Post Your Close Calls

I burned some popcorn earlier today so to get the smell out of the house I decided to light some candles. Using a lighter is just not as much fun as a 1.5 watt 445. :eg:

So I begin setting a candle on fire and some of the wax pools on the bottom. I then learn that liquid candle wax can be highly reflective. I get a direct hit in my left eye, it wasn't that bright though and I have no eye injury. I can now state with confidence that these OD4 goggles really do work.

The lesson here, wear your goggles because accidents don't happen in the way we think they will happen. They come at a time you least expect and for that goggles are a life saver.


So lets here some of the close calls out there and how your goggles protected you from instant blindness.

I have a Kenometer that has a scratched area near the sensor that reveals bare metal. The way I discovered this was that I was testing my 600mW 445nm laser and it accidentally hit that spot, directly reflecting at my eye. This caused an extremely bright flash as it entered my goggles and fluoresced while passing through the filter. Fortunately, that was all it did because I had those goggles on.

I also discovered later that using a Sharpie marker to darken the scratched spot does nothing to reduce its reflectivity.

I was at a friend's house, and knowing me to be la laser enthusiast, he asked me to check out his new 5mW green pointer. I politely said yes, and was complementing him on the nice craftsmanship of the laser (it really was nice; brass end caps and a brushed aluminum body). I then aimed the laser at a wall, and was about to press the button, when suddenly, I realized that the diode was aimed right at my face!

The laser's end caps both had holes drilled in them, and I foolishly assumed that the only end with a hole was the shooting end.

It was only 5mW, but it was definitely a learning experience.

Well, once I put a laser on a table to take a Beamshot, it started rolling... Hit both my eyes quickly BUT I had goggles, it was still bright, but I still have both my eyes

And the laser didn't fall off the table

I wear the eagle pair goggles for green, blue, ir. There really good goggles! only downside is that up to a watt of 445nM you do not see beams or dots that bright. At a time i had 5x 445nM's on for a few pics and while i thought i shut all off, one was still on put off my goggles and didn't know how fast to put the goggles on again! Scared the shit out of me! It did not flash my eyes or glasses but this shows that even wit glasses you need to be absolutely sure of what you are doing! Even with glasses lasers are dangerous!

Greetings,,