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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Ever set anything on fire... unintentionally?

Joined
Nov 12, 2011
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There's a few marks in the tables in my house from my lasers too. A hole or two in the screens where I lasered a wasp nest thought the window.
 





Joined
Jan 13, 2010
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Never set anything on fire unintentionally but I've come close a few times. I was working with my new 40W co2 laser tube and testing its ability to burn stuff. Using a black soda can as a beam stop I didn't realize it was reflecting a GOOD portion the beam about 90 degrees until the back of my work bench started smoking. Needless to say I switched to using a brick as a beam stop pretty quick.

Thee was also another time when one of my lasers turned on while it was in my backpack. I didn't know till it burned a hole straight through the bag and shoot a blue beam across the room as I was leaving. Could just have easily started the car I was about to get into on fire.

Makes you really think about how you handle and transport these class 4 lasers. Especially the newer ones.
 
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Sep 10, 2014
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I built a 405nm 16x awhile ago.. when I went to test fire the thing I was sure the beam was unfocused.. It was super focused and burned my GF's table pretty good. I had it set up in a tripod and I was trying to carefully turn it off without panic and avoiding a knockover. No fire but a lot of smoke and pissed gf.. ha!
 
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Bed sheet has a hole in it when I laid my 2W 445nm laser down and accidentally pushed the button. I believe all lasers should have two buttons to help stop accidents.
 

Pman

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Haven't really burned much of anything with my lasers as I don't really play with them even though there are probably 25+ class 4 in with the rest of them. I haven't even bothered to LPM 10 or so i built in the last month yet. Build and store in cases.
However, I did have a major scare taking a battery apart for the lithium to show someone how it reacts in water.
I had taken apart maybe 5 old cells with low voltage before and am was always very careful to do it in my garage over the concrete. This time I made the huge error of doing it over linoleum in my office/laundry room as I had a decent way of getting them apart and some confidence up my sleeve. Unfortunately I made one giant error in not noticing the wet spot on the floor from off a shoe after coming in from outside.
Had the battery apart and the lithium unrolled and placed it on the floor to start cleaning up the waste. Turned around to get the little glass container I was going to put it in and when I turned back the roll was into melt down mode. Tried to grab a rag and stomp it out but the lithium just popped all over the place melting holes in the floor.
Today that area is covered by a rug.
I will take a pic and show the damage later. You might say that it's an improvement over that ugly linoleum though.
XTroMi.jpg


mHCVMX.jpg

As to what is being alluded to concerning another thread and a new member I will comment here on it as I haven't seen anyone post directly to what he said specifically in his third post. Others may have skirted around it as they know something is off but not nailed it.
You CANNOT argue that you know laser safety because you claim to be safe doing other dangerous things. According to his logic if I know laser safety then I know how to be safe doing the dangerous things he claims he does safely also. Do you really think he wouldn't be upset if any of us had claimed that back to him? You do NOT get a pass because you are (or claim to be) safe doing anything else. Even if you work in a lab with lasers all the time it is not the same as waving around a handheld unit.
Read all 3 of his posts carefully and tell me where there's ANY hint that he actually knows laser safety or owns ANY safety equipment. States first build with an immediate asking of output and then scoffs at my comment followed by arrogance and extremely poor logic. You can be as angry and loud as you want but its meaningless if its still wrong. I commented after his first post because my gut told me something was off.
You can argue all day long that anyone can buy the parts from other places and put one together BUT these are NOT the kind of posts that belong in THIS forum. Regardless of what each individual does with their units, our motto here should be "Safety first, last and always" There's too much at risk.
For the record I'm not the only one who realizes that the guy "blew it" with his posts.

*I also have no issue with this person personally. Lots of people have needed a second chance here from starting off on the wrong foot.*
 
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Joined
Sep 13, 2008
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"With great power comes Great responsibility" .........It is not the tool's fault , but the ignorance of the user!
It seems that whenever something scientifically interesting is created, there is always someone who screws up the experiment and causes chaos.

Please lase safely, and please lase away from others.
 

BowtieGuy

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I did this last year while reaching across the table to make an adjustment on my Goldenstar 532nm lab laser. Let me tell you, it doesn't take too long to get your attention with 3W of power focused on your leg.

5cddd0ee-6390-4998-b3f8-5f1bac1c6f7a_zps351cdb65.png
 
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
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I got one hell of an ass beating for that one....

it wasn't intentional, i was hiding under the bed playing with a lighter, and poof went a string that was hanging.
My brother woke up cause the bed was smoldering. It poofed into flames right as my father was pulling it outside.

And here you are today, all growed up and still playing with fire (aren't we all? :eg:).

This is a good topic to emphasize safety. Like an earlier poster, I shot a TV screen with a laser. Fortunately it was a lower power pointer and nothing was harmed. Now that I have higher powered units I don't intentionally do dumb things like that anymore.

There are safety rules for handling guns, rules like always be aware of where the muzzle is pointed, never point a gun at ANYTHING you don't wish to destroy, always be certain of your backstop, and always treat every gun as though it is loaded. It's essential to use the same mindset when handling lasers. Guns don't cause harm by themselves. Neither do lasers. Guns don't go off accidentally. Neither do lasers. A laser is potentially as dangerous as a gun, but only when it is being handled by a person. If the person is responsible and totally focused in the moment, the laser is safe.

Ed
 
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Joined
Sep 15, 2010
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Very good writeup Andrew. There are no accidental gun shootings, only mistakes and negligence by the holder of the gun. The same will be true of laser "accidents".

