Hello, I'm Gun!

[Gun]

Well I don't have a job, so I'm not too rich at the moment, I think your manufacturer might be too pricey for me by the sounds of things. Not 100% sure of my budget, at the moment I'm pretty poor but if I know how much something costs I can work towards getting it. I was wanting a 532nm green. I was wanting to be able to have burning abilities but not too powerful for my first high-power laser; I was thinking 70mW or something. I looked on Ebay and I'm pretty sure I couldn't find any, I'll take another look now.

EDIT: Okay, I found this. Does it look to cheap and crappy or do you think it could be okay?

 

[Speedy78]

Note: most ebay 532s are well over spec. Do a search for them on this forum. You may be able to find the right seller selling the most overspec lasers for dirt cheap.

 

[Things]

Something like this:

100mW 532nm Laser Diode Module Green beam / Focus burning laser | eBay

Stage Show 20mW~50mW Green 532nm Laser Diode Module TTL | eBay

Industrail 50mw 532nm Green Laser Module w/h TTL Modulation Slot/Green Laser G50 | eBay

Note that some of them are designed to have a really wide beam, and won't work very well for burning by themselves, you'll need a lens (Plain magnifying glass works). You'll probably need a lens anyway even for one with a tight beam to get it to burn well.

Though, if your only aim is to be able to burn, I'd maybe have a look at a 405nm (violet) laser instead. You can also get 445nm lasers, but they're very dangerous, and I wouldn't recommend it for your first high powered laser.

 

[Gun]

Thanks for the links, I'll take look at them now.
Would you recommend a 405nm over a 532nm for my first high powered laser?

So that 50mW that you linked, the third one. Is that good quality? And do you think it would have burning capabilities? Also, how does it actually work? It has some sort of circuit board next to it, I thought they just plug right into a PowerPoint. Sorry, I'm extremely N00B.

 

[Things]

"Good quality" is a pretty subjective term when you're talking $50 lasers - in reality they're pretty much bottom of the line, BUT, they generally work fine. 50mW is kind of the low end of burning capabilities - assuming it does actually output 50mW. Chinese lasers are notorious for being hugely over or under spec - it's a gamble which side your laser will land.

Laser diodes require constant current to drive them, otherwise they'd continue to draw as much power as possible and eventually kill themselves. That particular driver operates off 5V, which you can get from almost anything. USB can supply 5V up to 500mA, or you could cut up an old phone charger, or just get a 5V power supply from Jaycar.

 

[Gun]

Fair enough. To be honest I think I'd rather pay a bit more for a laser that I know is going to last although if I can't find one in my price range I might very well buy that one from Ebay, there won't be any safety issues with it will there? Also, how much would a 50-100mW laser cost from your manufacturer or can you link me to a website that sells them at a reasonable price?

 

[Things]

There is going to be a safety issue with any high powered laser, and if you're going to be burning with it, I'd highly recommend some safety glasses that'll be effective against the wavelength you're using. 100mW from where I get mine would probably be $200-300ish. I paid around $600 for the ~400mW 532 in my laser projector.

This site doesn't have the same manufacturer in the lower power ranges (laser-wave), but they're probably your best bet if you want something decent quality. The guy that runs it is very helpful.

Lasershow Parts

 

[Gun]

Yes I know there's going to be safety issues, I just meant is it going to blow up in my face or blind me with that IR stuff (haven't researched it too much). Yes of course I'll get glasses

If I could get it in the low $200s that may be an option. Thanks for the link

 

[Gun]

So you don't think that this laser will be a danger to me in the way of IR or blowing up or anything, do you?

 

[Things]

Blowing up, no, IR possibly, but as long as you don't go bouncing the beam off reflective surfaces into your face, or sticking your face in the beam, it's not an issue. 50mW green is still extremely bright, and if you're doing burning, chances are you'll be up close to the beam, so safety goggles are highly recommended.

 

[Gun]

Okay cool. Yes as I said earlier, I'm 100% getting safety goggles. I will not use the laser at all until I do. What are the best safety goggles in your opinion?

 

[Things]

I'll have to let someone else fill you in on that, for what I do laser goggles are useless, so I'm not up to date on the best place to buy them

 

[Gun]

Oh okay, thank-you very much

 

[Gun]

Just found this laser. I was thinking the 50mW one for my first high power laser. Would I need to buy a seperate power supply to run that? or anything else? Although I've heard a couple of bad things about Sky Lasers it still must be better than buying off Ebay?

 

[Zoidberg]

Hello there Gun! Glad to see you finally made an account too! Welcome to the forum! To help you out with the glasses question, check this thread. I found it in the 445 nm laser forum, where I spend most of my time. This forum also has some threads on Australian laws, customs and the such. It also has some more info on glasses. Hope that helps! I recommend building a laser too!

 

[Gun]

Thank-you very much Zoidberg