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OXLasers CB-1000 445nm Blue Portable Laser Focusable Waterproof, retail $185.00 (www.oxlasers.com...)
Manufactured by: OXLasers China (www.oxlasers.com)
Last updated 01-15-12
OXLasers CB-1000 445nm Blue Portable Laser Focusable Waterproof, retail $185.00 (www.oxlasers.com...)
Manufactured by: OXLasers China (www.oxlasers.com)
Last updated 01-15-12
The CB-1000 445nm Blue Portable Laser Focusable Waterproof (hereinafter, probably just called a "blue portable laser" or even just a "blue laser") is a royal blue-emitting, directly-injected diode laser. That is, it produces deep blue laser radiation directly, without the need for messy, fragile nonlinear crystals like those green laser pointers and the amberish-yellow and slightly greenish-blue ones as well. It uses a 18650 rechargeable Li:ION (lithium ion) cell -- you just charge it back up when it poops out...never have to run to the store for batteries.
It is advertised to output 1W (1,000mW) of laser radiation at 445nm.
This is the reason I call it a "portable laser" on my website instead of a "pointer". Lasers designated as "pointers" must -- by US law anyway -- have a power output that does not exceed 5mW.
Yet the storage box it comes in has the phrase "Laser pointer" in large gold font on its upper surface.
***EXTREME DANGER!!!***
This laser can produce up to 1 watt of laser radiation at 441nm (royal blue), and can cause instant and permanent eye damage from an accidental reflection or accidental direct exposure!!! You need to know what you're doing and have the appropriate safety precautions for a CDRH Class IV laser device in place before you energize this laser!!!
You must also have the appropriate laser safety eyewear and *USE IT* every time you fire up this studly little laser...you don't want to end up like this guy: --->
This may look funny, but I assure you folks, this is no joke!!!
It comes in a handsome aluminum body with a dark matte grey finish.
To get the laser to turn on, first be certain that the furnished 18650 cell is installed. If there isn't, then install it (see directly below), and THEN you can use it.
Press & release the tailcap button to turn the laser on; do the same thing to deactivate it.
The focus is easily adjustable from just a few millimeters from the exit aperture to infinity by simply rotating the bezel (head). Unlike some other focusable lasers, doing this does not leave the head feeling "wobbly" or loose.
To change/charge the battery in your blue laser, unscrew and remove the tailcap, and set it aside.
Tip the used cell out of the barrel and into your hand, and recharge it.
Insert a newly-charged 18650 rechargable Li:ION cell into the barrel, flat-end (-) negative first. This is the opposite of how batteries are installed in most flashlights, so please pay attention to polarity here.
Screw the tailcap back on, and be done with it.
To charge the 18650 cell, place it in the charger, orienting it so its button-end (+) positive is on the bottom (flat-end) of the charger.
Plug the charger into any standard (in the United States) two- or three-slot 110 volts to 130 volts AC 60Hz receptacle.
A red light on the charger should now come on; this indicates charging is in progress. When the 18650 cell has reached full charge, the light on the charger will turn from red to green.
At this point, unplug the charger, remove the charged cell from the charging cradle, and install it in the laser as directed above.
Current usage measures 1,472mA (1.4720 amperes) on my DMM's 4A scale.
***EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!***
This laser has a very large amount of {vulgar slang term for male nads} to it (measured at 832mW!!!), so you ***DEFINITELY*** do not want to shine it into your eyes, other people's eyes, pets' eyes, for that matter, the eyes of any person or animal you encounter.
And para los motivos de Cristo (and for heaven sakes and for Pete sakes and for your sakes too) do not shine this laser at any vehicle, whether ground-based like a motorcycle, car, or truck, or air-based like a helicopter, airplane, or jet. And if you shoot it at a person in the dark and he turns out to be a police officer, he may think he's being targeted, unholster (whip out) his gun, and hose you down with it.
Waterproofness is as advertised: The tailcap, bezel, and barrel all held a good partial vacuum when they were suctioned (the tailcap held the vacuum even while the switch was actuated a number of times); there are O-rings present at both ends of the barrel as well. After being submerged in the lavatory (bathroom sink) under ~10" (~25.40cm) of water at 82°F (27.80°C) for a couple of minutes (to simulate somebody taking it on a brief underwater junket), nothing untoward happened to it, and no water was found inside when the ends were unscrewed & removed.
I submit this as proof that I really did dredge it.
The biggest downside to this laser is the fact that while this is clearly a CDRH Class IV laser (making it extremely dangerous!!!), there are no safety features at all that are normally required in Class IV lasers; e.g., there is no "emissions" indicator, no startup delay, no interlock of ANY type, and no mechanical beam shutter. This laser behaves like a Class IIIa laser pointer in this regard, which I believe is a rather severe no-no!!!
Having said that, there is something else that pisses me off about this laser.
It's that asinine duty cycle recommendation -- the instructional material states the following (in typical "Chinglish" -- no changes to grammar or syntax were made):
"It is suggested that continuous working time never more than 30 Seconds," {yes, a comma and not a period). No "cooling" (off) period is shown; though I would presume that it would be no less than 1 minute (60 seconds).
Photograph of the "business-end" with the collimating ass'y removed.
That shiny toridial (doughnut-shaped) thing is the front face of the laser diode.
Beam terminus photograph of this unique (well, "not-so-unique" now) laser on the target at 12".
Beam image bloomed ***SIGNIFICANTLY*** even though it was daylight when the photograph was taken. That white color does not actually exist.
"Not no way, not no how" as they say.
Beam terminus photograph of this laser on the target at 12"; collimating lens removed.
