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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Can some more well informed users than me help point me in the direction of the best

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Jan 30, 2014
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100-200 mw 532 nm laser pointer i can get?


I did read the laser buying guide, but Laserglow wont send me anything over 5 mw, Novalasers isnt even taking orders, ive heard too many complaints about WL, and Dragon Lasers is currently out of stock on their higher powered Viper models. I REALLY want it to be CNI, as i own a 5 mw lyra and i was extremely impressed with the quality and stability. . Recently ordered a 100 mw from optotronics but was unimpressed. I had to send it back. It was like spending $135 for an ebay pen, no exaggeration I was so disappointed.(they will most likely replace it but still...) I really prefer the high quality pen style, but stability is more important than anything. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
 
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Just go to laserbtb :p

They have some great *high-powered* 532nm lasers at magnificent prices(not to mention some are actually a little over-spec):
PL 532nm 100-700

Notice: If you do plan on purchasing from them, make sure you do after February 9th. They are currently on vacation and informed customers all orders between January 25th-February 9th will be delayed.
 
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Feb 1, 2011
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I like jetlasers.

Fast shipping. Overspec lasers. Gray is the best rep. Need I say more?

Ok I will. My PL-E 700wm 532nm peaked over 900mw .Ave is like 800mw
 
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LaserBTB's 300mw 532 nm costs about 180 and usually comes in around 400-500mw

:beer:
-Matt
 
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I second jetlasers, nothing against laserbtb, also a good suggestion. really the opto pen should have been good, I believe you are the first person I've heard about who has had a problem with one

I also had a 700mW PL-E (they dont make them anymore, but the PL-E pro is better in NEARLY every way IMO) that peaked at 990mW, though it did average just below 700mW. these are big lasers though, way bigger than a pen, but lots of bells and whistles, notably the option of a beam expander and AC input
 
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i like Jet Lasers. I noticed their Equality greens are about $100 cheaper than the PLE Pros. Anybody know why? Less stable, or just less features? If its the latter im inclined to save about 100 bucks.
 
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i like Jet Lasers. I noticed their Equality greens are about $100 cheaper than the PLE Pros. Anybody know why? Less stable, or just less features? If its the latter im inclined to save about 100 bucks.

I think it may be that the PL-E's host is bigger(which would cost more to fabricate), and offers more features(including a simple-momentary switch).
 
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less features. the pros can use bigger batteries, have AC input, the beam expander option (very cool option) different grips to choose from. the pro is also larger, it might or might not have a longer duty cycle. I personally would rather have the pro, there was one in the B/S/T section for a very reasonable price, <$300 could have got you a 400mW version that, oddly enough, averaged 532mW. it was sold not long ago. not many here have gotten the equalities, so I don't know much about them. hakzaw1 or Jetasers would know more about them
 

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I would go with JetLasers--all of their products are top quality and their customer service is the best in the business.

The PL-E Pro is larger, can take a larger 26650 battery, run on AC transformer, has internal focusing where you just turn a collar, handles heat a bit better---has a lot of nice features, bells and whistles as people have said.

If you don't need/want 300mW 532 with long duty cycle look into a TiB.
They are on closeout sale at $119.99 were originally $220 and are awesome little lasers, host beautifully machined of solid Titanium --if you can get a refund from Opto--go with a TiB which is very impressive physically and 100mW + ---best small laser out there.

With any JetLasers product you are going to get a best in class product and customer service.

Check the buy, sell, trade section-- http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/crazy-deal-jetlasers-400-mw-532-pl-e-pro-87453.html may still be for sale---$280 for a PL-E Pro 400mW 532nm that averages 532mW and peaks at 682mW---great deal if still available
 
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Nov 2, 2012
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Forget all those Chinese lasers. Go to Youtube and check out PhotonicInduction's video regarding a substandard USB repeater. His description of Chinese products applies to Chinese lasers just as well.

I would look into having a reputable member build you a 532nm. They will know where to get the right parts, and the build will be superior in general. Western builds (at least the C6 types) can be worked on without too much trouble, parts are available, etc. The same can NOT be said of Chinese lasers, if they break then in most cases you are dicked. Avoid them, I say.

