My first laser pointer

Well, it's nothing spectacular. It's nothing awesome. It wasn't even a planned acquisition.

But I found a little red laser pointer in a dryer's lint trap at my wife's work (laundromat) tonight. I'm assuming it went through a full drying cycle in a gas commercial dryer, at least for 24 minutes. It might have even been washed prior, but there's no way to tell. I has assumed it wouldn't even work. But it did!

It's one of those little keychain things. Its housing is red with silver ends. One end has the keychain attached to it and it unscrews to access the three tiny batteries. The other end holds the LD and tiny driver board, which just slides into the red metal housing. Two small buttons are in the housing about midway, one for a bright white LED, the other for a red laser dot. These buttons help hold the LD in place through friction I guess. But I put a little duct tape on the edge for good measure.

Dimensions are: 2.125 inches in length and 0.375 inches in diameter.

When I turn the laser on (hold the button down) the dot is bright at first but then dims a little, but it stays constant. I can see it from the edge of the living room into the bedroom.

So, I now have a functioning little red pen laser pointer. It's nothing awesome. And it's probably not even 0.5mw, but it was FREE, it was a surprise, and it works.



(one of these days I'll get around to building a few drivers for the laser diodes I have laying around and put them into the Aixiz housings I have)

Is this a joke?

You've been here since 2009, with 244 post, and your first pointer is a .5mW key chain laser?

Why are you even here?

I'm sorry. I have many many hobbies I try to juggle (in between working fulltime at a regular job and running a part-time side business), and a very limited budget for them all. I took a break from lasers to persue my other hobbies for a while, like RV design, firearms, shooting, cabin design, even gaming. I also moderate a few forums which also take a lot of my time.

I'm here to learn, which I have. A lot. Problem is that this is one of MANY interests of mine. Not a 24/7 career or hobby.

My apologies that my 1st laser was such a small insignificant one. I didn't even buy the thing. I found it. And the first place I went to was this forum to let everyone know. I was happy about it. Emphasis on WAS.

But apparently I'm wasting everyone's time. I'll disappear for another few years, or until I make my own 84MW cutting plasma torch rainbow laser.

:cryyy:

Eh don't let TJ scare ya off. He's like our resident pit bull, scares the hell out of new people but is f#$%ing awesome once you get to know him.

Welcome to the forum!? Lol, sorry, couldn't resist.

Hey, everyone has to start somewhere. Your post count is the only really odd thing though, lol.

Yes, I know my post count is higher. I'm not a total noob here. I hit this forum hard a few years ago trying to learn as much as I could about things. I asked many questions. Hence my post count. So I'm not really new here; I was just on a long hiatus.

I harvested a few LD's from old DVD drives. I have a few Aixiz modules ready. I have a few PSU's I want to use as lab power supplies. I even have a LM317. Real life just got in the way for a while a few years ago, like with getting remarried, constant bills, my other hobbies, refocusing my energies into other things... so lasers took a back seat.

I was tickled to find a laser pointer in a dryer lint trap. And the fact that it still worked was amazing. So I wanted to let me LPF friends know about my find, even though it is what it is (a lowly keychain thing). It wasn't meant to impress anyone. And it wasn't meant as a joke. But I guess compared to what you guys build/have/buy, it was nothing wonderful. But it's my first working laser anything after all these years on hiatus. It made me happy. Sorry no one else shared my excitement.

daveindelaware said:

I'm sorry. I have many many hobbies I try to juggle (in between working fulltime at a regular job and running a part-time side business), and a very limited budget for them all. I took a break from lasers to persue my other hobbies for a while, like RV design, firearms, shooting, cabin design, even gaming. I also moderate a few forums which also take a lot of my time.

I'm here to learn, which I have. A lot. Problem is that this is one of MANY interests of mine. Not a 24/7 career or hobby.

My apologies that my 1st laser was such a small insignificant one. I didn't even buy the thing. I found it. And the first place I went to was this forum to let everyone know. I was happy about it. Emphasis on WAS.

But apparently I'm wasting everyone's time. I'll disappear for another few years, or until I make my own 84MW cutting plasma torch rainbow laser.

:cryyy:

Click to expand...

Really not trolling this time.

How can you have a hobby for 3 years without actually having anything to do the hobby? Its like me going into drag racing, but I dont have the time to buy the car. And then I go down to the guys at the speed shop and tell them about the matchbox car I found in the dryer, LOL. They'd laugh me out the door.

Sorry, it just kind of spins my head around. You cant have a hobby if you dont actually participate in the hobby. And key chain lasers dont count. :crackup:

EDIT OK so you DO have a few things, good. Carry on.

LAUGHING MY ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS OFF @ I go down to the guys at the speed shop and tell them about the matchbox car I found in the dryer

Tech_Junkie said:

How can you have a hobby for 3 years without actually having anything to do the hobby?

Sorry, it just kind of spins my head around. You cant have a hobby if you dont actually participate in the hobby. And key chain lasers dont count. :crackup:

EDIT OK so you DO have a few things, good. Carry on.

