650nm red laser protective glasses

Hey guys I just completed my first DIY 650nm red laser using the laser diode from a old dvd drive and a home made driver circuit using an LM 117T.

I purchased a laser module from DX.com with a focusing lens.

Everything is bread boarded and working fine. The problem is I am afraid to really use it until I can get a pair of safety goggles.

I have run it up to to 300mw but like I said I an afraid to even look at the focused beam even on a matt black surface. So i have only measured the current and used it with the beam highly decollumated.

Can anyone suggest certified safety goggles for the 650nm range with OD3+ that are not rediculously expensive. It drives me crazy I can build the laser for less the $5 and then have a dump $50+ on glasses but if that is the only way to be safe then that is what I will have to do.

TBH, at 300mW you are probably safe IF there is no chance of direct reflection. Looking at the beam is fine, looking at the dot as long as it's not reflecting should be OK. If you want some temporary eye protection, wear POLARIZED sunglasses. they block ~50% of light if theyre good quality ones. But if you want to take up a lasers hobby, you need proper glasses.
-Josh

TY Josh. I have been looking and the prices vary quite a bit. I sense the $14 ones that claim that they are simply 650nm safety glasses are most likely not safe.

On the other hand the ones that give a wavelength range, and OD rating, and certification can start to creep up into the $70 plus range.

I don't mind paying a bit more to be safe I was just hoping some of the folks here might have a good recomendation.

Once I have played a bit with this 650nm 300mw laser for a while I would like to step up to a homemade 1W blue laser next so I'll end up needing yet another pair of glasses. The glasses start to cost significantly more then building the laser itself.

Well, alot of people like "Eagle Pair" Glasses, i think they cost $45... They are pretty good from the reviews i think. If you are getting a 1W laser, you will definitely need eye protection. If you think about it, if you spend $50 to keep your eyes safe that is alot better than keeping $50 and loosing your sight lol.

These are about the cheapest around: Eagle Pair® 190-400nm & 580-760nm Laser Safety Goggles
There were some cheaper ones, but I can't remember where they were.

thanks guys. eagle pair sound good. They seem to have reliable specs and I think I have seen a review of them on the site. I will go with those.

thanks again for the help

I'd say eagle pair, like the others are suggesting. its a good choice and i hope you are happy with your purchase.

don't go with dragonlaser's.

mine are their red protective glasses, they work too well, both for my 300mW 660 single mode and 1W 638 multi mode. you can hardly see the dot of the 1W on a white wall in the dark at just a few feet, the 660, not at all

Dragonlasers. That's who had the cheaper ones. Like Shakenawake says, though they work VERY well.

The better than nothing red and blue googles at $10 will be good enough to start with for 300mW ish and if your careful with 1 watt blue as a direct hit and you will burn a hole through in a few seconds ...so get cheapies as bare minimum ASAP and get the eagles In the near future.when you get anything higher than around 300mW in any colour laser ...and NKO29 is right on his comments about the red laser spot and looking at beam etc

Not much. I have 2 pair and got a dark spot in my vision when doing focused burning on a piece of light colored wood. I have no LPM, but it was a red LCC running at 320mA. They are garbage for anything except green or low power 638.