Beam terminus photograph on a wall at ~10'.
Again, that white color does not really exist, and beam image bloomed a bit.
Beam photograph with laser itself positioned approx. 9 feet downrange.
Power output with the collimating lens in place: 619mW.
Power output with the collimating lens removed: 832mW.
This shows that the lens housing is vignetting (cutting off) the beam; this power differential is far greater than would be caused by merely passing the laser beam through a lens.
Spectrographic analysis of the laser diode in this product.
Wavelength appears to be ~444nm, which is ***WELL*** within specification for the type of laser diode used in this laser.
Same as above; but spectrometer's response narrowed to a band between 400nm and 410nm.
This shows that the wavelength is in fact 441.60nm and the spectral line halfwidth is ~2.0nm.
Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of a uranated* glass marble when irradiated with this laser.
Spectrographic analysis of the fluorescence of the 2009 NIA Commemorative Insulator in uranated* glass when irradiated with this laser.
*"Uranated" - infused with an oxide of uranium, *NOT* piddled (urinated) on.
Commonly referred to as "Vaseline glass" because it has
a distinct pale yellow-green color when not being irradiated.
Note spelling: "urAnated", not "urEnated","urInated",
"urOnated", "urUnated", or sometimes "urYnated".
Spectrographic analysis of phosphorescence of the 405nm Violet Laser Phosphor Target while being irradiated with this laser.
USB2000 Spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.
Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (collimating lens removed; fast {X} axis).
Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (collimating lens removed; slow {Y} axis).
Images made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.
Video showing this laser being focused -- a task which is rather easily accomplished by simply rotating the bezel (head).
This video is approximately 3.19642346176 megabytes (3,389,893 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than sixteen minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
Video of this laser causing some balloons to "destruct".
The only sounds you should hear are the explosive decompression of five balloons.
This video is approximately 1.79567345618 megabytes (1,980,457 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than eight minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
UPDATE: 07-06-11
The "starfield projector" from the Dapper Stage Laser Light Show screws into and fits this laser if the thin white toroidal (doughnut-shaped) "sticker" over the output aperture is removed.
This is a video showing the holographic starfield projector actually in use on this laser. The starfield projector from the Dapper Stage Laser Light Show properly fits & screws into the laser aperture -- which does indeed have a female threaded receptacle that this starfield projector fits. The patterns change as I slowly rotate the starfield optic clockwise (as though tightening it) -- it is actually designed to be used in this manner.
That music you hear is the song "Cupajoe" by Anthrax. This laser is not sound-sensitive; the audio may be ignored or even muted if it pisses you off or if you aren't a metalhead and hate this type of music yet still want to see the 'starfield" effect presented herein.
This video is approximately 9.47121754596 megabytes (9,662,091 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than forty seven minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased on Ebay on 06-07-11 (or "07 Jun 2011" if you prefer) and was received at 2:22pm PDT on 06-27-11 (or "27 Jun 2011").
UPDATE: 08-02-11
I found a message (to me of course!) from the seller on Ebay that read:
Hi thanks again for purchasing from us. Free feel to visit our web page to check out more laser for extremly low price. It will be cheaper then you purchase from us on ebay since we don't have to pay for ebay fee. This is our website. Enjoy your surfing!
http://laser.sytes.net
This website then "turns into" http://lazerer.com, which is a laser source that I really do trust.
UPDATE: 01-15-12
I have given this laser to my very great friends P. Buff and P. Dexter as a belated Christmas present. They knew going in that it was used, so no surprises for them will occur down the road. And I also gave them a rather stern lecture (and several reiterationas along the way) about not using the laser as a pet toy and never attempting to hose down any type of aircraft with it!!!
Since I no longer have it (I gave them the laser itself, the battery, and the charger), that dreadful "
PROS:
Color is very radiant & unusual for a handheld laser
The price is right!
Uses a rechargeable power source; never have to purchase disposable batteries for it
Can directly use the "5 in 1" effects head that is commonly found on other lasers
CONS:
***SERIOUSLY*** underpowered; it is advertised as being a 1 watt laser
Shorter-than-expected duty cycle recommendation (published at 30 sec. "on"; no "off" time stated).
No safety features required of a CDRH Class IV laser -- this is by far what nocked the most off of its rating!!!
MANUFACTURER: OXLasers China
PRODUCT TYPE: Blue-emitting laser
LAMP TYPE: Unknown-type high-power blue (~441nm) laser diode
No. OF LAMPS: 1
BEAM TYPE: Adjustable from very narrow spot to medium flood
SWITCH TYPE: Click on/off button on tailcap
CASE MATERIAL: Aluminum
BEZEL: Metal; laser & lens recessed into its end
BATTERY: 1x 18650 Li:ION rechargeable cell; 3.70V 2,400mAh
CURRENT CONSUMPTION: 1,472mA
WATER-RESISTANT: Yes
SUBMERSIBLE: Yes; depth rating not known
ACCESSORIES: Battery, charger, hard-sided storage case, small lanyard
SIZE: 142mm L x 25.50mm D
WEIGHT: Unknown/not equipped to weigh
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: China
WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated
PRODUCT RATING:
Update 07-16-11: Added a video of this laser destroying five balloons.
Update 07-25-11:]/b] Performed spectroscopy of phosphorescence of the 405nm Violet Laser Phosphor Target while being irradiated with this laser.
Update 08-02-11: Added a pair of URLs to this laser's retailer.
Update 12-06-11: Added a beam photograph with the laser positioned ~9 feet downrange.
Update 01-15-12: Have given this laser to a pair of very close friends; this will therefore be the final update.
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