what should I get as a first laser?

Uninteligible · Jan 6, 2008

i'm currently thinking on a galileo, or a lyra f (lyra focusable)
or should I get a leadlight?

oh incedentally does anyone have the lyra f? could you burn stuff if you focused it small enough?
I know its only a 5mw so probably not
also I live in UK so would a 5mw come through customs?
I know that class II is the highest allowed, so I know that there not strictly legal.

thanks everyone.

BlueFusion · Jan 6, 2008

I'd personally go for the DealExtreme True 30mW, as its cheap as anything and it's powerful enough.
DealExtreme ship lasers as LED flashlights (gift), so customs aren't a problem.
No it won't be legal but... if you keep to yourself, the deal is will anyone notice or care?

For a 5mW, a leadlight would be good. old-school ones available at http://sales.stonetek.org.
Also from Stonetek, you can buy red laser diodes and other parts to build yourself a high powered red laser for cheap. Total cost probably only about $35.

now THAT burns stuff.
Check out some threads in Experiments and Mods for more info on stuff like that.

f22warzone · Jan 6, 2008

Dx has altered the froms of their packages now they are accurate and acutlay state what you have in side.... as my last one was this way it listed evey thing

Uninteligible · Jan 6, 2008

thanks everyone, I really apreciate your help, it looks like it will have to be a 5mW, my parents are rather strict on
laser safety, but i might be able to make a non handheld DIY laser. Yay!

Lorgar · Jan 6, 2008

f22warzone said:
Dx has altered the froms of their packages now they are accurate and acutlay state what you have in side.... as my last one was this way it listed evey thing

Im not sure how accurate they are as the Batts i just recived were marked "Other led parts"
and my MXDL flashlights were marked "Other cree lights"

I have a laser coming on wed-thur next week ill see what they mark that as
could be marked as a flashlight lol

Curiously_Coherent · Jan 6, 2008

f22warzone said:
Dx has altered the froms of their packages now they are accurate and acutlay state what you have in side.... as my last one was this way it listed evey thing

I recently got dinged by Canada Customs for tax & duty on my DX200, which was labelled "Gift" as usual and just said "Laser pointer" as contents. Luckily, whomever inspected it didn't know what it really was and assessed it as $50, so I got off easy with an $11.50 charge. That's the first time anything from DX has been opened and charged for. (And I've bought LOTS of stuff from DX.) I'm hoping that Canada Customs isn't wising up to the "Gift" loophole and that it was just a random check. Time will tell.

DX is a very reliable seller though and for me, they have replaced items that did not work promptly and with no hassle. You're in good hands buying from them.

Cheers, CC

wooooooolazer · Jan 6, 2008

Did you happen to use ems shipping, i hear they check packages more througouly with that.

...lazer... ;D ;D ;D

Curiously_Coherent · Jan 6, 2008

Lazer is right!

Never use EMS shipping with Deal Extreme orders. You have to wait a bit longer for the regular Air Mail but they seen to go right through Customs without being opened. (Mostly... see above)

I usually get them in less than 2 weeks (here in Canada) and it's actually kind of neat to get an order that you've almost forgotten you placed. (Oh yeah... kewl!)

Cheers, CC

Uninteligible · Jan 7, 2008

what are 5mW's like regarding beam visibility? I have only seen photos, and some cameras pick up the beam better than your eye, I know the beam will only be visible at night.

BlueFusion · Jan 7, 2008

hehe Curiously_Coherent, in Australia I do that all the time, usually it takes so long for anything i order online to come that i forget and then i come home from work or school, and go hey cool a package, oh yeah i ordered this, w00t!

Uninteligible · Jan 8, 2008

yay! i'm gonna buy it today....if i can choose, another question, i'm full of them, someone commented on a YouTube video saying they popped balloons with there 5mw with a magnifying glass, is this possible?

thanks

Uninteligible

edit: my mum has said I cant have one, she told me that she wasnt listening when another laser enthusiast(in real life) said it would be safe for me to have a 5mw green laser, i'm not sure if i believe her though, now she says she's going to look at a medical sight to see if their safe, bassicaly meaning i cant have one, becuase most most medical sites overreact about the dangers of a 5mW laser, sure their dangerous but not that dangerous.

ps. sorry if my spelling isnt very good, but i'm shaking with a mixture of rage and dissapointment

linkinpark9812 · Jan 12, 2008

I got a < 5mw green laser from my friend that he got on Amazon for Christmas for $18.00 ($23.00 w/ shipping) IMO, it will NOT harm your eyes UNLESS yo shine it in there for a long period of time. Your blink reflex will also protect you. Just don't shine it at anyone's eyes. If you do accidentally, the worst you will see (at least on mine) is the same effect where you look at the sun and look away and see spots for a bit.

Mine also seems bright for a <5mW laser. I shined it on a Stop sign once a half block down my street (when there was kno cars of course) and it just turned it into a solid green sign!

Best of luck with you getting your laser, but it seems like you are getting a 5mW laser (usually that means <5mW) which is Class IIIa, but for some reason, mine says Class IIIb... (I posted about this to see why)

Again, Good Luck!

wooooooolazer · Jan 12, 2008

Although be warned, the true 5 is NOT safe, most of them will output around 15mw, like 5mw ir and 10mw green, i know mine can pop a baloon in 2 seconds so it is definantly not 5mw.

I would get one from a good company like novalasers, there 5mw silver one is guaranteed to be safe for brief reflections since it has a quality ir filter in it and etc.

About your mom not saying it is safe, look up on google about class IIIa lasers and show that they are safe if it reflects in your eye.

...lazer... ;D ;D ;D

spyrorocks · Jan 12, 2008

For the record, heres a scan of the package my dx red 70mw laser module came in...

(Click to enlarge)

linkinpark9812 · Jan 12, 2008

wooooooolazer said:
Although be warned, the true 5 is NOT safe, most of them will output around 15mw, like 5mw ir and 10mw green, i know mine can pop a baloon in 2 seconds so it is definantly not 5mw.

I would get one from a good company like novalasers, there 5mw silver one is guaranteed to be safe for brief reflections since it has a quality ir filter in it and etc.

About your mom not saying it is safe, look up on google about class IIIa lasers and show that they are safe if it reflects in your eye.

...lazer... ;D ;D ;D

So if it says <5mW I assume it isn't true 5mW. I think mine leaks IR possible, because on my camera you can see a good amount of white around the green laser but not when I look at it... Mine also says Class IIIb which doesn't make sense unless they put that because it outputs a lot of IR? I have a thread about it under green lasers If anyone has a clue about why it says that!

Uninteligible · Jan 13, 2008

thanks everyone, i'm probably getting one now

my mum came round abit, i'm still not quite sure yet, but most likely I am.

does anyone have one of the lyra series by laserglow? I'm thinking on getting one, I was gonna get a galileo but their all sold out, I dont really like the look of the novalasers 5mW.

thanks

Uninteligible

what should I get as a first laser?

Uninteligible

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BlueFusion

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f22warzone

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Uninteligible

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Lorgar

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Curiously_Coherent

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wooooooolazer

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Curiously_Coherent

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Uninteligible

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BlueFusion

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Uninteligible

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linkinpark9812

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wooooooolazer

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spyrorocks

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linkinpark9812

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