WTB: complete 1W package for a uni project

Hey guys! I'm a university student and I've got a project for which I'm going to need a reliable, high powered (~1W) laser. I'm looking to buy a complete package ('blue' laser, rechargeable batteries, charger, safety glasses, etc).

I'm not particularly interested in building one myself (though basic assembly isn't a problem). Perhaps in a future where I have more free time available, I'll go down that road. :yh:

I probably sound like a laser noob because of this, but don't worry, I do know very well of all the dangers associated with lasers (particularly higher powered ones). I've also owned intermediate (200mW) lasers.

Anyway, because of this, I WAS going to go the easy route and buy a Spyder III, but then I heard that they're only really between 750mW and 900mW. Is this true? If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a project, I'd like to get the highest performance possible.

I've heard of an alternative to the Spyder III, that being a 1W laser from Spartan. Anyone have any opinions about it? It's actually even cheaper than the Spyder AND it's supposedly better? Interesting...

Last but not least, I've heard that people here are pretty good at building much higher quality builds. I'd be willing to pay a reputable user up to $300 for a high quality laser with a package as described above (looks like a decent price looking at some other threads here?).

P.S. burning power is important for this project, so a high quality beam/focus is important.

Thanks!

if your looking for a spartan look at this thread please: http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/fs-dragonlaser-spartan-1w-germans-prefered-60627.html

i can assure u that the burning capability is on top with this laser. u can burn truth 10 black cd cases in about 1 minute.

Hello and welcome to the LPF!:wave:

University "projects" don't use frickin' pointers, they use lab-modules.

To me you sound like a newbie who simply wants a cool 1W burning laser to play
Luke Skywalker with, yet you make up a nice story so we don't give you the usual
advice of starting off with low-powered ones.
Please tell me that I am wrong.
Please tell me more about this project, and why you would need a pointer instead
of a lab module.

Anyways, if you really really want that 1W blue, you should not have any trouble
find where and from whom to buy one if you just search a bit on the forum.

viro said:

if your looking for a spartan look at this thread please: http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/fs-dragonlaser-spartan-1w-germans-prefered-60627.html

i can assure u that the burning capability is on top with this laser. u can burn truth 10 black cd cases in about 1 minute.

Click to expand...

Hi. Yeah, I saw that thread, but I thought it was a bit expensive ($240?)... It's $220 from the Dragon Laser website. The shipping cost from them isn't too bad and the delay shouldn't be too long (I don't need it urgently anyway), so it would need to be lower than what it is on there.

anselm said:

Hello and welcome to the LPF!:wave:

University "projects" don't use frickin' pointers, they use lab-modules.

To me you sound like a newbie who simply wants a cool 1W burning laser to play
Luke Skywalker with, yet you make up a nice story so we don't give you the usual
advice of starting off with low-powered ones.
Please tell me that I am wrong.
Please tell me more about this project, and why you would need a pointer instead
of a lab module.

Anyways, if you really really want that 1W blue, you should not have any trouble
find where and from whom to buy one if you just search a bit on the forum.

Click to expand...

Nah, really not interested in playing around. It's not a lab project. It's a personal project related with some optional credits I'm taking. We're hosting a science week for some secondary school kids and we want to show off what lasers can do. And yeah, there'll be plenty of information on safety so they don't go home and try to buy one and end up blinding themselves...

You don't need 1W of power to show what laser can do.
You really only need that much power to burn stuff.
You can do all kinds of optical demonstrations with a low powered but much more
visible 532nm green DPSS laser.

anselm said:

You don't need 1W of power to show what laser can do.
You really only need that much power to burn stuff.
You can do all kinds of optical demonstrations with a low powered but much more
visible 532nm green DPSS laser.

Click to expand...

I've done these 'science week' stands before, and I know what kids want. They want to be impressed. Otherwise they get bored and go somewhere else. So, yes, we'd like to pop and burn some things, as well as all the other stuff.

Anyway, I really didn't come on here for a lecture on safety (I'm quite well versed in that) or for people to question my motives. I appreciate that people are trying to be responsible, but so am I. At the end of the day, I could just buy one from Dragon Lasers if all I wanted to do was play around. The real reason I came here was for sound advice and to perhaps get a better deal from people who build them themselves.

Thank you though!

A 200mW red will still pop balloons and light matches.
Anyways, if you want to build a cheap cheap 1W Blue laser, check out the 2nd link
in my signature.
If you want to buy a 1W blue pointer, just browse the buy/sell/trade section, you will find several offers.

Yeah, as mentioned I already have a couple of intermediate red lasers. Someone else will get the green, and I will get a blue one. I think that will be enough... no need for any of the other variants.

