What's a good starter optic kit?

Hi,
I am looking for a kit with lenses and mirrors, and maybe some defraction grating for basic experiments. What is a good starter kit? Is glass better than plastic?
thanks

This: Optotronics Product Details

(+4 Zildjians on Gibraltar hardware)

Theres a nice selection in the PHR & GGW Sleds, cost you peanuts as well

roosl said:

This: Optotronics Product Details

(+4 Zildjians on Gibraltar hardware)

Click to expand...

Thanks,
That kit looks pretty good. 40 pieces for 66 bucks.

(And its 6 Sabians, and yea, i do have some Gibraltar hardware):beer:
lol

jaycey said:

Theres a nice selection in the PHR & GGW Sleds, cost you peanuts as well

Click to expand...

I have no idea what you were trying to tell me.
New to lasers.
thanks

6piecepearl said:

I have no idea what you were trying to tell me.
New to lasers.
thanks

Click to expand...

"sleds" are the optical parts from DVD and Blu-ray disk players or burners. They have all sorts of special lenses and stuff in them that you can use to combine multiple beams into one
and other cool tricks, along with laser diodes to make lasers. You don't even have to buy a disk player or burner, you can get the sleds very cheaply.

will

OK... Thanks for explaining to a newb.

I suppose the very widely available PHR-803 sled provides both a good 405 nm diode and several optical parts. People here have used only optics from those sleds to make red/green/bluray mixed beams.

If you are completly new to lasers, i would recommend buying something that works out of the box. Aixiz sells usable laser modules of low power (5 or 10 mW) which will get you started with the basics for under $10.

These modules are good for experimenting with more diy stuff too - like inserting a more powerful laser diode and building a good driver for that. It's not rocket science, but i guess it would be best to start with very cheap and simple parts. Knowledge of electronis and/or optics will boost your learning curve dramatically, but even without you can build great things!

For my optics, i buy old projector lens-es on ebay or craigslist. You can get a decent one for $10, shipped. They usually contain 1 convex lens, 1 planoconvex lens, and one concave lens. all about 1.5" diameter, Ar coated. Buy broken vhs camcorders off craigslist for $15. They contain about 7 assorted lenses each. all ar coated too.

If you wand HIGH quality lenses, old cameras, projectors, are a cheap and easy way to go.

The optotronics kit is a good deal because the lenses can be held in hand for first time optic experimenters. I use lenses that size for first pass tests. The lenses found in drives are sooo small that you need optic holders to play with them.
Always start with the KISS approach.

HMike

+1 for the Optotronics kit, too. I got one and it contains a robust selection of lenses, prisms, filters and diffraction gratings. Just a nice mix of things to do with your laser.