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How did you first find out about high-powered Lasers?

cmak

cmak

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I first heard about the existence of high powered Lasers in a fairly small ad in a Popular Science magazine (LG's 2007 Xmas special). I'd been interested in laser pointers in the past, and owned my fair share of little keychain red pointers, but obviously nothing close to the 95mW DL Viper I own today ;)

So what's your story? How did YOU first find out?
 





photonaholic

photonaholic

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Um physics class 1983, then my first Job in 1985 the factory had a huge C02 laser for cutting Polycrystalline Alumina tubes, The laser was huge and very powerful.

I was in awe from that point forward.

When I worked at Corning Glass works, I had a large tube made for me on a glass lathe, but I had no idea how to properly construct a laser from raw glass, so all I got was a pretty looking hunk of glass out of it. (destroyed in a house fire 16 years ago)

The idea was sound, but the ends had no proper Brewster windows on it, so it never lased.

Then life & kids entered the picture, I tinkered with my HeNe here and there, but it was only recently when I got my Aixiz green labbies that my interest rekindled.
 
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roosl

roosl

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I first found out when I was a kid in the '60s (ruby rod). Referring only to the gammut of what we discuss here, that was several years ago when I came across Wicked Lasers' website. That planted the [wow, anybody can buy these] seed.
:yh:
 
GoRdOn_B

GoRdOn_B

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Ooooo... ya everyone is totally going to haet my answer


I learned about high powa lehzers from....



Kipkay
:shhh:

Plerase dont -rep meh
ROFL!!!
 
photonaholic

photonaholic

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Define high power please.

If I can't pop a room full of popcorn from 100,000 feet, it is not powerful enough.
 
roosl

roosl

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photonaholic said:
Define high power please.

If I can't pop a room full of popcorn from 100,000 feet, it is not powerful enough.
Click to expand...
Yeah, LOL!

Kinda like the old motorhead saying, "A man's car should be able to do more than he'll ever need it to."

High power is in the burn marks of the beholder?
:D
 
lasersbee

lasersbee

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My 1st contact with Lasers was in 1987 when a customer came to
see us with a Siemans 5mW HeNe Laser and wanted us to Reseach
and Develop a Laser detector for the Pulp and paper Industry..
(which we did)...

LTD.JPG



Once I saw that red coherent beam... I was hooked...


Jerry
 
rpaloalto

rpaloalto

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For me it was when I went to my first lazarium laser show in the late 80's, at the Morison Planetarium in San Francisco. From that point on I was mesmerized by the beauty of the painted coherent light.
In the early 90's I got my first laser pointer. it was just a simple 5mW red, but it cost well over a $100.
I have always wanted more lasers but just never really had the time or the money.
It was not until I had seen the infamous kipkay video showing how cheap it was to make a burning red. Doing the research on the kipkay video brought me here to this great place LPF. Here is where I learned what I know now. I have almost a dozen lasers all colors and all powers:) I wont stop until I get a laser like laserbens spectra physics master laser:)
4200727905_b9dc3c2bdd_b.jpg
 
Asherz

Asherz

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Discovered all the high powered "hulk" greenies on youtube,

did a quick search and found wicked lasers/dragon lasers... saw $3000 and left quickly.

Later that month I youtube'd it and came across burning red lasers from DVD drives.. tore apart my computers DVD drive and found the read diode, promptly hooked it straight up to a 9V with no aixiz and saw the red light! It was so pretty, but un collimated and then died (kipkay) :(

Searched google and asked what went wrong, found LPF and all it's helpful members :)
 
jaycey

jaycey

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It was 1989, my head was full to the brim with MDMA and the DJ spun a track called La serenissima by Rondo Veneziano, suddenly I was standing in the middle of this magnificent green tunnel of light...

Sometime this year I will recreate that tunnel of light with the projector im building;)
 
Helioplasma

Helioplasma

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I found out on a stupid youtube video dealing with green laser... so uncool compared to you guys :p ...
 
cmak

cmak

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photonaholic said:
Um physics class 1983, then my first Job in 1985 the factory had a huge C02 laser for cutting Polycrystalline Alumina tubes, The laser was huge and very powerful.

I was in awe from that point forward.

When I worked at Corning Glass works, I had a large tube made for me on a glass lathe, but I had no idea how to properly construct a laser from raw glass, so all I got was a pretty looking hunk of glass out of it. (destroyed in a house fire 16 years ago)

The idea was sound, but the ends had no proper Brewster windows on it, so it never lased.

Then life & kids entered the picture, I tinkered with my HeNe here and there, but it was only recently when I got my Aixiz green labbies that my interest rekindled.
Click to expand...

That is truly an amazing story. Easily the best one posted in this thread so far (not to disrespect or lower any of the other great stories...)

Scythe001 said:
Yeah, I'm a little ashamed to admit, but I was probably KipKay and a variety of Youtube videos that really piqued my interest in the hobby.

My first laser was a (supposed) 100mw greenie from eBay. Looking back now, it was probably quite underpowered, but enough to keep me hooked. Thank goodness for LPF.
Click to expand...

KipKay's the one that deserves the shame... I mean how hard is it to just change the description in his multi-million-viewed video to something along the lines of "this method is outdated and WILL NOT WORK! For a better tutorial, visit Insert-LPF-Thread-Regarding-DIY-Red/BluRay-Lasers". Seriously is it that hard!? :gun:

photonaholic said:
Define high power please.

If I can't pop a room full of popcorn from 100,000 feet, it is not powerful enough.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure they have high-tech microwaves now that can be remotely activated over the internet. How I thought of that is beyond me... :pop:
 
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