Sh#t's hit the fan.

[Toke]

You have to give Styro a credit , at the end there is a good warning about safety and a note
"If you do not use goggles with this laser, you are an idiot" I really like that, Styro my man!

Besides, how many folks have such money to spend, after all, a "laser" in minds of 70% of people is a $1 toy, not a $100+ device capable of inflicting harm and causing serious damage.

I do not think we should not do tutorials.... we should not keep the too detailed though, I agree with Jerry.

+1
Good point, a large part of the fun is to read up and learn stuff.

All the publicity from Wicked made me aware of lasers as a hobby.
Wicked also taught me that building ones own is preferable.

It have been ages since I have read up on electronics, now it is suddenly something fun.
Hopefully a large part of the people viewing Styropyros video will have the same positive experience, and a new hobby.

 

[AUTO XX]

It's a hell of a slippery slope to do tutorials and not go into enough details to 1.Be safe or 2. To be able to effectively complete the project.
If the tutorials are on video, any idiot can understand it. I say keep the video tutorials "under lock and key" no profile user under 18 years old, no profile under 3-6 months old, etc. has access to the high powered laser build videos (and yes, that would exclude me as a newbie)
I have guns, I have knives, I could make nearly any type of explosive but after being on this forum for what? A week, I have a deeper respect (and perhaps fear for my peepers) than with any of the others.
Education is the only chance of keeping the hobby but 1/2 the education needed is a lot worse than none.

 

[Morgan]

You gots to have at least some experience in electronics and soldering in order to build the thing, not any newb is capable of soldering tiny driver to tiny diode's pins without overheatin' something, besides, bad solder joint (weak, too much solder hence a short somewhere ) and the driver dies, AFAIK, flexdriver does not have overvoltage protection right?

This may be true but there's always the lucky guy who flukes it. I'm not sure one of these 445s will be so inclined to be too sensitive about a sloppy solder joint taking too long though.

What I meant specifically is that if the driver itself shorted out on the inside of the host as it has no insulation over the solder points, the laser could become dim in one orientation, and then an unlucky person could be in the firing line when proper connection is restored. I have seen this happen so the driver doesn't always fail. I wasn't necessarily knocking the video, just seeing a missed piece of information that could not only save the equipment but also add some safety.

M

 

[Toke]

I am reminded of the Darwin Award nomination featuring a moron with a musket.
He were not sure if it was loaded, so he held a lighter at the pan, while looking down the barrel for the light. :thinking:

 

[Morgan]

Ex-actly!

M

 

[ElektroFreak]

Part of the problem problem here as I see it is that at on one side there are a whole bunch of people who think that the human species as a whole are generally retarded (except for them of course) and so because everyone is completely stupid and entirely unable to make sound decisions, we are all in a GREAT deal of trouble and danger because all the stupid people now have big powerful blue lasers that they can hold in their hands and pockets and blind themselves and everyone around them. These people won't give credit to humanity because of an overly pessimistic outlook.

On the other side of things are people who believe that truly "Darwin Award" stupid people make up but a tiny fraction of human beings and therefore most people will be able to refrain from injuring themselves and others through their respect for the equipment they possess that they, both through common sense or education, know is dangerous. These people believe that humans are generally good-hearted and intelligent, and while there is a small danger of the wrong person getting a hold of these lasers and injuring themselves or someone else, for the most part things will likely be OK.

In my case I look at it like the gun-control debate here in the US: Guns are dangerous tools. Every law-abiding citizen of the US has the right to own and carry a gun and MILLIONS do every day. Do we have violence problems involving firearms? YES. Is EVERYONE or even a large percentage of everyone posing a danger? NO. The people posing the danger are but a tiny percentage of the population as a whole. I believe that this same general philosophy can be carried over directly to these unprecedentedly high-powered portable lasers as well. There will always be dumbasses in this world and all the laws, restrictions and regulations short of directly threatening their basic human rights won't stop them from being able to cause problems in any way they desire.That's my $.02.

 

[CDHDC]

Part of the problem problem here as I see it is that at on one side there are a whole bunch of people who think that the human species as a whole are generally retarded (except for them of course) and so because everyone is completely stupid and entirely unable to make sound decisions, we are all in a GREAT deal of trouble and danger because all the stupid people now have big powerful blue lasers that they can hold in their hands and pockets and blind themselves and everyone around them. These people won't give credit to humanity because of an overly pessimistic outlook.

On the other side of things are people who believe that truly "Darwin Award" stupid people make up but a tiny fraction of human beings and therefore most people will be able to refrain from injuring themselves and others through their respect for the equipment they possess that they, both through common sense or education, know is dangerous. These people believe that humans are generally good-hearted and intelligent, and while there is a small danger of the wrong person getting a hold of these lasers and injuring themselves or someone else, for the most part things will likely be OK.

In my case I look at it like the gun-control debate here in the US: Guns are dangerous tools. Every law-abiding citizen of the US has the right to own and carry a gun and MILLIONS do every day. Do we have violence problems involving firearms? YES. Is EVERYONE or even a large percentage of everyone posing a danger? NO. The people posing the danger are but a tiny percentage of the population as a whole. I believe that this same general philosophy can be carried over directly to these unprecedentedly high-powered portable lasers as well. There will always be dumbasses in this world and all the laws, restrictions and regulations short of directly threatening their basic human rights won't stop them from being able to cause problems in any way they desire.That's my $.02.

Well put!

 

[Uranium]

I'm talking about the majority of youtube users. They aren't the brightest bulbs in the bunch from reading the comments. Yet soldering isn't too hard, and most of those people could either A) get the $7 radioshack iron and follow the instructions, or B) have their dads or tech teachers do it. I was "taught" (already knew) how to solder in public school, and many others may have been as well. If kipkay puts out a 445 video, we're f**ked.