We have an ok budget for this, so come on, might as well get some of the better lasers out there and wow the kids with their power (safety first of course, that will be paramount)!

"Science Week Stands"

- Yet you haven't asked for any more than one pair of safety glasses....

Unless it's a remarkably unpopular "science week", I'm calling bulls#!t on your stated intention.

Either that, or you're stupid enough to think lasers only travel a few feet.

Or failing even that, you just plain don't care about the kids 50 feet away at another "science week stand", who'll have absolutely no idea that there are lasers in the room, until one hits them in the unprotected eye.

No, I don't like to presume stupidity or lack of compassion...I'll stick with my gut, that your story sir, is bulls#!t

rhd said:

"Science Week Stands"

- Yet you haven't asked for any more than one pair of safety glasses....

Unless it's a remarkably unpopular "science week", I'm calling bulls#!t on your stated intention.

Either that, or you're stupid enough to think lasers only travel a few feet.

Or failing even that, you just plain don't care about the kids 50 feet away at another "science week stand", who'll have absolutely no idea that there are lasers in the room, until one hits them in the unprotected eye.

No, I don't like to presume stupidity or lack of compassion...I'll stick with my gut, that your story sir, is bulls#!t

Click to expand...

Uhhh, ok, kiddo. For one, all beams will be pointed downrange towards a special black screen, not in every random direction. Secondly, we already have plenty of safety equipment and it is being taken very seriously as I've stated numerous times.

I came here for advice on lasers. If I needed to find/buy more glasses, then I would be at lasersafetyglassesforums.com

:wtf:

Alright, I'm convinced that you understand the need for safety.

I'll sell you the laser you're seeking. As long as you purchase 100 pairs of safety glasses with it, for all the kids in attendance.

Vopp said:

I've done these 'science week' stands before, and I know what kids want. They want to be impressed. Otherwise they get bored and go somewhere else. So, yes, we'd like to pop and burn some things, as well as all the other stuff.

Anyway, I really didn't come on here for a lecture on safety (I'm quite well versed in that) or for people to question my motives. I appreciate that people are trying to be responsible, but so am I. At the end of the day, I could just buy one from Dragon Lasers if all I wanted to do was play around. The real reason I came here was for sound advice and to perhaps get a better deal from people who build them themselves.

Thank you though!

Click to expand...

What you came here for is irrelevant. The members here have the same freedoms that you do. If you actually want the help of people who know, you will have to listen to what they say.

You do NOT need a 1W hand-held laser for what you are proposing. You need lab-style lasers with less output.

In addition, you are going to need ALL of these lasers set in immovable mounts AND you are going to have to have a quality beam dump to terminate the beam.

I would posit that you are not as well versed in laser safety as you profess. It is either that, or rhd is correct. You are simply using the "uni project/science week" story as an excuse to buy a high powered hand-held.

What in the heck does this mean?
". . . pointed downrange towards a special black screen"

Peace,
dave

rhd said:

Alright, I'm convinced that you understand the need for safety.

I'll sell you the laser you're seeking. As long as you purchase 100 pairs of safety glasses with it, for all the kids in attendance.

Click to expand...

Uhm, please don't take us for idiots. Although we have an ok budget, we can hardly afford to buy 100 pairs of safety glasses and everything else on top. We are taking kids in pairs to the small 'range', which is cordoned off from the rest of the hall with some barriers.

Anyway, I've already found a seller, so unless you have a pretty good offer, no thanks.

daguin said:

In addition, you are going to need ALL of these lasers set in immovable mounts AND you are going to have to have a quality beam dump to terminate the beam.

I would posit that you are not as well versed in laser safety as you profess.

Click to expand...

Look, we've got our setup pretty well planned. We know what we need, and we know how to keep things safe. I'm not here to explain myself to the laser Gestapo. It's not like we're letting kids play with or even touch the lasers. It's all being supervised/approved by staff/lecturers anyway. The kids are just there to watch.

I'm pretty tired of having to explain everything. If I wanted a laser for myself, I would just buy one from any of the online stores, or read up a bit on how to build one myself. All I wanted was to see if anyone was interested in building a better one and earning some money at the same time.

WHAT part of that is not getting through some people's heads? :thinking:

Thanks for those who've been in contact. You've been a lot more helpful than those trying to overthink this non-issue... I think I've got what we need for now. :beer:

WHAT part of that is not getting through some people's heads?

Click to expand...

The part where you need a handheld pointer instead of a lab-style laser!!

Whoa!! Godwin's law in less than 10 posts!!