Good things and Bad things about Lasers?

[Skate3352]

Lasers are a fantasic hobby, but also a very dangerous hobby also. A 50mW laser (without safety glasses) will do some serious damage to your eyes. But anyways, the good things are that it will teach you more about light, if you make your own laser, you could gain many important skills that you could use. Also, lasers (when used correctly) can be a lesson about safety. You will learn that objects can be dangerous, and you must be careful at all times. And, lasers are very exciting and fun to use. :umbrella:

 

[Morbid1]

Aww hell... its 2011 man! lol the language barrier shouldn't be hard to overcome. you would probably be surprised by how many Spanish speaking laser enthusiasts there are.... Just find a bi-lingual LPF user and seduce him into teaching you everything he knows

jk about the "seducing" part but you get what i mean lol

But you are right, i have yet to run into a Spanish how-to page, or instruction manual that has anything to do with lasers.... (probably cause i was not searching in Spanish)


*adds "try to find Spanish instruction on laser building" to my to-do list* :thinking:

 

[1fastsuv]

I like your vision and concept about lasers. You have all reason. It's very dangerous. And I think that it's a strange hobby , I think that we should admittedly it, not everyone likes, and isn't very normal spend much money in them. And this is so. you have all reason. Is better not talk about money $ $, because not everyone understand the hobby, and would take us like fools, and they put their hands to their heads, and ask: Why you spend this $ $ in this shit? unfortunately, it is so.
But As I say, it's the FEEL, people don't understand this.

Hobbys, are very expensive.

You will find out as you get older that people will question what you spend money on, be it lasers, cars, watches, clothes and etc. If its not something they are interested in, they will not understand your reasons for spending the money. Unfortunately as someone else stated, you live under you dad's roof and he controls your money. Good luck

 

[hakzaw1]

Lasers are now considered to be a more significant invention than the lightbulb.

Always avoid showing those with no interest in lasers the burning ability, instead concentrating on thier other uses. You can learn a lot about electronics and soldering skills by doing similar projects that are not laser related. I wish I had a better understanding of general electronics. The more you know about volts, ohms, current, polarity, and the general theory, the easier you will be able to build your own drivers and lasers.

In no time you will be on your own and be able to own anything you want. Starting out does not have to be expensive. You are fortunate to have many Spanish speaking members here and you will be able to get help from them by simply asking.
My father has no interest in lasers and there is very little I can do to change this.
This may be true for you too. Concentrate on learning as much as possible about electronics and later when you can own lasers and work on lasers you will enjoy them even more.

solo mis dos centavos
good luck

Len

 

[hakzaw1]

Forget lasers for now. You are wasting time trying to make anyone understand.

Instead, learn all you can about general electronics. The more you know about Ohms/Resistance-Volts-Amperage-Polarity and all the basics the easier you will know all about lasers.

I never show a person with no interest in lasers how they can burn things.

Many experts now think of lasers as being a more significant invention that the light bulb. We have lasers is almost every thing we use every day.

For very little money you can buy kits to make interesting electronic items that will give you skill at soldering and a better understanding of electronics.

You have many Spanish speaking friends here at the forums. You have unlimited information on the internet. You are very young and have a lifetime to enjoy your new hobby. This forum has a very large amount of tutorials to study.


Some day you may be the inventor of a new use for lasers. You will never do this unless you have mastered basic electronic first.

good luck, amigo.

solo mis dos centavos.

hak

EDIT- sorry for the somewhat double posting- #19 did not appear for many minutes so I tried to repost it-starting over- I see this happening to many others-- so much for "Post quick reply "--lol

 

[Antoniio]

Forget lasers for now. You are wasting time trying to make anyone understand.

Instead, learn all you can about general electronics. The more you know about Ohms/Resistance-Volts-Amperage-Polarity and all the basics the easier you will know all about lasers.

I never show a person with no interest in lasers how they can burn things.

Many experts now think of lasers as being a more significant invention that the light bulb. We have lasers is almost every thing we use every day.

For very little money you can buy kits to make interesting electronic items that will give you skill at soldering and a better understanding of electronics.

You have many Spanish speaking friends here at the forums. You have unlimited information on the internet. You are very young and have a lifetime to enjoy your new hobby. This forum has a very large amount of tutorials to study.


Some day you may be the inventor of a new use for lasers. You will never do this unless you have mastered basic electronic first.

good luck, amigo.

solo mis dos centavos.

hak

EDIT- sorry for the somewhat double posting- #19 did not appear for many minutes so I tried to repost it-starting over- I see this happening to many others-- so much for "Post quick reply "--lol

Oh, it doesn't matter. I very much aprecciate your words. It has helped me to understand about the issue. as have said me some people here, the idea to build my own lasers is a good way to convince my father that lasers aren't solely dangerous devices.

Thanks man!

 

[Trevor]

Next time anyone asks you, just look confused, shrug, and say "pew pew..."

-Trevor

 

[hakzaw1]

Next time anyone asks you, just look confused, shrug, and say "pew pew..."

