burning green laser

[SharkyLaser]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes gasoline is a little much, lighter fluid will do the trick.
Yes you are right, if I was at a public bonfire another person would definitely want to hold the laser and then all bets are off. Honestly tho in my example this isn't a public 'fun' bonfire. The hurricanes here in FL leave alot of yard trash that needs to get taken care of. Jacksonville got hit real bad last year and it took the city over 4 weeks to come by and pick up yard trash, so I had to burn it. Everything was wet and soggy, traditional burning methods weren't working. I took some 87 for my lawnmower which did the trick for that wet soggy crap.

As you said the gasoline vapors is what was messing me up. It was tough to avoid the initial fireball the gas and matches created, which is why I wanted to distance myself from the fire.

Reflections are a serious thing (I hadn't known b4) and will buy safety glasses b4 any purchase.

I was trying to read all the Stickys today. Boy there are bunch. I noticed below one sticky thread a dude was trying to find out which laser he could use to burn flys from the sky. Seemed that post went on and on and to my Newbself, this idea of burning flys seems much more dangerous than aiming the laser at something intended to flame up.

You remember a 2000's X-Men movie were Cyclops loses his safety goggles and starts destroying Dr X's mansion? Thats the scene I pictured when that guy was talking about walking around his place trying to shoot flys and mosquitoes with his laser.

Yes, read first, ask questions later I got it and I read it. Just thought you guys wouldn't mind schooling me up a little on the subject. Or at least link a related thread for me to browse.

I had a green pointer back in the day. Got it off CL so not sure the specs. It was about 5 inches long, had the locking keys, used an 18650 and could see the beam at night. It was advertised as 5 mW (i know, never trust CL) and the laser would never pop a balloon or spark a match

A sponsored ad led me to Wicked Lasers and I thought I saw a good deal. Before dropping the cash with them I wanted to check here (as you guys seem like the leading authority on lasers) to see if I was making a good choice

Someone said a 15 mW laser would never light anything. I believe you but I'm confused tho? If they advertise a 5 mW can burn then why wouldn't a 15 mW

I read somewhere else the green wavelength also produces IR beam which is damaging. Is this IR in a beam like the laser, or a cone? Should I be worried about this IR light outside of where the laser points?

You guys stay frosty

 

[paul1598419]

Most 532nm green lasers that don't have an IR filter only put out a small amount of IR, I assure you. I have looked at them with a spectrometer where you can see the relative amounts of green light and IR light. Usually it is 20% or less than the output power. People sometimes caution new members about the IR content, but it is very negligible. If you had a 2 watt or higher power one, it might make a difference, but most of those block much of the IR at the output.

 

[millirad]

If you want to do it safely, use a hobby rocket igniter on a long twisted pair of wires. Toggle your switch and light the fire. Pull your igniter out with the wires before it goes up in flames.

Remember though, we are scientists. Cold calculating scientists. We don't do this for fun.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Go to the shops and get a fire log and light that. Much safer.

 

[Nutball]

Go to the shops and get a fire log and light that. Much safer.

Yea, and the fire log will give long lasting fuel. I think they even have 4-6hr logs. And of course as said before charcoal lighter fluid is much safer, burns much slower, and evaporates much slower.

It would take probably a good 2W maybe even with a beam expander to get good long distance lighting abilities at 10ft or more. An expensive solution to an easy problem.