a good cheap laser?

[pingo5]

sorry and dont hate(im new) im looking for a 100(prefferably 200) milliwatt green laser, for my first laser. being im 16 and dont have any source of income, i was wondering if there are any ones i can get along with safety glasses for under $25, $45 if nescessary. something i can use for burning up close or just for long range pointing(i promise not to point it at airplanes :angel and i would hope for it to be visible without fog. also, i was curious about some mods for 5mw lasers i saw(im unsure if they work or not) that made them around 100 mw. can anyone confirm if these actually work or not? i know not to remove the infrared filter, and not to look at the operational end of the device.

also, i just noticed that there are apparently laws against importing laser pointers into the us or something like that. is this going to hinder my ability to aquire them? it kinda makes me sad to think of it...
is lazerer or O-line in the us?

well, it does seem illegal.i adjusted after reading a bit. i still want one from lazerer, what are the chances of the LZBH - 532nm 100mW Focusable Green Laser Pointer making it past customs to pennsylvania? im not sure how well they search the packages. i want it so bad tho.

yeah i know of the edit button didnt think of it much though. thanks for the reply. i just dont want to lose 60 bucks to something that doesnt even reach me; sso i hope if i do order it will get to me safe and sound. thanks for the help, greatly appreciated
so not getting batteries decreases chances of customs, but what about the charger and power certifricate?
also, are the cheap $10 safety glasses on lazerer any good? i cant afford the big fancy ones that i want, but maybe they will do.

 

[Shakenawake]

If you look at the box surrounding your post, there is an edit button. use this, rather than posting again. No worries, it happens a lot and now you know. Customs are unlikely to confiscate your laser, I have imported 3 from different Chinese companies. I do not have experience with O-Like. I have ordered from lazerer, and was happy with my order. I think many forum members would agree that lazerer.com is one of the best, if not best sites for cheap green lasers. Your laser is even less likely to be taken by customs if you get it sent without batteries. The batteries from lazerer are crappy IMO anyway, you will be better off getting them somewhere else. With any laser over 5 mW, you need eye protection, especially when burning

 

[Shakenawake]

I would get the charger elsewhere also. I got a power certificate with mine, but as I do not own a power meter, I have no way of knowing if they are just made up or not. I would think that if they do a power test on a laser you buy, and it is underspec, they would get a different one and do another test. If you dont get the certificate, this may never happen and you could end up with an underspec laser. Lithium Ion batteries are considered a hazard to customs, as they can explode under certain circumstances. Also, if you ship batteries with your laser and customs opens it, its possible they could put them in, power it up, confirm that it is an illegal laser and take it. Many laser companies label the lasers they send as flashlights to get them by customs without scrutiny. If a customs persons opens your laser but there are no batteries, they cant power it up. they are far more likely to believe it is indeed a flashlight. I am pretty sure that none of my packages were inspected anyway.

as far as shipping time, or getting them to ship your laser, it may take some spurring in the form of an email. I waited for about a month to get mine, but half that was waiting for them to send it.

The safety glasses from lazerer are better than nothing. they might be adequate for a 100mW laser. if you ever get more powerful lasers, upgrade your glasses. I have read here that the best ones can be had from survival lasers or dragonlasers

 

[pingo5]

I would get the charger elsewhere also. I got a power certificate with mine, but as I do not own a power meter, I have no way of knowing if they are just made up or not. I would think that if they do a power test on a laser you buy, and it is underspec, they would get a different one and do another test. If you dont get the certificate, this may never happen and you could end up with an underspec laser. Lithium Ion batteries are considered a hazard to customs, as they can explode under certain circumstances. Also, if you ship batteries with your laser and customs opens it, its possible they could put them in, power it up, confirm that it is an illegal laser and take it. Many laser companies label the lasers they send as flashlights to get them by customs without scrutiny. If a customs persons opens your laser but there are no batteries, they cant power it up. they are far more likely to believe it is indeed a flashlight. I am pretty sure that none of my packages were inspected anyway.

as far as shipping time, or getting them to ship your laser, it may take some spurring in the form of an email. I waited for about a month to get mine, but half that was waiting for them to send it.

The safety glasses from lazerer are better than nothing. they might be adequate for a 100mW laser. if you ever get more powerful lasers, upgrade your glasses. I have read here that the best ones can be had from survival lasers or dragonlasers

ok then. are there any good pairs you know of that arent uber expensive? i know that your eyes are worth more than any goggles, but that doesnt mean i have infinite money to spend.

 

[MyelinSheath]

For one, the mods you have heard about are rumors. Second, I pretty much guarantee you that you will not find a 100-200mw green laser for between $25-$45. However, since you obviously have internet and are smart enough to know how to use it, you can just type "100MW GREEN LASER" into Google.com and look through all of them...And don't worry about customs, it's not like you could do anything anyway.

Get a job, dude. I had a job at Taco Bell when I was 16 and I had plenty of money for all my video games, toys/gadgets, and drugs.