Click to expand...

Just because it's a hobby doesn't mean you spend some time EVERY day working on it. The definition of "hobby" is "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation." which is exactly what lasers are (for me anyway): a pursuit, an interest. And I have MANY of these interests besides lasers. I DID participate in this laser hobby years ago, gathering information and knowledge, and parts to build one of my own. But real life got in the way, other interests came up and got my attention, working (jobs) got in the way, the forum I co-founded and moderate got more attention... so yeah, it's been years since I've been here. But that doesn't mean my interest in lasers died.

And no matter what anyone says, I'm still happy about my "find." Sure, it's not a store-bought 300mW green laser. Sure, it's not a homemade blue ray laser. Sure, it's not something I made myself. But I can push the button down, and I get a red dot. And I didn't spend a penny on it. Of all places to post about my find, I would have thought this forum would have been the place to do it, since we all started somewhere and we all have a love for lasers (no matter how small).

I'm beginning to think that I should have stayed in my hiatus a few more years. Like no one else here EVER had a keychain laser which may have sparked their interest in lasers, or given them desire to get or make something bigger and better, or used one to understand the components, or whatever.

You don't have to spend money that often to be into lasers. I only work in the summer (too much school during the year), busk, and save coins to buy my lasers and laser parts. Also I have been selling stuff a bit.
But if this is your first laser after all these years, it makes us wonder what you think a hobbyist is.
I understand you had been researching things, but just 'cause I know what goes into making a house doesn't make me a carpenter.

By all means be happy with the pointer, nobody can take that away from you. You moderate a forum. You of all people shouldn't take offense to strangers on the internet giving you a hard time...

Fretwrecker94 said:

You of all people shouldn't take offense to strangers on the internet giving you a hard time...

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I don't take offense to stuff like this. I don't let stuff like this affect me, especially "internet" stuff. I haven't lost any sleep over this or shed any tears. LOL.

It's true that lasers haven't been a primary hobby of mine, but that doesn't change the fact that lasers are still a hobby of mine, regardless of how often or how much time I devote to them, or how much time passes that I don't try to build one. If that means I'm not truly a "laser hobbyist" in everyone's eyes here, then so be it. I really don't care to argue about it any longer.

I guess I just expected a different reaction from the members of this forum than getting a hard time about it. Maybe things have changed here over the past few years. Maybe attitudes have changed here. I don't know.

But it's all good. We'll see what another three years brings. Hah.

but that doesn't change the fact that lasers are still a hobby of mine

So if i buy a a Neocube set does it make it my hobby ?



I just agree with Tech J

Whatever people. Obviously we have differing opinions and beliefs about what a hobby is. And that's fine. Apparently time, frequency, and post count affect the definition as well....

But in case anyone really cares, the reason I never finished building my first laser driver (and therefore, my first homemade laser) wasn't because I couldn't afford a few dollars' worth of electronic parts, but because I didn't want to build anything before I had the proper eye protection. If there was anything I learned from this forum's expertise, it was that eye safety was of the utmost importance. And laser goggles were NOT cheap a few years ago. And since I was interested in red and green lasers back then, and real life bills came first (child support, rent, utilities, car payment, car insurance, etc), I never had the funds to put towards two pair of safety goggles. So I moved onto other interests which didn't require so much money.

Now, if laser goggles have come down in price lately, and I can get only one pair that provides the proper safety against multiple wavelengths, please let me know!

Aw poor dave in delaware!

Don't be mad. We love your laser!

Now time to level up n00b! hahaha :na:

Are you going to now post a full review of this pointer in the reviews section complete with multiple 10MP photos taken from your cell phone with 92% of each photo focusing on the shelves behind the blurry blob in the center that is supposedly the laser you bought--er found?

Ryanrenesis said:

Aw poor dave in delaware!

Don't be mad. We love your laser!

Now time to level up n00b! hahaha :na:

Click to expand...

Who said I was mad? And no, you don't love my laser. Apparently, it doesn't even count as a laser.

Bionic-Badger said:

Are you going to now post a full review of this pointer in the reviews section complete with multiple 10MP photos taken from your cell phone with 92% of each photo focusing on the shelves behind the blurry blob in the center that is supposedly the laser you bought--er found?

Click to expand...

Uh, no. Besides, I don't have a 10MP camera (or a cell phone). But I take clearer pictures than just blobs and shelves with my 4MP camera, thank you (look at my albums). I'm not going to waste my time with a review. Sorry. I know you're all so very disappointed.

This thread almost reads like a Monty Python skit...and now I shall taunt you again...
Dave, I share your opinion and definition of hobby. An interest and desire to learn more about it on your own time is the core of having a "hobby".
The lack of time or, for that matter, extending the process out to lengths that others don't understand doesn't negate the processes involved. You just do it at your own speed.
Now you have your first you have started down the slippery path. For $15 you get a 5mw 532nm (green). then you need something to balance that one out. And a different color one too. And there is an unbelievable sale on a limited color.....
Welcome to the money pit.
:yh: