If You've Actually Received Your Spyder III Arctic - Post Here

Hi-power laser newbie here: Just got my Arctic G2 today and it came with the Wicked safety glasses which I've read here are marginal.

The G2 Security Switch is a PIA but I can see why the safety measures, this thing really is dangerous. If you could just turn it on (like several people tried to when they fingered mine) I can see carnage. I can also see all that security/safety being needed to get through US Customs. Did anyone get a G1 in the USA? I've heard the G1 was a POS, but shouldn't it have been the same power/quality as the G2? Also I was disappointed in the "line beam" and not a round beam. Isn't the line (rectangular) beam a characteristic of the cheaper edge emitting crystals? I'm no expert at all on that...

Does all the usual cutting/popping etc as expected but it would be nice to have a more focused round beam.

Noticed the Dragon Lasers 1W Spartan is no longer listed on Dragon Lasers website, hmmm

You need to do some reading. All your answers are on the forum. You just need to take the time to find it.

cyborg said:

Hi-power laser newbie here: Just got my Arctic G2 today and it came with the Wicked safety glasses which I've read here are marginal.

The G2 Security Switch is a PIA but I can see why the safety measures, this thing really is dangerous. If you could just turn it on (like several people tried to when they fingered mine) I can see carnage. I can also see all that security/safety being needed to get through US Customs. Did anyone get a G1 in the USA? I've heard the G1 was a POS, but shouldn't it have been the same power/quality as the G2? Also I was disappointed in the "line beam" and not a round beam. Isn't the line (rectangular) beam a characteristic of the cheaper edge emitting crystals? I'm no expert at all on that...

Does all the usual cutting/popping etc as expected but it would be nice to have a more focused round beam.

Noticed the Dragon Lasers 1W Spartan is no longer listed on Dragon Lasers website, hmmm

Click to expand...

Welcome to LPF!

I have a G1, it is not a POS, quite the opposite. Quite a few got into the USA. Have not heard of a single one being stopped.

All current 445 lasers produce a line, it's the physics of the diode.

Shameless plug:

You should read my write up about the Arctic. Lots of info it would take days to find searching (You still need to use the search function, vigorously). Link in my sig.

Also, you need to introduce yourself in the Welcome forum. :wave:

LazyBeam said:

Yes, WL's rating printed on the goggles is WRONG. That has been established. However, knowing the true limitations of the WL goggles is still valuable. Despite the false advertisment there is still *some* level of protection that is actually worthwhile for some activities.

Is this what you were looking for?


If so, I'm well aware of that chart... I made it. That chart indicates a protection level of nearly OD2 so you're looking at nearly 7-10mW of an Arctic being transmitted. I think someone even used a LPM and measured abotu 9mW through thte goggles, corroberating the measurements. That kind of power level is hardly worth getting your panties in a bunch. How many people here have used ebay 532 pointers or verious homemade lasers over 10mW without protection without incident? The best piece of safety gear you have is between your ears.

Honestly, I'm fine with WL Lasershade's ~99% protection but nevertheless purchased OEM OD6 YLW goggles for very close dot viewing and burning.

Click to expand...

Truth, Truth, Truth. Thanks again for taking the time and actually measuring the shades with a real tool instead of the subjective "it looks" test that keep popping up, so that nonsense hearsay can be debunked. I'm so amazed at how many "WL shades suck" thread conveniently fail to link back to your thread. The WL shades ain't as advertised, but there ok for 445nm if one uses what should be common sense when operating an (typically approaching) 1W beam.

ZapU said:

Welcome to LPF!

I have a G1, it is not a POS, quite the opposite. Quite a few got into the USA. Have not heard of a single one being stopped.

All current 445 lasers produce a line, it's the physics of the diode.

Shameless plug:

You should read my write up about the Arctic. Lots of info it would take days to find searching (You still need to use the search function, vigorously). Link in my sig.

Also, you need to introduce yourself in the Welcome forum. :wave:

Click to expand...

Thanks ZapU. Been reading up a bit, plan on reading/searching a lot more and will read your review. Tried not to ask too many questions... Have some better o-like glasses on the way too, appreciate all the info here. I'll go check out the Welcome forum.

got mine today order # 477xx June 11th

I'm sending mine to Blend-Tec http://www.willitblend.com/

^ Hey, save some of that shake for me and add a little pineapple. ;-)

TJ, good info on those shades! Now the well-read will be able to keep on reading and those that don't won't.

ppctx said:

Truth, Truth, Truth. Thanks again for taking the time and actually measuring the shades with a real tool instead of the subjective "it looks" test that keep popping up, so that nonsense hearsay can be debunked. I'm so amazed at how many "WL shades suck" thread conveniently fail to link back to your thread. The WL shades ain't as advertised, but there ok for 445nm if one uses what should be common sense when operating an (typically approaching) 1W beam.

Click to expand...

Lies, lies, lies. We so quickly forget that they are falsely marked. They are not OK, because people that do not know the true specs, are expecting FULL protection. ~10mW is still enough to give you a blind spot. I dont know about you, but I dont need another blind spot because I expected my goggles to protect me. Keep in mind, we are the only ones who know they are OD2. What about the other 1000s of people who dont read the forum? Or the 1000s that dont have common sense because they are not expecting their goggles are really OD2? They suck because they have created a situation that someones eyes maybe injured. And thats bull$hit, no matter how you want to spin it.

I never posted when I got mine but it was about 5 weeks ago. Order number 471XX

Laser works great, lens was glued in tight when I got it. The only change I made was removing the training lens so I wouldn't risk future issues. I wasn't sure I'd that 100mw drop would effect it much,so just invade I removed the lens. Just incase the reflective light is damaging!

w/o goggles

through WL provided ARG goggles marked as ARG#35
they look just like OEM Laser systems goggles

cyborg said:

Hi-power laser newbie here: Just got my Arctic G2 today and it came with the Wicked safety glasses which I've read here are marginal.

The G2 Security Switch is a PIA but I can see why the safety measures, this thing really is dangerous. If you could just turn it on (like several people tried to when they fingered mine) I can see carnage. I can also see all that security/safety being needed to get through US Customs. Did anyone get a G1 in the USA? I've heard the G1 was a POS, but shouldn't it have been the same power/quality as the G2? Also I was disappointed in the "line beam" and not a round beam. Isn't the line (rectangular) beam a characteristic of the cheaper edge emitting crystals? I'm no expert at all on that...

Does all the usual cutting/popping etc as expected but it would be nice to have a more focused round beam.

Noticed the Dragon Lasers 1W Spartan is no longer listed on Dragon Lasers website, hmmm

Click to expand...

Dragon Lasers made a thread here letting everyone know that they took down the 1W Spartan due to the current backorder. They said they will be putting it back up as soon as they catch up on their orders (expected to be within 2 weeks time) but that they did not want to keep taking orders for the product until they were caught back up.

KrazyLoonatic said:

w/o goggles

through WL provided ARG goggles marked as ARG#35
they look just like OEM Laser systems goggles

Click to expand...

It sounds like those actually ARE OEM Laser System goggles. Count yourself lucky, I'm guessing you got those by accident as I highly doubt Wicked Lasers is selling the same goggles at 1/3 the price.

In regards to the laser power with the WL shades, it's not that it doesn't block any light, even at OD1 it still blocks 90% of the 445nm light coming through. The problem is that even at 90% it is still not safe. The laser shades give you a false confidence, you believe you are protected when in reality you are still at risk of damaging your eyes.

Sure you can make the argument that using the proper precautions your eyes will be just fine... NEWS FLASH the same statement can be made while using NO goggles. The whole point of having the goggles is to protect you in case of an accidental exposure to the beam. The WL goggles do not offer adequate protection in this scenario. If you took a beam straight to the eye while wearing the WL goggles you still run the risk of permanent damage to your eyes, yes it is a lower risk than full power with no goggles, but with proper saftey goggles it should be NO risk. The problem here is that people think they are protected when in reality they are not. The people reading this forum will all probably be fine because we know we are not truely protected and are taking the proper precautions (ie like buying new goggles), but for the thousands of people who are not reading the forums and do not know that the goggles won't really protect them, they are at serious risk because they believe they are being safe.

To me it's the same thing as having a safety on a gun that doesn't work properly. As long as you're treating the gun the way you should be then most likely it won't matter. However, accidents happen, that's the whole reason behind having the safety switch to begin with. If you dropped the gun, or god forbid a child get their hands on it, etc... suddenly the gun goes off and has the potential to kill someone. Ideally this never happens, but we all know this happens way more often than we would like. The unexpected happens, the goggles are supposed to protect you against that, and WL's goggles do not.

Just to clarify some of my previous statements...

"I would rather have no goggles than the WL goggles."

This statement assumes that I have the WL goggles and believe that they will protect me. Obviously if we're talking about taking a beam to the eye I would rather have goggles that offer 90% protection than no goggles at all. The point of this statement is to say I would rather know that I am not truely protected so that I can take appropriate measures instead of believing I am protected when really I am not, ie not taking appropriate measure because I believe I already have.

these better goggles i got actually say EN207 Certified, and ARG#35 190-532nm OD 7+
and from what i can tell by my picture.. that one pair.. is a safe pair

KrazyLoonatic said:

these better goggles i got actually say EN207 Certified, and ARG#35 190-532nm OD 7+
and from what i can tell by my picture.. that one pair.. is a safe pair

Click to expand...

So did anyone else not fall for the BS?

-Trevor

Looks like OD1.

http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/wicked-lasers-445nm-goggles-specs-55347.html

Bluefan said:

According to the graph in the PDF, the transmission at 445nm is around 11%. That makes about OD 1. These goggles would pass 100mW of a 1W laser. There's not even a laser safety standard like ANSI 136.1 or EN207 mentioned.

Click to expand...

Got unexpected mail today from Wicked Lasers.





Self explained really. It seems the lens pen has a end that's wet-free chemical cleaner, but its made large to clean the main aperture. Im sure you can (if you REALLY want) use the edges on the diode.