 

[pingo5]

For one, the mods you have heard about are rumors. Second, I pretty much guarantee you that you will not find a 100-200mw green laser for between $25-$45. However, since you obviously have internet and are smart enough to know how to use it, you can just type "100MW GREEN LASER" into Google.com and look through all of them...And don't worry about customs, it's not like you could do anything anyway.

Get a job, dude. I had a job at Taco Bell when I was 16 and I had plenty of money for all my video games, toys/gadgets, and drugs.

ive already figured out that i couldnt get it that cheap, found out that those are rumours, and that all my questions have been answered. shouldve read what that other guy posted. now im just lookiing for glasses that arent expensive as shit but will still protect me good enough from something weaker like the one i said, and maybe up to 500mw to 1w lasers so far and so forth.

 

[Livinloud]

use the search function at the top of this page, safety glasses are one of the most popular discussions here so you will find everything from $5 to $100+ and you can read what is good and bad about each pair.

second off, being 16 i dont see how you are going to be able to purchase anything unless you get permission from someone to buy these items. most laser sellers wont sell to anyone under 18 for starters

 

[pingo5]

use the search function at the top of this page, safety glasses are one of the most popular discussions here so you will find everything from $5 to $100+ and you can read what is good and bad about each pair.

second off, being 16 i dont see how you are going to be able to purchase anything unless you get permission from someone to buy these items. most laser sellers wont sell to anyone under 18 for starters

ok. i got permission to get one of the *weaker* burning lasers, to start off, to learn and such.

 

[edz55]

If you're getting the laser for mostly burning then I suggest just going with a blue laser plus you can easily find one on these forums for cheap and you can get decent safety goggles on amazon for $10.

 

[pingo5]

If you're getting the laser for mostly burning then I suggest just going with a blue laser plus you can easily find one on these forums for cheap and you can get decent safety goggles on amazon for $10.

while i am going for a burning laser, i do not want to get a more powerful blue laser, but a less powerful green one. i want to have something that will burn certain stuff(i dont care how much it actually burns) but not be a serious danger to a newbie like me. id rather start smaller and work my way to the big stuff

 

[Livinloud]

100mW of 532 is POWERFUL, 1W of 445 is POWERFUL......100mW of 532 is way more dangerous than 100mW of 445. you statement:

while i am going for a burning laser, i do not want to get a more powerful blue laser, but a less powerful green one. i want to have something that will burn certain stuff(i dont care how much it actually burns) but not be a serious danger to a newbie like me. id rather start smaller and work my way to the big stuff

is WAY off!!!! you want a less powerful 532 so "not be a serious danger to a newbie like yourself" shows lack of knowledge. IMO a 100mW 532 is more dangerous than a 1W 445. 532 produce IR which is invisible and yet one of the most dangerous things to come out of a laser. also "noobs" get the impression that "its only 100mW so its not dangerous" and that is 100% false.....anything over 5mW is very dangerous to the human eyes.

just for an example, my 1.5W 445 is, iirc, 250,050 times BRIGHTER than the sun when it hits a eyes retina.

anything over 5mW, no matter what wavelength is considered very dangerous and needs to be handled with the utmost care!!! if i were you, i wouldnt get a laser until you learn more about the dangers of each wavelength and understand the pure power and potential dangers of lasers.

no offense to you but it is people with a lack of knowledge and no common sense that RUIN the laser hobby for the rest of us. FYI, owning anything over 5mW is against the law, depending on where you are from, and being 16 pretty much gives me the impression that you are going to want to show it off to all your friends which means you will go outside to use it, unless you want to buy safety glasses for all of your friends and use it inside but doubt that will happen. you use it outside at night and the beam is highly visible so if you get caught by the cops, your screwed and so aren't your parents especially since your under 18. my advice is dont get a laser until you understand the dangers and i mean truly understand the dangers

 

[pingo5]

100mW of 532 is POWERFUL, 1W of 445 is POWERFUL......100mW of 532 is way more dangerous than 100mW of 445. you statement:

is WAY off!!!! you want a less powerful 532 so "not be a serious danger to a newbie like yourself" shows lack of knowledge. IMO a 100mW 532 is more dangerous than a 1W 445. 532 produce IR which is invisible and yet one of the most dangerous things to come out of a laser. also "noobs" get the impression that "its only 100mW so its not dangerous" and that is 100% false.....anything over 5mW is very dangerous to the human eyes.

just for an example, my 1.5W 445 is, iirc, 250,050 times BRIGHTER than the sun when it hits a eyes retina.

anything over 5mW, no matter what wavelength is considered very dangerous and needs to be handled with the utmost care!!! if i were you, i wouldnt get a laser until you learn more about the dangers of each wavelength and understand the pure power and potential dangers of lasers.

