I plan on making a laser, any good?

[Laser r us]

The IR content remains collimated and thus does not pose a serious issue. Some people will still bitch about it but if you exercise common sense then the IR content will not pose a serious issue (that is not to say it will be a non issue. Cheap chinese 532nm modules are unpredictable and it is possible the overall output is over 50% IR, however unlikely).

As for DX I have ordered from them once before and they where slow as all f**k. Package arrived eventually but it took over 2 months to do so. My advice is order from them only if absolutely necessary. Fasttech is a much better alternative. I have ordered from them on multiple occasions and all packages arrived in under 3 weeks.

Thank you for answering my question I forgot about haha. That's good to hear I don't have to worry about IR.

Yes. I checked out fast tech, they seem to have a heap of stuff will have a browse through. So I'll probably just order new 10440 place holders from some were else. (Will probably come faster then the DX ones haha )

 

[Marco Polo]

In general, the IR output from your laser will be of no concern to you. As was stated previously, the IR beam is collimated and collinear with the green beam. The IR divergence is slightly higher due to the difference in the index of refraction for IR wavelengths, but at the distance at which the IR beam reaches a non-negligible diameter the power density will have fallen below the level needed to cause injuries.

There ARE three situations (that I can think of right now) where the infrared output IS relevant:

1) Typical anti-violet/anti-blue/anti-green safety glasses (e.g. the yellow ones that block 200 to 550nm) will stop the green beam, however they will not stop the IR beam at all. It will be as if the safety glasses aren't even there - they will pass the IR at full power. If you're using the laser (i.e. laser is powered ON) in a situation where you DO need safety glasses, such as when adjusting external optics such as a mirror, you will be at risk due to the IR beam. Unless your safety glasses are specifically rated to block IR in addition to green, you must assume that the glasses will pass IR at full power, and then decide/act accordingly.

2) If the green laser stops working, do not look into the laser cavity for any reason. When these things break, it's usually the crystal set that fails, especially if the laser dies after being dropped. In this case, the pump diode will still function normally, and will continue to emit hundreds of mW when power is applied. Looking into the laser cavity will expose your eyes directly to the IR laser, and bad results will follow. Note that everything in 1) above applies here as well.

3) Metering the laser. If you just wanted to find the green mW, the IR output will throw off your reading.

Other than those cases, you can more or less forget about the IR. Even if you got rid of the IR (IR filter) the green beam would still be dangerous by itself, which means you'll want to keep it away from your face no matter what. If you avoid the green then you avoid them both, so in that regard the IR can be safely ignored.

The laser module, if it's what I'm thinking, probably has a lens that you can adjust or remove. You can get IR filter glass and mount one to the lens carrier. If it were me I would probably glue the IR filter behind the lens to keep it out of the way, but maybe there's a better place to put it.

 

[Laser r us]

In general, the IR output from your laser will be of no concern to you. As was stated previously, the IR beam is collimated and collinear with the green beam. The IR divergence is slightly higher due to the difference in the index of refraction for IR wavelengths, but at the distance at which the IR beam reaches a non-negligible diameter the power density will have fallen below the level needed to cause injuries.

There ARE three situations (that I can think of right now) where the infrared output IS relevant:

1) Typical anti-violet/anti-blue/anti-green safety glasses (e.g. the yellow ones that block 200 to 550nm) will stop the green beam, however they will not stop the IR beam at all. It will be as if the safety glasses aren't even there - they will pass the IR at full power. If you're using the laser (i.e. laser is powered ON) in a situation where you DO need safety glasses, such as when adjusting external optics such as a mirror, you will be at risk due to the IR beam. Unless your safety glasses are specifically rated to block IR in addition to green, you must assume that the glasses will pass IR at full power, and then decide/act accordingly.

2) If the green laser stops working, do not look into the laser cavity for any reason. When these things break, it's usually the crystal set that fails, especially if the laser dies after being dropped. In this case, the pump diode will still function normally, and will continue to emit hundreds of mW when power is applied. Looking into the laser cavity will expose your eyes directly to the IR laser, and bad results will follow. Note that everything in 1) above applies here as well.

3) Metering the laser. If you just wanted to find the green mW, the IR output will throw off your reading.

Other than those cases, you can more or less forget about the IR. Even if you got rid of the IR (IR filter) the green beam would still be dangerous by itself, which means you'll want to keep it away from your face no matter what. If you avoid the green then you avoid them both, so in that regard the IR can be safely ignored.

The laser module, if it's what I'm thinking, probably has a lens that you can adjust or remove. You can get IR filter glass and mount one to the lens carrier. If it were me I would probably glue the IR filter behind the lens to keep it out of the way, but maybe there's a better place to put it.

In a way it does produce but I ain't harmful which is good. It so hard to find out if they do of not cos there is 50 50 people say yes and no and plus hardly any of them know what they are talking about.
I never knew looking into when it breaks with out it on could be so bad damn.

I ain't to shore where the filter would go... Is there a thread already out there on it or instructions cos if I do get one I will buy it rather then remove it from some DVD player or what ever it is. Haha

 

[crazyspaz]

If you do add a filter, I would reccomend putting it inside the cap (after all the lenses) of the pen, but you really dont need it. IR really isnt a big deal, especially not with something this low powered (if you are still using a 50mW module).

Even if the module dies, dont think looking into it will instantly blind you. All of the modules ive had die have been due to the diode dying, so IR was no longer an issue anyway, and looking into it wouldnt have done anything. The crystal set would have to come loose from where its glued to cause the laser to stop outputting 532 (without the diode dying), in which case you will hear it rattling around, and know thats why it died.

 

[Laser r us]

If you do add a filter, I would reccomend putting it inside the cap (after all the lenses) of the pen, but you really dont need it. IR really isnt a big deal, especially not with something this low powered (if you are still using a 50mW module).

Even if the module dies, dont think looking into it will instantly blind you. All of the modules ive had die have been due to the diode dying, so IR was no longer an issue anyway, and looking into it wouldnt have done anything. The crystal set would have to come loose from where its glued to cause the laser to stop outputting 532 (without the diode dying), in which case you will hear it rattling around, and know thats why it died.

TBH if my module did break I probably won't be able to get it out of the pen anyways so I'll just throw it out and by another haha (safest and easyest for me)
Thank you for the advice because I have no idea haha :thinking: . May look into a filter but ain't in any rush. Oh I just realised I won't be able to get module out it is jammed in the pen haha

 

[Laser r us]

Very quick question, I still havnt put my laser together, any other way I can push caps in with out one of them claps cos I don't have one. I was waiting for other battery which I STILL HAVENT RECEIVED !!! :banghead:

 

[busman2]

Well you could use a bench vice but make sure you have a bit of teflon to cover the jaws. Or you could borrow one of them clamps or just buy one from one of them super cheap type places!

 

[Laser r us]

Well you could use a bench vice but make sure you have a bit of teflon to cover the jaws. Or you could borrow one of them clamps or just buy one from one of them super cheap type places!

I got a wood one but it's worn and everything I'll see if it is any good, I should just got to where they sell one, use it, then go haha.

 

[Laser r us]

Finally got my last battery only took about 2 months fasttech delivered, dx complete waste never again. Works awesome cheers for the help I got on here, it felt like it was burning my finger up close, is that possible for 50mw?

Ps: fasttech