Custom Effects Lenses or No?

Adam3 · Jan 18, 2011

Hey guys I recently got an Arctic Spyder III. I was looking into buying the expanded lens kit... but it's close to $50 after shipping costs. Didn't think it was worth that much. So what I came up with was this idea: use effect lenses from other lasers I have, or could order, and then make an extension for those effects lens so they will fit on my arctic. The question is does anybody think the light from the arctic will reflect back into the diode and destroy it? Because i don't believe these types of effects lenses are designed for high power 445nm at ~1W. So do you guys think i'll be alright making custom effects lenses or... should i just suck it up and spend the $50 on the ones designed for the arctic from WL or Thinklasers?

I would try to use:
- a lens from binoculars (i did see this in another thread, but thought i'd mention it anyway)
For the other lenses:

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= aixiz.com= StoreFront

and:

Eudaimonium · Jan 19, 2011

Lenses make VERY impressive effects, but they are not worth $50 for sure. You can have a new green laser pointer with those caps for effects for that much money.

Improvisation is a way to go in this hobby. If you can find alternatives, that's very good.

I remember O-like selling that green pen with star caps and stuff.

Perhaps ask their representative Susie if she can only sell the caps alone. You can contact her via Skype and Windows Live Messenger and contact information can be found on their Website:
Welcome to O-Like.com, Your source for laser products

I know that her MSN (Windows messenger) adress is
o-like@live.cn

Not sure about skype.

Adam3 · Jan 19, 2011

So you don't think they will slowly destroy my laser diode? With the reflection?

Eudaimonium · Jan 19, 2011

Hell no.

If they would destroy diodes, people would not use them. Stuff that destroys your stuff tends to sell badly.

Seriously, no, it's perfectly safe.

BERFIN · Jan 24, 2011

you cant use thoes because they are plastic, you need a glass lens. Or it will just start melting after a while. (i tried)

Where to get any though is beyond me, im still looking myself for some.

Coherent Light · Jan 25, 2011

I'm selling My Lens caps see the buy/sell/trade section

Eudaimonium · Jan 25, 2011

BERFIN said:
you cant use thoes because they are plastic, you need a glass lens. Or it will just start melting after a while. (i tried)

Where to get any though is beyond me, im still looking myself for some.

Totally wrong. Ones for Arctic are plastic I think (didn't actually take a very good look but it's much easier to do them plastic then glass).

Where did you pull that out?

BERFIN · Jan 25, 2011

I tried it myself just like it says lol

I had a lens from the 5 in one cap laser from eBay and it worked if I fit it right but you could smell the plastic burning after about 30secs of being on.

(so I suppose you can use them but don't keep it turned on very long)

Eudaimonium · Jan 25, 2011

With what laser? In what condition were the lenses in?

If you'd sharpie some plastic, highish power laser would definetly leave a mark.

But if they were clean, I see no reason for meling them. Unless you were shooting high power 405nm or Deep-IR through them, where they are not transmissive.

RA_pierce · Jan 25, 2011

Technically, they are not lenses.
They are called diffraction gratings.

Diffraction and refraction are not synonymous terms.

benmwv · Jan 25, 2011

BERFIN said:
I tried it myself just like it says lol

I had a lens from the 5 in one cap laser from eBay and it worked if I fit it right but you could smell the plastic burning after about 30secs of being on.

(so I suppose you can use them but don't keep it turned on very long)

I don't think so, the light passes through the diffraction gratings and isn't absorbed by it. Seriously, shine your 445 through clear plastic and see if it burns. Even if focused to a very small point on the plastic it wouldn't burn.

Also if the diffraction grating was absorbing enough light to get burnt you wouldn't just smell it, you would obviously be able to see the damage. The smell was probably your arctic getting fried.

Eudaimonium · Jan 25, 2011

benmwv said:
I don't think so, the light passes through the diffraction gratings and isn't absorbed by it. Seriously, shine your 445 through clear plastic and see if it burns. Even if focused to a very small point on the plastic it wouldn't burn.

Also if the diffraction grating was absorbing enough light to get burnt you wouldn't just smell it, you would obviously be able to see the damage. The smell was probably your arctic getting fried.

First, you CAN melt clear plastic with powerful 445nm light. That's why we use glass lenses for them, you know.

Second, nobody mentioned an Arctic laser in this entire thread except you. Hate Arctic much?

benmwv · Jan 25, 2011

Eudaimonium said:
First, you CAN melt clear plastic with powerful 445nm light. That's why we use glass lenses for them, you know.

Second, nobody mentioned an Arctic laser in this entire thread except you. Hate Arctic much?

By my count the word arctic appears 5 times before my post, one of which was by YOU.

Also we use glass lenses because the acrylic ones "melt". People call it melting but they don't nessecarily melt. After prolonged uses the lenses will "wear out" leaving opaque spots on the lens. And a main reason we use the axis 445 glass lens is because it gives more power.

Just try it, right now. Shine your 445 at some clear plastic and see what happens. NOTHING

Eudaimonium · Jan 25, 2011

Word Arctic does indeed appear. I seem to have confused this thread by some other one.

In any case, the effect the laser produces in the plastic effects is called "melting" and you describe it like so. What do you call "wearing out" the lenses?

Oh and about the clear plastic thing, I have cut some plastic bags with 445nm laser. You know "clear" clear ones.

If none power at all would be absorbed, then no light would be stopped at the plastic material in question what so ever. That means that the plastic object in question would not be visible what-so-ever, except for refraction of light.

There are ALWAYS some losses in the materials. Glass lens we use have around 20-30% of power loss through them, and they are DESIGNED to let as much light as possible through. What, you think a plastic material found commonly in a room won't absorb as much needed for melting it?

Some patience, and steady setup, and you can drill a hole in plexyglass.

Trevor · Jan 25, 2011

As the lens wears out, it will have a discolored opaque spot. The discolored opaque spot begins absorbing large amounts of laser light. As it absorbs laser light, this light becomes heat. This heat serves to further discolor the lens. Once the lens is being heated enough, it begins to melt and one runs the risk of ruining the laser due to smoke and melted material being blasted off the lens. We use glass to avoid this.

New members, please correct me if I have everything wrong. :tired:

-Trevor

Eudaimonium · Jan 26, 2011

Thanks Trevor :beer:

OK, now I've got to find myself a piece of plexiglass which will get burned by powerful 445nm laser in front of the camera.

That'll be fun, thanks for the idea!

Custom Effects Lenses or No?

Adam3

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BERFIN

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RA_pierce

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