Ed
 
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As to what is being alluded to concerning another thread and a new member I will comment here on it as I haven't seen anyone post directly to what he said specifically in his third post. Others may have skirted around it as they know something is off but not nailed it.
You CANNOT argue that you know laser safety because you claim to be safe doing other dangerous things. According to his logic if I know laser safety then I know how to be safe doing the dangerous things he claims he does safely also. Do you really think he wouldn't be upset if any of us had claimed that back to him? You do NOT get a pass because you are (or claim to be) safe doing anything else. Even if you work in a lab with lasers all the time it is not the same as waving around a handheld unit.
Read all 3 of his posts carefully and tell me where there's ANY hint that he actually knows laser safety or owns ANY safety equipment. States first build with an immediate asking of output and then scoffs at my comment followed by arrogance and extremely poor logic. You can be as angry and loud as you want but its meaningless if its still wrong. I commented after his first post because my gut told me something was off.
You can argue all day long that anyone can buy the parts from other places and put one together BUT these are NOT the kind of posts that belong in THIS forum. Regardless of what each individual does with their units, our motto here should be "Safety first, last and always" There's too much at risk.
For the record I'm not the only one who realizes that the guy "blew it" with his posts.

*I also have no issue with this person personally. Lots of people have needed a second chance here from starting off on the wrong foot.*

I also read between the lines and agree that it's much better to come across as a bit harsh than wish later that you had warned someone.
I built a long time friend a couple of units and warned him again and again to which he replied " we shoot guns together, I know safety" then I watched him put batteries in and reminded him that you can never be sure if a switch is on or off so point it somewhere safe while doing so...just like a gun.
Fact is very safe people doing something new have new lessons to learn.
p.s. I have become a big fan of secondary safety switches and output covers, those translucent silicon button covers that fit the 501/502 switch caps fit nicely over the axis focus ring and they also keep the lens clean between use.
 

Pman

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^ Had an issue with a co-worker with an over-spec 532nm.
I don't specifically remember the output but i gave him one that was likely around the 50mW range after explaining the safety issues and the next Monday when he came in with the rest of our co-workers I was in a bit of shock from the story he was laughing about.
He was shining it at other people driving while he was driving and it was really funny how he had just put it down before going around a corner where there was a cop.
No words to describe how I felt.
 
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Messages
10,662
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5 maybe 6 yrs old- playing in front yard with Pop's binoc- removed front lens and started buring STUFF including the old comforter I was playing on- did not see the smoldering smoke- at first= 4 yrs brother alerted me- put out did not get caught ( in hindsight I SHOLDA) but he was able to use that as leverage for years until he shot me w/ a daisy- left a small scar and that ended the blackmail- when he shot me I can still member my first words ( he reminds me at times) I yelled 'YOU FUC*ERMOTHER'
still new that that term for sure-

I was thinking about something along the same lines- what attracts us a tad more than 'normals'

Then I saw a special on Lightning Bugs- which , in Ohio , we had plenty during the right time of year- spring IIRC
we used to capture MANY & put in jars until they croaked- we smashed some to make a glow paste- we were not being very nice ( Grannies rule to all grandkiddos -BE NICE!)
I was fasinaterd w/ the stars and planets, flashlights, candles, lighters, flam liquids
gunpowder- primes from emt shotgun shells- MATCHES_ you can lose a hand with matchheads inside a coffee can- we drilled out small CO2 BBgun cartridges and stuff strike-anywhere match heads til is was full- set aginst s=umtin to hold it upright make a fuse and set it off- first time it went faily straight up and came down next to me- and like a dumbass I picked it up and burned 3 fingers- and got caught in a lie when that was seen by Ma. rick-the-snitch I was betting.


I LIKE LIGHTS
8 lava lits
several Plasma things- two balls a dolphin- and the flat ones one small one huge.

other odd party lights- some sound reactive etc- 4 pcs 40W blacklights in fixtures and a dozen smaller
fiber optic lamps
HeNe red houselamps 2 pairs diff sizes (projects in progress) clear plexiglass - chrome- wires and ballasts hidden-
strobe lights- LEDs= Par lights -dead DJ lights given for parts-

moar i cant recall and a few LAZORS!-


'Hello I am Len'
" & I am a laser addict"

then you all respond 'hello len'

I say 'my last "buy' was two nights ago-& I charged ~$ 1K for 2.2W of full color 30K .. >'..'<..


(after convincing myself i got surely pay it off in 6 mo and avoid any interest-)-

>(*U*)<

must quit
must quit
must quit
must check DHL Tracking
should be here Thur.
must quit must quit


hak dos centavos solo


++update edite reply to the Pman
^ Had an issue with a co-worker with an over-spec 532nm.
I don't specifically remember the output but i gave him one that was likely around the 50mW range after explaining the safety issues and the next Monday when he came in with the rest of our co-workers I was in a bit of shock from the story he was laughing about.
He was shining it at other people driving while he was driving and it was really funny how he had just put it down before going around a corner where there was a cop.
No words to describe how I felt.++ "
Pman++

I bet- I did also when something like that happened--

got my hands on it and handed him back the $40 ( the fair price back then)-
I told him I cannot let you keep this- you ignored almost everything I told you.. not a kid either-never sold any to a minor with one exception at SELEM when I sold to a father/son he was 15 but very wise- knew his dad from the forums and felt it was a safe sale--- NOT something that happens a lot-





"
 
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BowtieGuy

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Hello Len! :D

When you look back on those things you did as a kid, you really have to wonder, how am I still alive? I'm still amazed.
That is, in my mind, one of the scariest things when you become a parent; you just know that your kids are going to do some very stupid and dangerous things, just like we did! :eek:
 
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Joined
Oct 11, 2010
Messages
46
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8
today while recording a video I accidentally burned a shelf from 5 meters away. It left a pretty nasty mark on it.
 

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Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Messages
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One when I was 13 was soldering not paying
attention and set the iron down on the dining
room rug
Burned down to the padding and made smelly
smoke
 




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