no offense to you but it is people with a lack of knowledge and no common sense that RUIN the laser hobby for the rest of us. FYI, owning anything over 5mW is against the law, depending on where you are from, and being 16 pretty much gives me the impression that you are going to want to show it off to all your friends which means you will go outside to use it, unless you want to buy safety glasses for all of your friends and use it inside but doubt that will happen. you use it outside at night and the beam is highly visible so if you get caught by the cops, your screwed and so aren't your parents especially since your under 18. my advice is dont get a laser until you understand the dangers and i mean truly understand the dangers

i never said it wasnt dangerous, i said it was less dangerous. being if it accidentally flashed over my skin(yes i know always to wear safety glasses) it wont harm me as bad. i also dont like how people assume that all younger people are like that. it annoys me. i know the risks after looking around and studying thoroughly, and i would never want to put any of my friends in danger. i am sure i wont show them in person unless i get some for them to wear too(and even then, i dont usually have people over) and im probably going to take a video and show that until then.
im not irresponible with dangerous things, and by danger i meant burning capacity. i have a feeling getting hit quickly on the arms and in the eyes with a 100mw green laser if it does happen somehow will do less damage than a 1w+ blue laser.
and ive also read that as long as you make sure that there are no aircraft above at all its perfectly legal to point them into the sky.
it is also legal to own, but not legal to sell or import. so if you get it past customs its ok.
i do understand the risks and precautions. and when i meant newbie, i mean not having physical experience with a laser itself, not by online research.

 

[Livinloud]

yes it is perfectly legal to point your illegal laser pointer into the sky if there are no air crafts in the area.

also we can generalize that younger people are immature and do dumb things because facts support our claims. we were all young at one point and we ALL did dumb things that we wouldn't do again because we learned from them. 9 times out of 10 the person shining a laser at an air craft is a young immature person and not some 50 year old or even 25 year old person for that matter. its the facts and you can argue with facts.

i never said or implied that you were dumb, immature, stupid or anything like that and in fact i specifically said "no offense to you" since i know nothing about you. also people try to cover all laser enthusiasts backs by asking these questions because way to often members post articles of yet another kid pointing lasers at air crafts. there is no way for us to know your intentions or laser knowledge without asking questions.

BTW most safety glasses only protect from 532 and not 808....IR will still get through your glasses unless they are certified glasses to protect again 532 and IR. those will run you around $100, laserglow has some for $140+shipping. even though you may have some knowledge of lasers and safety you dont know it all, none of us know it all. the moment you think you know it all is the moment you will destroy your eyes. read up on the forum and see how many members who are vets here have accidentally flashed their eyes and done damage even though they know more about safety than you and me combined. i am by no means attacking you or your knowledge so if you take it that way please read again.

 

[pingo5]

yes it is perfectly legal to point your illegal laser pointer into the sky if there are no air crafts in the area.

also we can generalize that younger people are immature and do dumb things because facts support our claims. we were all young at one point and we ALL did dumb things that we wouldn't do again because we learned from them. 9 times out of 10 the person shining a laser at an air craft is a young immature person and not some 50 year old or even 25 year old person for that matter. its the facts and you can argue with facts.

i never said or implied that you were dumb, immature, stupid or anything like that and in fact i specifically said "no offense to you" since i know nothing about you. also people try to cover all laser enthusiasts backs by asking these questions because way to often members post articles of yet another kid pointing lasers at air crafts. there is no way for us to know your intentions or laser knowledge without asking questions.

BTW most safety glasses only protect from 532 and not 808....IR will still get through your glasses unless they are certified glasses to protect again 532 and IR. those will run you around $100, laserglow has some for $140+shipping. even though you may have some knowledge of lasers and safety you dont know it all, none of us know it all. the moment you think you know it all is the moment you will destroy your eyes. read up on the forum and see how many members who are vets here have accidentally flashed their eyes and done damage even though they know more about safety than you and me combined. i am by no means attacking you or your knowledge so if you take it that way please read again.

ok. sorry again. again im saying, as ive read elsewhere and in the regulations, that laser pointers over 5mw are legal to own but not to sell or import. so im good with that. i know about the lab setup, pointing it perpendicular at a black non reflective unmeltable object, to minimize reflections and such. i dont know it all, but i believe i know enough now to be allowed to have one. i would never point a laser pointer above 5 mw at anyone, any animal, any aircraft, anything living. that parts common sense, right?

 

[Shakenawake]

1W of 445 will not burn your skin... instantly. you have about 1/2 second before the burning sensation starts, plenty of time to react before a burn bad enough to damage you skin occurs. I suppose your race plays a role... light is racist and would burn Black people more readily than Whites.

your eyes are a different story:horse:

green lasers with IR filter can be had, eliminating the need for fancy glasses, only 532nm blocking ones are needed. I dont think Lazerer has IR filters on any of their green lasers, though I may be mistaken. higher quality greens, such as those from Jetlasers, novalasers, laserglow, CNI lasers, and Dragonlasers, will all have IR filters built in

 

[pingo5]

oh ok... now with regular safety glass(regular as in the 532nm blocking ones) and a lab setup with a 100mw green laser, what are the chances of the IR actually doing anything. i know its a stupid question that probably will go with pay attention to it and avoid it, but is it nescessary to have protection from it on a 100mw green laser?