Jayrob, I urge you to provide some sort of stupidity test for people to take before they can order. Ask them for their youtube account, and look at their comments. If nearly every comment is something like "lulz that is kool i'm gonna burn stuf with that", or nearly every comment is on a justin beiber video, deny the order. Check the videos too. They'll tell a lot about the person.

 

[Dr.Laser]

 

[Uranium]

Oh crap.

 

[BShanahan14rulz]

We should just post a lot of videos on how to build high-power lasers, but in such a way as to guarantee failure every time. But of course it will work in the video.

 

[Eudaimonium]

We should just post a lot of videos on how to build high-power lasers, but in such a way as to guarantee failure every time. But of course it will work in the video.

And how does that make us different from kipkay?

@Uranium, crp indeed.

@ElektroFreak, what you speak is true but you are missing some key facts.

Not all human kind surfs the internet and learns about lasers.
To skip long story, I'm trying to make a point that the majority of that "stupid" minority are surfing the internet and learn about lasers.

Bunch of people believe that folks who grab lasers blind themselves and those around them. But that belief didn't just came out of somebody's ass, it's what is to normally be expected by real experienced behavious of such persons.

Sombody asks me to take a look at my 445nm handheld, I would never hand it to them, only showed them from my hand. 1) What stops them from taking off with it? 2) Or pointing around themselves reclessly?

Agreed at some points but I disagree at others.

Thank God, Chuck Norris and Bill for the fact that stupid people capable of only blinding somebody with a laser generally aren't capable of building one, and consider $200 to be awsome budget to waste at local pub rather than on a new laser.

 

[Toke]

We should just post a lot of videos on how to build high-power lasers, but in such a way as to guarantee failure every time. But of course it will work in the video.

Like this?
"As app. 10% of diodes are damaged by extraction it is always best to test the diode before installation in the module, simply connect it to your batteries (min. 6V total) to see if it lights up."

 

[ElektroFreak]

And how does that make us different from kipkay?

@Uranium, crp indeed.

@ElektroFreak, what you speak is true but you are missing some key facts.

Not all human kind surfs the internet and learns about lasers.
To skip long story, I'm trying to make a point that the majority of that "stupid" minority are surfing the internet and learn about lasers.

Bunch of people believe that folks who grab lasers blind themselves and those around them. But that belief didn't just came out of somebody's ass, it's what is to normally be expected by real experienced behavious of such persons.

Sombody asks me to take a look at my 445nm handheld, I would never hand it to them, only showed them from my hand. 1) What stops them from taking off with it? 2) Or pointing around themselves reclessly?

Agreed at some points but I disagree at others.

Thank God, Chuck Norris and Bill for the fact that stupid people capable of only blinding somebody with a laser generally aren't capable of building one, and consider $200 to be awsome budget to waste at local pub rather than on a new laser.

I agree 110% with you actually. I didn't say for you (or anyone) as a person to just trust anyone with your high-powered laser. In fact, trust no one. It's safer that way for everyone involved, the exact same applies to guns. If you leave a gun or laser unattended or give it to someone and someone gets hurt, that's your fault. What I am saying, though, is that this debate will most likely and up at a standstill for two reasons:

Reason #1) This has already been debated endlessly throughout the laser community on EVERY level since the instant these new 445nm diodes first became commonly available. The outcome of all that effort: Nada, Zilch, Zero Nothing.

Reason #2) The people who DO have the power and authority to do anything about this issue (commonly available inexpensive high-powered portable lasers being used irresponsibly) are not us, and do not care what we think. As a person, use common sense and be responsible. What happens with society as a whole is out of our hands. The legislators in all respective countries could feel any of a number of ways about this issue should problems develop, and their decision to regulate is theirs alone. Now that the cat's out of the bag, there is nothing anyone here can do about it. You can discuss and try to make nearly useless youtube videos and tutorials but there will always be ways that people can find the right info.

Many things in life have positives and negatives, risks and rewards. That's life.

 

[AJ_Dual]

Put up a bunch of ads in the pro-shop for -GRONKULATORS- 445 builds won't work without one. And -FASBAXERS- so your 445 will burn! And it leads you into a very obscure web-ring of meaningless technical sites promising you can "order" after just the next link.

LOL....

But seriously, people deal with deadly/dangerous stuff every day, automobiles, gasoline, electricity, open flames, and caustic/poisonous cleaners and pesticides, and the majority of us on any given day will not die, much less be maimed.

It's just a matter of what is novel, and what is not. Humans are very BAD at estimating risks. Just like how a swimming pool, or living next to open water is 100x more likely to kill your child accidentally, than having a gun in the closet etc.

I live in a relatively large urban area of approximately 4 million people. And I have never once seen someone else shining lasers in the past ten years, even the <5mW $.99 red pointers. (shrug)

 

[styropyro]

Well I don't have time to read through this whole thread cause my b-day party is soon (18 w00t!) BUT I would not have made this video if it wasn't for multiple companies offering a COMPLETE 1W laser that anybody can buy. I figured that I could bring people here where they can learn some safety, where with the Wicked, Dragon, O-like, or the LPF B/S/T they just have to send payment. Not any person can pull off this build, and they will have to do some reading before attempting it. Again I would not have this video posted if it wasn't for big companies just selling these things, now we can interest potential buyers of the Arctic into a DIY build and while learning how to build it, learn safety. If companies and LPF members stopped selling 1W blues I would happily take the video down.

Info for building lasers that can blind instantly has been around for a while now...