-Trevor

^^^ thats a good one Mr White.

when I get asked 'why lasers' I often say-well.... why collecting coins or stamps or butterflies' I say that I just find then interesting and facinating. Hobbies do not have to make 'sense' to others. At SELEM(huge laser meet in N.Carolina) I was with nearly 100 strangers for a whole weekend and never once was anyone asked 'Why Lasers' ?


hak

 

[AUTO XX]

Got my accounts sorted for tax collection, I spent over $1300 on lasers in 2010...
On the upside, I sold one, therefore they are a legitimate business and thus a fully deductible hobby.
Between lasers and dune buggies, I shouldn't have to pay tax in 2011
I got nailed really hard on taxes a few years ago and swore it wouldn't happen again, all of my books are on the level but I create a few new "experimental" businesses every year.
A word to the wise, I got a ruling a few years ago and the tax department basically told me that a business has to show potential for a reasonable profit within 2 years. After 2 years it is no longer a legitimate deduction. After that I took a trip up into the Yukon prospecting for gold, took a trip to Australia presumably to find opals (didn't find any), etc. etc. etc.
Never take a vacation again, all of your fuel and possibly even food could be deductible if you do a bit of research on your destination or on a "hobby" if you sell something (even to yourself :shh: ).
Sold a bit of collimated light, didn't have to pay tax on a single electronic component purchase.
Having a clever (yet honest) accountant helps too! :na:

 

[1fastsuv]

Got my accounts sorted for tax collection, I spent over $1300 on lasers in 2010...
On the upside, I sold one, therefore they are a legitimate business and thus a fully deductible hobby.
Between lasers and dune buggies, I shouldn't have to pay tax in 2011
I got nailed really hard on taxes a few years ago and swore it wouldn't happen again, all of my books are on the level but I create a few new "experimental" businesses every year.
A word to the wise, I got a ruling a few years ago and the tax department basically told me that a business has to show potential for a reasonable profit within 2 years. After 2 years it is no longer a legitimate deduction. After that I took a trip up into the Yukon prospecting for gold, took a trip to Australia presumably to find opals (didn't find any), etc. etc. etc.
Never take a vacation again, all of your fuel and possibly even food could be deductible if you do a bit of research on your destination or on a "hobby" if you sell something (even to yourself :shh: ).
Sold a bit of collimated light, didn't have to pay tax on a single electronic component purchase.
Having a clever (yet honest) accountant helps too! :na:

I gotta investigate this more! I usually take at least two trips a year. (Mostly to the carribbean) My refund this year was almost $9k. I've already changed my withholding but with your brilliant idea the trips might help pay for themselves.
My accountant always calls it "creative accounting." He also told me I can only go to jail for not reporting all my income. I can't go to jail for over deducting. If you get audited it just gets disallowed and you have to pay it anyway. Thanks or the tip.

 

[AUTO XX]

So far I haven't had a trip "pay" for itself but with enough imagination you can make anything sound credible.
I was chatting with my father about how we could make ridiculous things like living on/near the beach expenses and one that I thought was funny is;
You know those little tar balls in the sand, usually found in the surf?
Well my idea was to shine a laser at it, take a picture and say we went there to experiment on a new way of "cleaning up the environment" with lasers. With enough imagination I believe you could convince the government to give you a few thousand dollar grant for your studies :crackup:
That might be taking it one step too far though, it's one thing to deduct it but quite another to get paid to vacation ^_^

 

[Antoniio]

So far I haven't had a trip "pay" for itself but with enough imagination you can make anything sound credible.
I was chatting with my father about how we could make ridiculous things like living on/near the beach expenses and one that I thought was funny is;
You know those little tar balls in the sand, usually found in the surf?
Well my idea was to shine a laser at it, take a picture and say we went there to experiment on a new way of "cleaning up the environment" with lasers. With enough imagination I believe you could convince the government to give you a few thousand dollar grant for your studies :crackup:
That might be taking it one step too far though, it's one thing to deduct it but quite another to get paid to vacation ^_^

Nice story haha You could write a book.

 

[1fastsuv]

With enough imagination I believe you could convince the government to give you a few thousand dollar grant for your studies :crackup:

I get irritated everytime I hear about what Government grants pay to do. It's even worse when I read about all the earmarks! We give our money to the government thru taxes then have to jump thru hoops to get the money back to the local level.

I had a worker's comp rep come in my office one day and try to tell me how many videos and programs they have to offer my employees and me for FREE. I told her "they're NOT free. I pay for them with my premiums." Government employee mentality.

Sorry about the hijack and rant.

 

[AUTO XX]

True enough, special interest groups are bleeding Canadians dry as well.
I don't agree with getting money because you can talk the talk, I chose to pay as little tax as possible because I don't like where my money goes.
If I am paying for fuel, I want my taxes to go to maintain the roads and roadworks.
If I pay property tax, I want the money to go to everything from maintaining public services (sewage, water, schools, hospitals, etc.).
Same thing with paying for a hunting/fishing license, the money should go towards stocking lakes streams or even hiring more fish & wildlife officers.
As it is, all of THOSE taxes go into public revenue and the gov't must then try to find a way to spend the cash.
This process is wrong and it is stupid.
There is also too much chaff and not enough wheat when it comes to gov't administration but the bureaucracy has become the norm in the "modern" world (meaning there aren't enough useful people and too many leeches in the government).

Well, that was fun. I always enjoy a good rant

 

[123splat]

Antoniio,
Seems like you may have answered your own question "It is difficult to explain, the feel to have a laser, explore it, see how to work, the diffrent colors of the beam, differents manufacturers, the feel to buy a NEW laser and open it". The acquisition of knowledge. Ask dear old dad if he would prefer it if you were just sitting in a corner and drooling? Lasers can be dangerous, but so can walking out into the street.
You have a life and a right to pursue your dreams, within reason. But, he is your dad and deserves your respect. As long as you live under his roof, you must follow his rules. One day, he may be very old and living under your roof. Who follows who's rules then?

 

[Asmaa]

what u wrote is not what people r looking for :gun: