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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

powerful IR lasers?

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hey everybody this is my first post to the forums. i was wondering, had anyone ever made a powerful (1W+) laser in the high end of the near infrared spectrum (1064nm, etc) for burning?

i realize special precautions would have to be taken with something like this. some people may wonder what anyone would want it for, but i just think it would be cool to burn holes in stuff with an INVISIBLE beam!
 





diachi

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hey everybody this is my first post to the forums. i was wondering, had anyone ever made a powerful (1W+) laser in the high end of the near infrared spectrum (1064nm, etc) for burning?

i realize special precautions would have to be taken with something like this. some people may wonder what anyone would want it for, but i just think it would be cool to burn holes in stuff with an INVISIBLE beam!


Sure, plenty of people have. Do some searching around the forums.

Plenty of commercial systems available, simple enough to build one too.

Laserbuilder has some big YAG lasers that'll punch a hole in a coin. Probably not what you're looking for though.

IR is of course far more dangerous, given the complete lack of visibility. There is no blink reflex to protect you and no way to know you've been hit until it's too late. You must have and use appropriate laser safety glasses.
 
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You must wear attenuation laser safety glasses with near ir, 808nm is barley visible but still travels through your cornea/lens to your retina and can do life long damage, until about 1550nm you face easy retinal damage from diffuse reflections, specular are always bad, above 1550nm diffuse is more prone to damage the surface of your cornea than your retina, but that's no good either so don't be fooled by the term " eye safe " that just means 1550nm and up that has a lesser diffuse reflection hazard.

My point is you can't watch a 1064nm burn stuff with your naked eyes, you will go blind even though you can't see any beam just from looking at the burning point where there will be diffuse radiation, think invisible welders arc as an example.
 

Gazen

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I understand your desire for destructive fun, but in general a very powerful handheld with an invisible emission as, essentially a toy is a bad idea. I’d recommend against this, but it is possible.

Glasses are obviously a must, they won’t obscure much of the visible spectrum, so you’ll still be able to see almost as well as usual.
 
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Laserbuilder has some big YAG lasers that'll punch a hole in a coin.
AWESOME!!!!

to redcowboy and gazen, yeah i figured you would need special eye protection and basically need to keep the pointer in a locked safe so nobody accidentally mishandles it but i just find the concept really cool. its like a death ray lol
 

Encap

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hey everybody this is my first post to the forums. i was wondering, had anyone ever made a powerful (1W+) laser in the high end of the near infrared spectrum (1064nm, etc) for burning?

i realize special precautions would have to be taken with something like this. some people may wonder what anyone would want it for, but i just think it would be cool to burn holes in stuff with an INVISIBLE beam!

Please make a Welcome post in the Welcome sub-forum telling something about yourself.

If you don't know what you are doing an invisible will make you a danger to yourself and others---an accident looking for a place to happen basically.
Not a toy and very dangerous ---you can't see what you are doing--you would just be fumbling around in the dark so to speak--playing make believe with a dangerous laser.

"Cool to burn holes in stuff with an invisible beam" or the "death ray" you imagine is a daydream. In the real world it isn't going to be that, do that, or happen that way. Is pretty much an inexperienced with lasers uneducated juvenile daydream of imagined "power" unless you think popping a balloon or lighting a match from a few feet away is a grand powerful "death ray".
In the real world a box kitchen matches will burn things much better/more effectively than any IR handheld laser ever will.

The above being said, JetLasers sells IR hand held lasers in 780nm, 808nm, and 1064nm see: https://www.jetlasers.org/18-780nm-1064nm

Maybe get an education about "laser death rays" --see "How to Build a Laser Death Ray" here: http://panoptesv.com/SciFi/LaserDeathRay/DeathRay.html
 
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As has already been stated, IR lasers are not only possible but have been built here by many members. I built a 1 watt 808nm one several years ago just to experiment with. Had to get an IR video camera to collimate it properly. There are fiber optic IR lasers in the 40 watt category that aren't terribly expensive to buy. Some members here are using them to build a way to etch wood. Plenty of good information if you will just search for it. Try the custom search bar at the bottom of the page.
 
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I've used a 40 watt FAP800 fiber laser, they burn through wood like butter, but safety glasses (goggles better) are a must, I prefer OD 6 or 7 for use with that laser to protect against low level reflections.
 
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Also scares the dickens out of me, I'm very cautious and no one can be in the room, or around the corner for that matter.
 
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I used to own 1w 808nm,danger,
You should use safety glasses - blindness is something I fear when using the wavelength is not visible:tà ác:
 
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i have this bad boy waiting for an infrared build-project,it is rated 4w 980nm TO3 package.i need to buy glasses for this specific wavelengh before i touch that thing for anything

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CurtisOliver

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I've also got a 50W FAP800 which I have only run at threshold. But even so, a high power IR laser is not to be messed with.
 
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I've had a few ,

60W and 20W 10.6um Co2 lasers , 7W & 20W IR diodes plus a few 808nm diodes
 




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