styropyro said:
We need something like the thing I wrote here:
http://www.spectraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=323
Noob's Guide to Buying First Lasers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A common question for new people to the laser hobby is "What laser should I buy first?" This little guide should help you figure out what laser you should buy to start out with, and it includes some of my favorite picks.
Before anything, here are a few tips.
1. Whatever you do, NEVER buy a laser off of eBay, they are usually scams!
2. Only buy lasers from trusted sites.
3. When you start getting into higher powers, goggles are a must! You have to remember these things aren't litte pointers anymore, one unlucky hit in the eye and you're gonne get a nasty blind spot.
"I want a super bright green laser that I can see the beam on!"
This is a common question asked, and my best reccomendation for a cheap, bright green laser is the DX 30mW Green Laser This is the best deal you will ever find for a new 30mW greenie, and it will be plenty bright for a first laser. At night the beam will be extremely bright, some nights you can even point the dot at clouds. And unlike what the description says, there is an IR filter in the laser, so there is no dangerous IR spewing out all over the place. This laser might even be able to pop balloons if you get one of the more powerful units. For $25, you can't go wrong with this laser.
"I want a laser that burns!"
After getting a bright laser, everybody wants a burning laser next. For any reasonable price, most people usually just build their own burning lasers. If you want to get into building lasers, the cheapest price for high powered red laser diodes is here. But if you don't want to mess with building your own, there are a lot of expensive options out there. If you want to stay cheap without building you own, you can buy some homemade flashlights modified into burning lasers, or you can get the 200mW red pen style here.
"I want a burning green laser!"
When you have the money to buy a high powered green laser, whatever you do, do not waste it on a scam. There are a lot of scams out there that aren't half of the advertized output, so make sure you buy from a well known company. The group buys on here are great, but if there are no current group buys get a high quality laser from a known company. If your looking for pen sized high powered greenies, check out Novalasers for the best prices on high quality pen sized units. For 150mW-500mW Handhelds, check out Optotronics and Laserglow. Whatever you do, never fall for an eBay scam.
Use common sense when you get your first laser, don't shine them near your eyes, and use goggles when using the big lasers. Don't shine them at cars, planes, or people on the street because you could get some unwanted attention.
I'll update the list when necessary. I hope this list will hep some of the newer laser enthusiasts!
Words from styropyro
Yeah, I think stickying this on the "Welcome" board topic would be beneficial. But I still think there should be a board topic collimating EVERY BODIES questions/answers/concerns about "Cheap" lasers. I swear, although I've only been a member for 45 days, I've seen allot of the same questions retaining to lasers at low value. Same questions, Same answers, Same concerns. - Just my thoughts!
