Hello from Southern Illinois

[Kaiden57]

Hello one and all, after much reading and hopefully better judgement, I've decided to join and also make my debut to the forum. Let's see here, I live in southern illinois as I've mentioned and I'm new the hobby of laser collecting and building eventually. I'm just fascinated by lasers and the beams they produce and its unexplainable. They just spark a child like response deep in my soul giddy with laughter when i see one light up or a beam shoot in the sky. I've recently started collecting some of my own which I'm more than happy to talk about (not sure the intro is the best place for that) but I do have a great many questions for all who would listen. I've poked around the stickies above and do plan to search out what I can on my own but sometimes I've just got that one incredibly stupid question that's just too specific to really search for (i.e what would happen if a moth flew through a 9W beam at night and you didnt have goggles on) so please just humor me or at the least let me know how to better search for things of that nature. I'm happy to be here so if I'm doing anything wrong definitely let me know so I can address it and get on the right track. Thanks for having me!

 

[Immo1282]

Welcome! Hope you enjoy your stay and can find/get answers to any questions you have

If you've tried to find an answer to a question you've got, and had no luck - ask away Start a thread in the appropriate place and you'll get people weighing in with their answers. As for the unlucky moth - It'd probably be a bit worse for wear, but unless it's a moth with mirrors on it's wings, anybody standing around goggle-less would likely be fine

Since you read the stickies and posted a great introduction, you're already way ahead of many new joining members - so well done.

 

[paul1598419]

Welcome to the LPF. This is a great place to be if you are new to lasers as there are many competent members here to help you. Stay safe and enjoy your stay.

 

[BowtieGuy]

Welcome to LPF, Kaiden57!

Have fun, stay safe, and enjoy your stay.

I had to read your question twice; I originally thought that your were concerned with that poor moth's safety.
With that kind of power, any reflections should be avoided, but I would guess that unless the moths path through the beam was real close to your eyes, you'd be fine; hopefully someone will chime in and be able to give you a more expert opinion.

 

[RedCowboy]

Welcome to LPF enjoy and stay safe.

If a moth flew through your beam close by you would likely see a bright flash but most the energy should be taken by the moth and if say a white moth a diffuse flash would be highly visible to you but for a short duration, I know I have had rain drops pass through my beam and although they are bright flashes they are short and have never caused any damage that I'm aware of, also I don't think a moth is as reflective as a drop of water....actually I have had bugs in my beams before and it's just a bright flash, no damage that I'm aware of and I don't expect there would be any........now that silver mirror looking plastic confetti tossed in front of a laser could be dangerous because the reflection could be specular rather than diffuse.

 

[hakzaw1]

It might just get stunned... to save its life try 'mouth to moth' resuscitation. Did you pick 9W to impress?
I get the feeling you want to learn and wish it was easy.. but its not-
Regardless of what anyone does with a laser SAFETY - HAS to be Number 1.
May I suggest that you try to read as much as you can at laserpointersafety.org not much 'fun' stuff there....no popping matches or lighting any balloons...but it shows the reality of the of what has happened and what can happen again.



We always hope to NOT see any of our members there.. & that, now, includes you....


update edit.

did you search here at LPF.. try 'kill mosquitoes with laser'
lots of posts-
& here is a link I found.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/4995428/Star-Wars-scientists-use-

laser-gun-to-kill-mosquitoes-in-fight-against-malaria.html

No clue where you got the idea of flash of an exploding moth could cause eye injury??

btw taking any laser to school anywhere anytime is a serious 'crime' even if you do not use it. zero tolerance ...same as a knife or gun.


good luck and try to be safe.

 

[Kaiden57]

Welcome to LPF enjoy and stay safe.

If a moth flew through your beam close by you would likely see a bright flash but most the energy should be taken by the moth and if say a white moth a diffuse flash would be highly visible to you but for a short duration, I know I have had rain drops pass through my beam and although they are bright flashes they are short and have never caused any damage that I'm aware of, also I don't think a moth is as reflective as a drop of water....actually I have had bugs in my beams before and it's just a bright flash, no damage that I'm aware of and I don't expect there would be any........now that silver mirror looking plastic confetti tossed in front of a laser could be dangerous because the reflection could be specular rather than diffuse.

That's about what I figured but I just had a burning desire to know if more than flashblindness was possible from something of that nature. Also I dont plan on taking any high power lasers to any kind of party unless maybe outside but even then, loaded gun and all.

It might just get stunned... to save its life try 'moth to moth' resuscitation. Did you pick 9W to impress?
I get the feeling you want to learn and wish it was easy.. but its not-
Regardless of what anyone does with a laser SAFETY - HAS to be Number 1.
May I suggest that you try to read as much as you can at laserpointersafety.org not much 'fun' stuff there....no popping matches or lighting any balloons...but it shows the reality of the of what has happened and what can happen again.



We always hope to NOT see any of our members there.. & that, now, includes you....


update edit.

did you search here at LPF.. try 'kill mosquitoes with laser'
lots of posts-
& here is a link I found.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/4995428/Star-Wars-scientists-use-

laser-gun-to-kill-mosquitoes-in-fight-against-malaria.html

No clue where you got the idea of flash of an exploding moth could cause eye injury??

btw taking any laser to school anywhere anytime is a serious 'crime' even if you do not use it. zero tolerance ...same as a knife or gun.


good luck and try to be safe.

Moth to moth I'm dying. While I dont have a 9W I've got a 7W Sanwu silver and I won't lie im just a little scared of that big b@$7@r!. I tend to play around with my Sanwu pockets and ~1W blue Chinese while indoors. I've looked around on the site you've mentioned before about staying safe when operating lasers but I will definitely be visiting again I'm sure, I dont think there is such a thing as being too safe . Now I believe I'm going to see what kind results people have had when subjecting mosquitoes to high amounts of photons.