New 36mw laser at home, what should I expect?

LEDBE
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wintermute

Enlightened
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Nov 16, 2004
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Well, I am still at work, but I have been told that my new 36mw laser came in the mail today. What should I expect when I see it, what kind of beam? I haven't ever had a green laser pointer, so I have no basis of reference.
 
At night you'll feel like you're a star wars character.
Just don't make a video of yourself like the starwars kid :p
 
What bernhard said! You definately don't want 36mw in your eyes.
On the other hand you'll see the green beam quite well in a dark room or outside at night.

Edit: Damn, I'm soo slow with posting /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Wll it cut through a black plastic bag or pop a black balloon? Things I've heard the more powerful ones can do...
 
you'll see the beam at night but nothing like in star wars /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
(like lexus said)

You need 40-50mw to get satisfactory results. It may start smoking
black electrical tape after say 15 seconds :p

at 80mw, tape smokes INSTANTLY and will burn through in 2-3 seconds!
 
a few quick notes.... for the sake of your and others safety - never shoot reflective surfaces - especially eye level. shoot up (indoors)
or down. also don't look at the dot too long either /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
one cool think i like to do is go to a pitch black room and shoot the
ceiling and hold it steady. you'll see dots all over the room and if
you hold it steady enough the dots will stand still.
I believe this is a magnification of that single point that you are
shooting at. Because of the non smooth surface, it will reflect at
different intensities and will produce constructive and destructive
interference /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
it won't cut through a bag, but it will leave tiny tiny holes in a back plastic bag. No Smoke.
As for balloon. i'm not sure.
 
It will probably be quite cold when you open the package. It is only natural that you will want to put the batteries in and start having fun with it but it would be a good idea to allow it to come up to room temperature before you do this. When I first started importing these things I would begin checking them while they were still cold from being in the cargo hold of a plane. Quite a few failed due to the "thermal shock" involved and I suspect that the higher power units were more susceptible to this.

As far as burning stuff is concerned, if you are able to do this you are missing an IR filter, very bad news.
 
ok...just got home a few minutes ago. It figures that the day I get my laser, I have to stay at work way later then usual fixing somebody else's mistake! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Hey Arnold, you foretold the future, because that was exactly what I did when I got home. I only turned it on for a few seconds though, then I came to check my post. It has since warmed up, and all I can say is...wow. This thing is neat.

I've got a house out in the middle of nowhere, and its about 450-500 yards to the edge of my property from my back door. So I took it outside to check it out. I've got about 12" of snow out back which reflected the laser nicely. I can see a good solid beam outside, which is nice, but I suspect that when its a little warmer out and there is more humidity, I will be able to see it more. (am I right?)

This thing is great, first greenie. I read on SBK's website about burning electrical tape, so I did take a piece and smoke it a little bit. Just a little dot, smaller then point of a sewing needle. I haven't even had this thing on for more then 15 seconds at a time...too afraid to get it hot. Isn't the recommended duty cycle 60sec on then 60sec off?

PhotonWrangler, c'mon...I'm not foolish, and although this is my first greenie, I have been reading about them for the last 2 months. I know not to point it at stuff I shouldn't.

I think that lasers might be a new hobby though...how much are the higher power units for laser shows and stuff? I know about the CNI, but I'm thinking something not portable.
 
[ QUOTE ]
wonka187 said:
PhotonWrangler, c'mon...I'm not foolish, and although this is my first greenie, I have been reading about them for the last 2 months. I know not to point it at stuff I shouldn't.


[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry Wonka, I didn't mean to insult you. It's just that I can't SEE anybody from this end of the keyboard so I can't tell who I'm talking to! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif I'll shut up now...
 
[ QUOTE ]
wonka187 said:
Also, can someone point me in the right direction for the non-portable laser stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

E-BAY!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
abeland1 said:
As far as burning stuff is concerned, if you are able to do this you are missing an IR filter, very bad news.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is probably true if your laser is rated less than 35mw. If thats
the case, you'd better return it or get rid of it... theres light coming
out of it that will fry your eyes and you won't even see it - actually
you won't even feel it either :p

All the ones I've sold have their ir filter. however, the 80mw+ ones
smoking things INSTANTLY :p (with the ir filter on)
 
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