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2.4W 450nm Blue Laser Safety Questions

Railz

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Mar 16, 2017
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Hello,

This is my first post after finding this website. I am purchasing a 2.4W 450nm Blue Laser pointer from a professional builder and have a few questions.

Disclaimers:
- The laser will be 2.4W or close to it, they are all tested, no overspec here
- I have read all the posts I could find about safety and will have UVEX Safety Goggles when using it
- I will be very cautious and mature when handling this laser

Questions:
- I have read that I can look at the beam itself without goggles on and be fine, but if anything were to get in the way of the beam suddenly and reflect or create a point, then it could damage my eyes, what if I have my goggles on? Can I look at absolutely anything with the goggles on? Like shining the laser into a jewel indoors at close range and getting many intense reflections would still be safe? I don't plan on looking into the origin for an hour but want some peace of mind knowing that with goggles on there is no way to instantly damage my eyes, only if I had enough direct exposure to burn through the lenses.

- Would anyone recommend buying better goggles to be safer?

- I do not plan on using this around others much, mostly to point at stars, burn things, or whatever other safe fun can be had with it, any ideas would be appreciated! But if others were around, could I safely point it long distances away or into the sky without these people having goggles on?

- How much of the beam and points do you see with goggles on?

- What do you do with your lasers and how do you control for safety?

Thank you!!! :thanks:
 
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diachi

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Hello,

This is my first post after finding this website. I am purchasing a 2.4W 450nm Blue Laser pointer from a professional builder and have a few questions.



Questions:
- I have read that I can look at the beam itself without goggles on and be fine, but if anything were to get in the way of the beam suddenly and reflect or create a point, then it could damage my eyes, what if I have my goggles on? Can I look at absolutely anything with the goggles on? Like shining the laser into a jewel indoors at close range and getting many intense reflections would still be safe? I don't plan on looking into the origin for an hour but wan
t some peace of mind knowing that with goggles on there is no way to instantly damage my eyes, only if I had enough direct exposure to burn through the lenses.

Yes, if you have proper safety goggles. The UVEX glasses aren't certified laser safety glasses and haven't been tested to meet the standards required for laser safety glasses.

- Would anyone recommend buying better goggles to be safer?

Yes, at the least get the "Eagle Pair" from Survival Lasers. They are still cheap as far as laser safety glasses go ($40) but are certified, many people here use them. Glasses from other places can be up to $300.

- I do not plan on using this around others much, mostly to point at stars, burn things, or whatever other safe fun can be had with it, any ideas would be appreciated! But if others were around, could I safely point it long distances away or into the sky without these people having goggles on?

Yes, but be very careful. Explain the dangers to those other people. Avoid using such a laser in a public place. Would be fine if you're on a camping trip or out in your yard etc. I wouldn't let anyone else use it either.

- How much of the beam and points do you see with goggles on?

Nothing of the beam, a little bit of the dot. With blue you'll see a lot of things fluoresce, so it'll look much brighter on some surfaces. You will see very little of the actual blue dot.

- What do you do with your lasers and how do you control for safety?

Don't let other people use them. Make sure they can't be accidentally turned on. Make sure they won't move unexpectedly while turned on. Wear safety glasses at higher powers. Be aware of reflections. Be aware of aircraft/vehicles/other people etc when outside.

Thank you!!! :thanks:

See replies in red.
 

Encap

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May 14, 2011
Messages
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Hello,

This is my first post after finding this website. I am purchasing a 2.4W 450nm Blue Laser pointer from a professional builder and have a few questions.

Disclaimers:
- The laser will be 2.4W or close to it, they are all tested, no overspec here
- I have read all the posts I could find about safety and will have UVEX Safety Goggles when using it
- I will be very cautious and mature when handling this laser

Questions:
- I have read that I can look at the beam itself without goggles on and be fine, but if anything were to get in the way of the beam suddenly and reflect or create a point, then it could damage my eyes, what if I have my goggles on? Can I look at absolutely anything with the goggles on? Like shining the laser into a jewel indoors at close range and getting many intense reflections would still be safe? I don't plan on looking into the origin for an hour but want some peace of mind knowing that with goggles on there is no way to instantly damage my eyes, only if I had enough direct exposure to burn through the lenses.

- Would anyone recommend buying better goggles to be safer?

- I do not plan on using this around others much, mostly to point at stars, burn things, or whatever other safe fun can be had with it, any ideas would be appreciated! But if others were around, could I safely point it long distances away or into the sky without these people having goggles on?

- How much of the beam and points do you see with goggles on?

- What do you do with your lasers and how do you control for safety?

Thank you!!! :thanks:

What diachi said 100% - excellent advice and clear thinking.

