IgorT mini-Blu-ray laser review

;D I got the 2 IgorT (offered as >90 mW), actually >100 mW mini Blu-ray lasers Friday July 11 2008! Happy Day!
I have been looking forward to this for a while, I like the looks of this model more than any other Blu-ray laser I have seen. daguin came over with a high power violet, (I think a DrLava build), 90 mW a few weeks ago, and it, also lit the desire for me to have a really high output Blu-ray. I told several members I would write a review on these and I know others have reported the capabilities. I apologize that I still can't take pictures that do any lasers justice, so if I ever get good pictures, I'll post them later. Of course the units overall length will vary slightly with focus position.
Shipping, the package was bubble lined envelope with each laser in bubble wrap, then in the cardboard close fitting box I would guess the host came in. Oh and they were cleverly disguised as Glow in the dark flashlights. The disguise was easy to remove, yet Customs would not be likely to do or see thru it!
The units both have a flawless finish and a very nice smooth grey silver color. One has CREE on it and is very slightly blueish. This helps me tell them apart. I personally think both are beautiful. And at near 4 inches long seem incredibly compact. And weigh a little more than they look like they would. Mine focus very freely, but builder extraordinar, IgorT says that mine have a little different focus ring, (slightly thicker), than most of the others he made. I may never see a better build! The quality is far beyond anything I ever got from CNI or other manufacturers.
My package was in Customs for about 2 weeks, but so worth the wait!

Specs:
Output power 113 mW (Cree), and the 2nd one 119 mW (accuracy about +/- 4 mW)
Do wear eye protection and use with care, these are powerful!
Length about 104 mm with Glow in the Dark lens cap on. (Supplied with Laser)
Diameter about 20.3 mm (end near exit aperture), button end slightly smaller.
Also supplied with mine was a line generating lens that works for "liquid sky" effects. And extra G.I.T.D. and black lens covers.

Offer LinK: http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1210968450

A few things this laser can do;
Cuts holes in bright white computer paper!
Lights trick Birthday candles, and (of course) matches, any color!
Gorgeous Purple beam!
Fluorescent (dayglow) items so bright you need dark glasses!
Smokes and etches any plastic I have tried.
HP Blu-rays may play tricks on your eyes.
I see a red circle around the dot, while at the same time my wife sees red center with violet circle when dot is on many kinds of green leaves. She is near sighted I am far-sighted and the leafs have some red florescence so maybe thats why.

PLEASE HELP, if you have one of these great IgorT lasers post your pictures on this thread, My photos are a work in progress! :-[

Man, so glad you like them!


Can't wait to see some pictures! Blast some rocks with it!


The red glow on grass and leaves is clorophile fluorescing i believe.. I also see the red glow in the middle, when i point them at plants. It looks strange sometimes.. But the red is not a trick on the eye.


On the other hand, when i show it to people, and ask them, if they can see the beam, they say yes, but then i turn it off, and some of them say "i can still see it!"..  ;D

That's what happened to me, when i first made a high powered blu ray.. I saw the beam everywhere, but where it actually was. But i got used to it after a week or so. It does still play tricks on my eyes occasionally tho.


The weight is from the massive aluminum heatsink/module that contains the entire laser, as well as from the thick host shell, that helps the heatsink dissipate the heat - this way you don't have to worry about the duty cycle at all.. I often leave mine (at a much higher current - more heat) on for 20 minutes at a time, and they barelly get warm at the head, and after shut down, it's cool again in a minute or so. And i like the resulting heavy feel these have in my hand!


Did you play with them outside at night yet? What color do you see the beam as at night? I see it violet from behind or from up front, but from the side it looks almost white, or gray.

Yes I love to play with them at night! I don't know how much humidity there is where you live, but here there is lots. So I see the purple beam in complete dark from most angles. I can even see it reflected by my swimming pool. I have an outdoor fireplace (a Chiminea, ), the smoke column is perfect for a "Liquid Sky" display and the violet color is truly awesome! A "Liquid Sky" is also seen well over my spa. In pool water the beam is blue, but the dot on the plaster pool bottom is purple which is a cool effect too! My teenage daughter always wants to use it herself, but I give her lots of supervision. All my lasers seem to make my wife uneasy. Although she likes them played off the pool water onto a far low wall to Pink Floyd and such rock music.

BTW, I am getting slightly better at pics, but I still want to see other folks's efforts, and I am still trying too!

Here they are along side of a 5 mW CNI pen for size comparison. IgorT's quality has no comparison!

Well, at the moment, there is so much humidity, that it's hard to breathe..

But it sure as hell makes all the lasers pretty..

scopeguy20 said:

Yes I love to play with them at night! I don't know how much humidity there is where you live, but here there is lots. So I see the purple beam in complete dark from most angles. I can even see it reflected by my swimming pool. I have an outdoor fireplace (a Chiminea, ), the smoke column is perfect for a "Liquid Sky" display and the violet color is truly awesome! A "Liquid Sky" is also seen well over my spa. In pool water the beam is blue, but the dot on the plaster pool bottom is purple which is a cool effect too! My teenage daughter always wants to use it herself, but I give her lots of supervision. All my lasers seem to make my wife uneasy. Although she likes them played off the pool water onto a far low wall to Pink Floyd and such rock music.

Click to expand...

Good to see other Pink Floyd fans love lasers...

Wonder why...


Brtaman

Another shot with a CNI 5 mW green in the pic

scopeguy20 said:

BTW, I am getting slightly better at pics, but I still want to see other folks's efforts, and I am still trying too!

Click to expand...

Your pics are fine.. You worry too much.

I like the first one very much, and you actually got the beams into focus on the second. Otherwise, since the camera probably sets the focus to the object in the middle of the screen (where the cross is), just point it at what you want in focus (even if it means discarding most of the pic later).. This is harder with the beams tho, as the camera always focuses on what's behind them (at least mine).. So i always set the focus manually in that case.

Another Pic! Here are the 2 IgorT Blu-rays beside a 5 mW CNI Greenie

I have some decent pics. I'll post them when I get around to it.

Hopefully I'll get my laser tomorrow, then I'll post some up!

Nice Review VillageIdiot! Thanks! BTW, I would say you have captured my emotion in that last line: [highlight]"Holycrapitsawesomegetitnow." [/highlight] Link to VillageIdiot review: http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1216101466

;D

Hmm, IgorT, you should consider starting your own laser company. (A one-person company is still a company! ) At the very least, you should make a dedicated website for selling your lasers.

^agreed!

I already have a company. I build custom electronic devices.. I'm only doing the lasers to fund the custom lens project, without using the company money..

But it turned out to be so much work, that i almost started neglecting my real work..
So once the lens project is complete, and i recover the invested money, i will only make lasers occasionally, if someone asks, and if i have time. No more batches - too stressful!



However, since the work is very similar, i would only have to start printing invoices for the lasers, and it would be a "lazor company"... :