Hello to everyone! GREAT forum

[RoDnSuE]

Hi,

I have been reading for a few days and thought I would introduce myself in case I started making a few posts. You have a Great forum here. LOTS of useful, interesting information.

My name is Rod, and I have been an electronics tech for 30+ years.
I never really got into lasers but wish I had. Fascinating critters!

My 1st laser was a lab style Spectra-physics HeNe back in the early 90's. I owned that laser for approximately 1 hour. I bought it at a hamfest (I'm an amateur radio operator too) in a non-working condition. I took it back to my booth and opened it up. I started checking diodes and transistors and came across a shorted 1N4007 diode. I replaced it, and the fuse, and *BAM* it worked!
I would have kept it, but at the time, more money in my pocket was more important. So I put it on my sell table and made about $200 quick dollars.
(wish I had kept it now):scowl:

Anyway, hello to all, and I hope to make new friends on here and definitely learn more about lasers in the process.

I'm a Noob as you can tell from the lasers I own so far, but you have to start somewhere
My current lasers include..
Several Cheap red 650nm <5mw
A Cheap Green 532nm 5mw+ (overspec I'm sure since it will burn through a piece of black plastic in about 4-5 seconds.)

Wish list...
Good quality safety glasses that cover 532nm and 650nm (1st priority)
~200mw 532nm torch style laser (with safety lock)
~200mw 650nm torch style laser (Ditto)

Oh.. BTW...I live in the lower S.W. tip of Virginia (USA) A little town called Norton

 

[HazzWold1993]

Hey welcome to the forum, you will find all the info you need on here for pretty well, everything you need.

 

[532 with Envy]

Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums! This is a great place to learn and share your projects.

 

[charliebruce]

Sounds like you're going to fit in well here. Welcome to the forum!

 

[sandidgepatrick]

Welcome to l.p.f.!!!!!!

 

[hakzaw1]

WELCOME

Very good start
glad to have you here
hak

 

[RoDnSuE]

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. I will TRY not to ask too many repeat questions unless I can't find it with the search function

Oh..I forgot to add to my wish list..
AN LPM!! Looking at the low end Laserbee units since I doubt I will ever go over 200mw
Although the higher end units with data loging would be nice.
Also an IR filter...
and more
and more
and more to come

 

[hakzaw1]

These first posts by Rod should be used as an example of how to start out on the right foot here at LPF--Even a question that may answered by a search will get positive replies when it is presented with respect. This is not a text phone kind of place. Many here appreciate less abreviations, proper grammer, some attempt at correct spelling and the like. At least until we get a chance to know you better.

And please leave the drama with your mamma.

hak's 2 cents(again)

 

[Deleted member 8382]

Welcome to the forums!

 

[RoDnSuE]

Thanks again for making me feel welcome, and warm/fuzzy inside

Thanks Hak. Spelling/grammer is kind of a pet peeve of mine. So much so, that I keep a seperate tab open to Google just for that purpose. Strange, since "English class" was my least favorite subject. Although I do screw up on occasion. My eyesite is pretty bad now and I sometimes have trouble reading the posts I type. Vertical astigmatism makes me see 2 laser spots instead of just 1. It makes words VERY hard to read sometimes and I miss letters.

I think the first real experiment I want to try is the old standard "double slit" experiment.
It fascinates me that light acts like particles OR waves under different conditions.
I have read the way the experiment is done on Sam's Laser Faq and it seems it sould be easy to replicate.

Anyway this is the "Welcome" forum and that diiscussion would be more suited to the "Science & test" group so....... Off we go into some light physics. (VERY small pun reluctantly intended)
More readiing/learning to do before attempting it.
Best wishes to all.

Rod

 

[Flaminpyro]

Howdy Rod and welcome to the forum :wave:
You will find more laser info here than you can ever use so
if you can't find something please ask there are lot's of good minds here also
Have fun and be safe !