What did you mod today?

When I got it I was told it had been used pretty hard and probably wouldn’t make it’s “new” ratings of 3.3W. So this 30% level is probably close to correct. :wink: It’s a 9mm Nichia diode that cost several hundred dollars when new.

Yeah, it’s kinda scary. A silent gun, as it were. I don’t keep cells in it and keep it locked up… much like a firearm.

The green one won’t burn things, still, I don’t “play” with it as it is really difficult to find a place to shine it since the green carries so stinking far. I’ve been able to see the green beam hit a telephone antenna/tower 2.2 miles from here.

Edit: Of course the lasers are dangerous, but when you grow up shooting guns you know the danger is relevant, retina perhaps but not so much skin from any real distance, quite unlike a firearm. :wink: My gunsmith buddy told me a long time ago that a laser was a good training tool for proper firearm safety, being able to see the beam of light shows you just how difficult it is to point a gun in a safe direction. Really expands the mind’s scope on how to handle a loaded weapon. Obviously, neither are toys to played with or handled lightly.

Damn. Throws farther than the BLF GT in the palm size of your hand.

I would be more scared to hold this laser in my hands than an actual rifle though.

How much did that laser diode cost?

Too funny :smiley:
But do be careful with these things.
Reminds me of taking a tail reading from a fet triple and having the bezel resting flat down on my leg… :laughing:

I studied up on lasers when I first got one, the mediocre strong green lasers can cause damage to the retina for miles, like 7 miles, and can be quite disturbing for 11 to 14 miles. At distances over a quarter of a mile or so, though, the auto-reaction to blink can be sufficient to prevent harm, irritation perhaps but not a burned hole in the retina. That’s on a 200mW green laser, which is what mine is supposed to be rated at. Well, my other one. This one is from a more reputable source that guarantee’s it to be 50mW at a minimum. I think I paid around $60 for the green diode.

I got the blue one on a sort of trade, as a used laser. Like I said, new the Nichia 9mm at 3.3W is over $300. It’s in a solid copper housing.

In the end, pretty worthless to have as you can’t do anything with them if you have a conscience. :wink:

Hmm. More expensive than even the CFT90.

What did you trade it for? I’m… interested.

Work.

The color is mesmerizing, and that’s a real problem as everyone that see’s it wants to see more of it which is bad. I took it to my Sister-in-laws and shone it into their swamp area (Southern Mississippi) and she was blown away by the color, tried her dangest to talk me into taking it to the 4th of July celebration and showing it off. NO! No can do! It’s wickedly strong and around a crowd of people it’s an accident waiting to happen. But that’s the thing, the color really sucks you in and makes you want to play with it. So I’ve shown it to scant few and it stays locked away the vast majority of the time.

If it weren’t so pretty I would have disassembled it and destroyed it several years ago… might yet.

Probably just took the case off your blu-ray player. You cant fool me!

Wait, what? I have a Blu-Ray player? Oh yeah! I do, in my computer! :stuck_out_tongue:

The yellow jacket nest that I fried with it this afternoon didn’t get fooled much either. Mwwahahahahahahahahaha!

I’ve had a few lower end lasers, but I’d love to have one on the higher end like that. Objects are only as dangerous as the person holding them.

And human error is a fairytale?

I’m more at risk cutting bits of metal with my angle grinder or driving on the highway with hundreds of others than holding a laser in my hand. Much like a gun I would not point it at myself or others it’s fairly common sense. This isn’t the place for this, however. Nice laser DB :+1: I look forward to how white laser technology could impact the long-range flashlight world.

Human error is real, but its something that happens to other people. :person_facepalming:

Today, I modded nothing… I’m waiting for parts…

:smiley:

You don’t even need to point it at yourself to be blinded. Even a slightly reflective object is enough to burn your retina faster than your blink reflex. Laser protection goggles also only block from the front, it is still possible for the laser to enter your eye from the side.

I’m glad you mention this because all this gun comparison doesn’t really do it justice. A laser is constantly firing and reflecting off crap as you move it, unlike a gun.

A laser may merely burn skin or clothing, while a ricocheting bullet rips people a new arsehole! The laser’s only real claim to danger is a direct retina hit, which is of course a real danger but not so easily accomplished whether by intent or by accident. I have had the tail switch accidentally on when loading cells into my blue laser, the laser fired within an inch of my hand and burned a tiny blister that stung for hours. Had that been a gun… well, obviously I’d have a hole through my hand AND the very real possibility that an innocent bystander could have been hit by the bullet after it left my hand. The laser goes through people to hit people behind them? Like, NOT! Depending on the firearm and the situation, many people and/or property are at risk for quite a distance from that one accidental discharge. Case in point, pray you never accidentally fire a .454 Casull, a 300 grain bullet that travels 2000 feet per second!

Safety goggles that wrap around protect the eye from all directions, depends on what you purchase I guess and if you even wear them at all. I normally don’t wear them as they render the amazing beam invisible which makes it all a moot point. I HAVE been wearing quality goggles while frying the yellow jacket wasps right outside my window as I’ve been getting them through the glass. :wink:

I don’t kill wasps with the laser for fun or meanness, I am highly allergic to them and to leave them in place could get me dead instead of them. So I eradicate the ones that build nests too close to where I make ingress. I leave many thousands of them alone in spite of the danger to me when I mow.

X3, don’t ya just hate the waiting game? As many parts as I have here I too am waiting on a couple of specific items in order to complete the next build. Can’t really even get started without this one piece that locates everything else, a new LED reflector to put in a Maglite Classic.

Come on, were you in my home the last weeks or what ?
I was waiting for an aluminum SST50 reflector from FT, because it’s what place the LED board, hence the aluminum pill that I have to lathe… and everything else.

Powerful lasers do not need a direct hit to damage your eyes. Diffuse reflection is enough.

With a gun everybody knows that it’s very serious and not a toy. With lasers this is different. Most people don’t realize the danger.

A blue or red laser is much more powerful than your eyes make you think. This is because the human eye is not very sensitive to these colors (wavelengths). The difference between 555nm green and some shade of blue can be up to 20x for the same wattage.