It might well cost you more to have a member build a laser but you get what you pay for. Due to their simplicity and generally modular design, Western laser builds will be superior to Chinese products in nearly every case. Good builders will also honor their warranties and whatnot, unlike Chinese sellers.

Yes, there are "good" Chinese sellers but Western builds trump their products every single time.

ETA: Even Skylasers, I'm sorry, they are one of the better Chinese sellers but they are a Chinese company all the same and it absolutely does show in the build quality. I managed to get my LED'd 405nm apart and IMHO the host design is typical Chinese retardation, nearly as bad as the Laser 301:

1) Poorly designed focusing mechanism, it is multiple items screwed together and unscrewing one almost necessarily means jamming the other impossibly tight. Focusing mechanism makes it impossible to adjust the lens focus if it is off. (Lens is GLUED into place regardless, see below.) Difficult to clean the lens since one cannot simply remove the lens a la AixiZ modules. It's every bit as bad as the Laser 301. The lens IS glass and looks like it's AR coated too, but that's the only positive.

2) Host uses a shit ton boatload of glue. Glue to hold threads together, glue to hold switches in, glue to lock the lens threads. Glue for glue's sake. I hate glue. Glue is the imbecile builder's way of doing things, and anyone who designs a host to require glue is likewise an imbecile. Glue will hold your crapola build together but god help your customer's soul if something breaks and they want to fix it. Surprise, surprise then, that most Chinese lasers use glue. The inside of the 405nm was slathered with it, a total mess. Impossible to work on the host or get the module or anything else out. You would have to soak it in methylene chloride to dissolve all the damn glue. AVOID lasers that use any glue at all, IMHO.

3) Tiny fragile wires. I would guess 20 gauge or smaller. Poor quality insulation that is not very flexible. This is just flat out Chinese penny pinching, no excuse for it.

4) Skylasers HL hosts don't fit 18650's. Design flaw.

5) Heatsinking is substandard. Tiny little aluminum and brass thing. Not a big issue on the lower power single mode lasers, but it's no wonder my 405nm died. If the heatsink had been equal to the Survival Lasers copper C6 heatsink, I have no doubt the laser would still be working just fine.

I'm sorry to have to say all that; the Skylasers hosts LOOK great. A very clean, no-nonsense layout. The lasers, by and large, do work just fine. It's just that there is no recourse if something breaks, fixing it is way harder than it needs to be because of all the glue and general corner cutting in terms of putting it all together. To me, that's an unforgivable flaw, basically defective by design. I would never build anything in such a manner, and from what I can tell, neither would any self-respecting forum member.

I only found that stuff out when my 405nm LED'd and I tried to take the host apart to see what was what. Needless to say, I was appalled.

No, I wasn't exaggerating.

Conclusion: Have a forum member build you a laser, their build will be superior because it will be sensible and engineered for reliability. Such builds are more expensive up-front but it balances out by way of not having to replace Chinese lasers when they die.
 
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Forget all those Chinese lasers. Go to Youtube and check out PhotonicInduction's video regarding a substandard USB repeater. His description of Chinese products applies to Chinese lasers just as well.

With respect to PhotonicInduction (and I do love his videos) - he just blows things up for the sake of it, it's primarily how he got his views. He pushes things harder and harder until they fry and then comments about the product... even did it to an Argon laser.

As for Chinese lasers vs "western builds", you are aware that a lot of laser equipment begun in a China factory to start with... In another thread (one of mine actually) you also admitted that you drive your lasers very hard and that's probably why they blew up. I can't speak for lbtb's heatsinking, but I know my PL 445 weighs a ton at the front. If you ran your lasers way past a recommended duty cycle it's not really fair to blame its blowing up on the company you bought it from. Oh, and the focus mechanism locking thing is a feature, not a fault.

My only faults with laserbtb are that my LP 650 needs quite a bit of pressure on the power button to stay on (I'm not bothered - it was a dirt cheap pen) and my PL445 the beam moves ever so slightly when you focus it (guessing focussing lens glued in slightly wonky). No problems otherwise and for the price I think you get a lot of laser.
 
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