DX True 50mW

Hi everyone

I just received my DX True 50. My first working laser above 5mW. Hasn't mode hopped! It's so cool and everything but I have some questions.

At night I can see that the beam isn't straight, it's goes a little sideways from where I point it. Is this normal?

There is a speckled, uncollimated green cone of light extending outward. Picture link below. Is this a problem, and should I return it? It smoked a 1mm hole in plastic in 6 seconds, burns skin in ~4 seconds, and has not been able to burn paper in the time I tried it (10 seconds.)

damn can't post links or images... add an H in front and copy to address bar.
ttp://img239.imageshack.us/img239/4927/1000094wq6.jpg

How bright should the beam appear to be in a medium-ly lit room?

I heard putting strong batteries could damage the laser, or heating it/cooling it was bad. Is there anything I should watch out for to keep my laser working correctly?

I noticed something strange. I have this pink fluorescent-colored plastic cat toy with a feather on it. If I hit the cat toy, the laser's dot turns about this shade of orange! Does anyone know why, and does this have anything to do with making an orange laser? maybe it could be a lasing medium, pumped by 532nm! are there any other things that do this?

Anyone who helps answer my many questions has my thanks.

Its fine, it wont be affecting the performance if the beam is not entirely straight, so if you want a replacement thats up to you, and the 'cone' you spoke of is just speckle, probably a dirty lens or something. Also 50mW of green WILL NOT bur paper. If you want your laser to live a long life, dont use it for too long at a time, say 1 minute on 30 seconds - 1 minute off.

Diachi

Also thats called fluorescing, its just the material absorbing the laser light and letting it back out at a different wavelength. Usually red/orange/pink coloured things do this with green, try some pink or orange post-it notes for example.

@Diachi
Thanks for the answers. You know, today, I actually managed to smoke a piece of black card on freshly recharged batteries, 2cm away. Neato!

Neato, having fun with it then ?

yeah, I just got my 100-200mW running too - it's so awesome!