Get a treat for your eyes and be actually safe, get an Eagle Pair, see: Safety Goggles

Uvex Safety Goggles are safety goggles, not laser goggles and are not promoted or sold as laser goggles by Uvex--see Uvex discussion in a thread 5 days ago --see post #4 here: http://laserpointerforums.com/f53/uvex-orange-glasses-100068.html?

"Only buy cheap as a last resort- save up for the better ones. The very best are ~$300.
Save up for better and be extra careful until you do, if using cheap.
Uvex may be better than nothing but Uvex does not intend to have those goggles used for the purposes of protection from laser light and they say so in the Uvex specifications and warnings.

An Eagle Pair is a excellent solution they are relatively low cost actual laser goggles.

Those Uvex tests by other members were done quite a long time ago. Manufacturing processes and dyes used are subject to change. The product can change alot and still be good for their intended purpose.

Uvex goggles are not tested to the same specification as would be required for laser safety.
Think about it--at less than $10 retail a pair, why wouldn't Uvex corner the market on laser safety goggles, and blow all those cheap chinese junk, and overpriced over regulated certified laser goggle manufacturers and suppliers out of the water if otherwise was the case. "
 
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GSS

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Everything said:)
just to add, if your planning to show friends and family it would be a good idea to have a backup pair glasses for them.
You might be in control of the laser but you never know what move they might make? Plus they probably would like to see something burn also, as backups this would be the only time I would get the better than nothing Uvex..Still though their sight is priceless and you seem to have a good head on those shoulders:beer:
 
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Railz

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Thank you so much for the information! I live in Ontario and Eagle goggles do not ship to my area. Any other goggles you would recommend? I can go up to $100 for them roughly.
 

GSS

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Survival Lasers has a International sight, you must of went to the US one. They will ship to you I believe.
I will say great choice!:):)
 
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Railz

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I see, I was on the wrong version of the site. Just ordered the Eagle Pair 190-540nm OD6 Slip Over Laser Safety Goggles from their international site.

Any fun things to do with a laser people could suggest? So far on my list is:
- Pointing at the sky
- Shining through sunglasses, marbles, jewels, etc
- Burning different objects and seeing how they react
- Lighting candles/matches

Would love some things you have found over the years to be fun!
 

diachi

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I see, I was on the wrong version of the site. Just ordered the Eagle Pair 190-540nm OD6 Slip Over Laser Safety Goggles from their international site.

Any fun things to do with a laser people could suggest? So far on my list is:
- Pointing at the sky
- Shining through sunglasses, marbles, jewels, etc
- Burning different objects and seeing how they react
- Lighting candles/matches

Would love some things you have found over the years to be fun!


If you're a smoker you can use it to light cigarettes if you can't find a lighter, or as a party trick. Beats lighting your smoke on an electric stove. :banghead:
 
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If you're a smoker you can use it to light cigarettes if you can't find a lighter, or as a party trick. Beats lighting your smoke on an electric stove. :banghead:

But not like you normally would. Could nail your eye real easy or set your hat on fire. You have to do it like you would with a left handed cig. Don't ask how I know this. :whistle: :shhh:
 

GSS

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I see, I was on the wrong version of the site. Just ordered the Eagle Pair 190-540nm OD6 Slip Over Laser Safety Goggles from their international site.

Any fun things to do with a laser people could suggest? So far on my list is:
- Pointing at the sky
- Shining through sunglasses, marbles, jewels, etc
- Burning different objects and seeing how they react
- Lighting candles/matches

Would love some things you have found over the years to be fun!
The darker what ever you burn the better it will burn.
Of course if you light a cigarette don't have in your mouth:tsk:
Lighting popsicle sticks on fire is fun,
cardboard, matches from the other end,
putting holes through black CD cases, but harder plastic's like electronic's have an awful smell,
sunglasses, jewels, marbles will reflect so be very cautious and would better to use a lower powered unit and will be just a pretty and probably throw a nicer crisper reflextion:)

You will also want to have a good backstop. A brick, cinder block, the non glazed back side of a ceramic tile as you will burn through things and need to stop the beam spot.
 
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Radim

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For cigarette lighting I put laser on fixed position (make sure it cannot move accidentaly) an light the cigarette in hand not in mouth. Glasses on of course. I've Univet goggles, which are super safe even for my almost 4 W blue.
Search and study forums deeply before to get more knowledge about safety and proper glasses selection.
And with lasers there are so many things to do. I really love laser painting art - link in my signature. Or just admiring beams is awesome.
For reflective surfaces shining - I do not recommend it without gaining some experience with your new laser. Too dangerous even with glasses on as they might leave some gap between face and glasses. Good fitting goggles are much better for such a dangerous experiments. Also make sure you do not get direct or concentrated reflected (like from mirror) hit to your glasses, they might get damaged and cannot be used again - however they saved your eyes if this happens.

And finally welcome to the LPF. ;)
 




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