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I'm an idiot - And need advice

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After watching Youtube videos showing people using lasers, on a whim I bought one online without doing basic research on safety or legal issues. I did my safety research before it came, and realized I made several errors.

I bought a 200mW green laser from Hong Kong. I now know it is not legal to buy or sell such things in the US, and that this likely is emitting a good deal or IR radiation. I'm not going to use it. But I don't know what to do with it. Do I just chuck it in the garbage and take it as a lesson learned?
 





They need to be disposed of properly. Shoot me a PM and I will give you the address of the disposal facility.:eg:
 
DTR said:
They need to be disposed of properly. Shoot me a PM and I will give you the address of the disposal facility.:eg:
Click to expand...
Damn too slow :cryyy: I can't also advise you of disposal facilities, just in case DTR doesn't respond in a timely manner. :p
I sniff a troll in the air
 
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First it's probabaly not 200mw and secondly it's probably only 50-100 mw with 20-30 IR at the most unless it's a really crappy brand. All you need to do is get some goggles to block the green and use common sense. I've never got my eyes damaged from any of those cheap lasers even without goggles. Also the IR is probably not collimated as well as the green is and that means it loses it's energy much faster. Still don't assume it's safe and go pointing at mirrors or street signs even with goggles on.
 
Thanks for the advice. Is it acceptable to sell it in this forum? Otherwise I think I will dispose of it. I do get that it probably isn't 200 mw, but rather a lesser laser without an IR filter.
 
Yep, its acceptable to sell lasers here. Buy, Sell & Trade is the subforum for it.
Could you post a link to the laser you bought?
Seriously don't "dispose of it" we love all lasers big & small. Plus a lot of us have professional laser goggles & have 1000 mW+ lasers.

Quick link to an IR filter, there may be cheaper tho.
 
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This forum is so active! :)

I did try to send it back, but no refunds unless it doesn't work.
 
If you're really worried about the IR, you can glue a small chip of IR filtering material over the inside of the exit portal. I have done that myself with cheap eBay green lasers.

There is a member here with a website that sells little chips of IR filter materials that are suitable for gluing across an exit portal. I can't remember or find it right now.

Heck, if you want to try doing this, PM me and I'll mail you one of the little IR filter chips that I have laying around in a shoe-box.
 
HaloBlu said:
Yep its acceptable to sell lasers here Buy, Sell & Trade
Could you post a link to the laser you bought?
Seriously don't "dispose of it" we love all lasers big & small. Plus a lot of us have professional laser goggles & have 1000 mW+ lasers.

Quick link to an IR filter, there may be cheaper tho.
Click to expand...

I ordered this, though the casing looks slightly different. I also bought some rechargeable batteries and a charger.

200mW 532nm Adjust Focus Mid-Open Green Laser Pointer Pen with Safety Lock(1*CR 123A Included) $26.36 Free Shipping
 
Shadowspawn said:
If you're really worried about the IR, you can glue a small chip of IR filtering material over the inside of the exit portal. I have done that myself with cheap eBay green lasers.

There is a member here with a website that sells little chips of IR filter materials that are suitable for gluing across an exit portal. I can't remember or find it right now.

Heck, if you want to try doing this, PM me and I'll mail you one of the little IR filter chips that I have laying around in a shoe-box.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I may take you up on that if I decide not to get rid of it. I feel kind of bad. This looks like a cool hobby, but I don't think I was ready to jump in, and would rather get something I feel more confident in if I do decide to become involved.
 
It is a fun hobby but I advise you to run... :D This forum is so active because too many of us have become laser obsessed. Subsequently you can become poor & destitute buying too many lasers to feed your new habit. :undecided:
When you say your thinking of disposing of it its like walking into a crackhouse looking to toss a nice rock of crack. :drool:
Run fast :p
 
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HaloBlu is right! I just decided to pick up a laser or 2 to replace the ones that I let a girl borrow and never got back. That was less than a month ago. Since then I've bought another 445nm and built another two, and still have another one on the way, a 405 BluRay, a Greenie, a LaserBeee USB LPM, precision soldering station.

And I've ordered several diodes and drivers, a couple of hosts, modules, glass lenses, a variable voltage supply, better digital multimeter, and god only knows what else.

Addictive, you're kidding right? :whistle: A crack habit probably would have been cheaper. :D
 
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