you CAN build a laser without asking questions!

hello all. I just wanted to post and declare that it is possible to build a laser without asking silly questions that could have been easily answered with some searching. I just successfully completed an m140 laser in a C6 host using nothing more than the search tools here. When I started thinking "I would love to build a laser!", instead of asking someone here to tell me how to do it, I researched and found out how. My point is over the past months I have been educating myself I ran across soooo many questions posted on LPF that could easily be answered by simple searches. So any newbies trolling around thinking the same thing I thought a couple of months back - you can do it if you spend some time educating yourself. That should be mandatory any way as I am in awe of the power a 1W 445nm laser has. It frightens me to think about some over zealous 12 year old wielding one of those with no respect for the damage that can be done to persons or property. NOT a toy people. Be safe!

Well put and ditto

Good job. You deserve a prize my friend. No sarcasm here. It bugs me when noobs are like.

I want a 100000mw laser and I have $7

:beer:
-Matt

Wait wait wait. You mean to tell me I can't build a death star class laser for under 20$?

Well my dreams have been shattered now.

But in all seriousness, well said OP. We're here to help, not to hold hands the entire way through You seem like a sensible fellow, and I hope you become a regular here on LPF!

Have a +1

Here is why I ask questions, in case anyone thinks they are "silly":

1) Haven't worked on electronics in a while and the new stuff is small; SMT is pretty crazy compared to through-hole, also hadn't actually seen a typical DIY host up close and disassembled (until yesterday, when I picked up my C6 from my PO box);

2) Tight budget, so would rather ask a question if I think some detail is missing (AFTER searching, googling, etc.!). Better that than blowing up a $100 diode;

3) House seems prone to ESD and despite running humidifiers 24/7 the air is still brutally dry and it's easy to throw 1/4" sparks just by walking on the carpet. I think I can figure out a solution to this one on my own (grounding lanyard, work on metal surface, etc.) but if I thought I were missing a detail better believe I would ask.

4) Sometimes I just want a different point of view; everyone's experience is different and sometimes people suggest or mention things that I didn't consider.

It is STILL very important to SEARCH and RESEARCH, nobody will ever disagree with that. There is a ton of information here, just a couple of search terms away. But unless the question is patently ridiculous, I hesitate to call them out on it. Much better to simply not respond to such questions; the silence speaks for itself.

I consider it detrimental to a community in the long run to blast new members who ask "silly" questions. Assuming too much about their intentions or whatnot is unconstructive; it is easy to just answer the question (or better yet, refer the person to a thread covering their question), or ignore the question if it's "silly."

Congrats on your build, hopefully it's just the first of many

Noobs be like: I want a lazer so I cans be 1337 and sh1ne in peopels facez