Power meter on my color pros ( 1 million colors) in green 532nm. and the fixture put out 38mw of green! the beam was 8" across!
Made me smile as you all did tonite.
I dont mean to be bitter.... I have tried every possible avenue with no luck until recording ( everyone has a cpu so thats out now) and then repairing laser pointers and handheld class IIIb. It is something I truly love to do and have figured out a few things about them.
Yes I can "repair" your laser pointer and maybe even make it safer....
Dwight Finney

 

[the laser guy]

As far as how I determined
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by the laser guy:
My question is to the Aryan leftiest hillbilly is

well..... he called me an asXXXe and anybody can do that..... easy slam. I was a hip shot in the dark.
Dwight

 

[Bernhard]

The Laser Guy, all the best for your endeavour with green laser, and probably Blue laser in the future...

Anyway, back to my question in my thread befor, what is minimum power required for the green laser to be able to be used as portable laser cutter to strip cable insulator material (some of it is fire retardant) within 3-5 cm proximity from the cable?
I often strip very thin cable with quite thick insulator, also cable type that used as an inductor that has very thin jacket and hard to strip, and I often find it difficult to use normal knife or cutter.
Is 51mw (maximum output power of your laser sell on the net) enough? Or you need more power?
Thank you laser guy...

 

[the laser guy]

ok Bernard here goes some garbage can science..

First, energy is relative... more output power means more input power as well.

Refraction= depending on the color of the surface that you shine the laser on determines how much relative energy is absorbed by it.

So.. although possiable..... you shouldnt be that close to the spray off of the lasing surface
with that much power goggles or not. I mean you may still be able to see with the goggles on but your face will look like a hotdog skin after an overnight on the Barbie!

So to strip cable with a laser
6watts...... all plastic will melt right off with a simple twist of the cable.
I used a 2 watt neodiuem IR pump and was able to do it but I couldnt see what I was doing and had to use a CCD cam to "see".
Dwight

 

[Bernhard]

Sorry, but what I mean in 3-5 cm proximity is the range between the cable with the laser, not range between the laser and my face.

2 watt power? it means that the laser cannot be in the form of simple self contained pointer, right?
I guess the 51mW pointer cannot cut anything, or the thing you mentioned about cutting black plastic bag is done using 51mW pointer?

How about small 500mw diode that displayed in your page? Can it be fitted in the small pointer? How much approx the price for the complete pointer contains this little baby will be? I want to try to use it for my application. Thanks Dwight...

 

[star882]

"2 watt power? it means that the laser cannot be in the form of simple self contained pointer, right? "
It can be in a box with a cable connected to a battery pack.