Interested in a laboratory laser

[Lia Johnson]

I recently looked around and found some nice OEM lasers that I was interested in. My first question about them is how do I take care of them so they last. How do you use them, and what sort of duty cycle should I follow. And finally, what nm should I get?

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Generally lab lasers are generally temperature stablized so they can be run 100% of the time. just make sure you have the appropriate power supply. (OEM usually means its just the laser head) As far as caring for them, generally they're pretty maintenance free as long as you dont get the lens dirty or something. in which case use compressed air to gently dislodge any dust or debris. Usually the optics are recessed so you cant touch them, making skin oils not a likely issue.

Also be aware that I believe anything above 1mW (class II) in Canada is illegal for a consumer to own, but i could be wrong on that, so be aware customs could take your laser if you're importing, and laserglow won't likely sell to you. So do take care to use it only in your house where it won't be a problem. Make sure you have the appropriate eye protection as well.

As for what nm/wavelength you want.... that's up to you entirely. certain colors are all different prices.

cheers! :beer:

 

[Lia Johnson]

It's only illegal to import anything greater than 5mW. Because of the Radiation import laws. If it's already here it should be perfectly legal to own .

Edit: I did some pricing and found that 473nm is a lot cheaper of the exotic wave-lengths, but I was typically wanting to go closer to the visible wavelength around 556 - 561, maybe even 589. But my research showed me thousands. So if you can recommend me an nice beginner laboratory laser at a decent price for an exotic wavelength, I'd be really happy .

 

[ultimatekaiser]

There aren't really any. Lab laser must meet stability specifications, which is hard to accomplish, especially with yellow. 473 is similar in structure to green now, so its cost has come down a bit, but in higher powers it quickly jumps back up in price because its hard to get stable due to heat. On the other hand, yellow is complex and even harder all the way around to get any power at all, requiring very rare materials, and generates even more heat. You won't find an uncommon wavelength, especially as a labby, for likely less than a few thousand. Judging by your sig, you already have all the basic wavelengths. They occasionally pop up as handhelds in the b/s/t thread, but likely you won't find them cheap anywhere in any format.

 

[Lia Johnson]

I'm already in the CNI GB with WBS for a 589 at ~80mW's, but a labby would genuinely make my collection look better .

 

[ultimatekaiser]

I agree, just crazy expensive for most things. But often most applications don't require more than a few mW so frequently you usually see better beam specs and stability as the focus instead. These handhelds from cni, laserglow, etc. are lab lasers too. They're just not as stable because of size and battery limitations.

 

[Lia Johnson]

Yeah, I'm not interested in some 5000mW 589. I mean the 473 at 300mW's is actually very affordable, but I just want something that I can enjoy and see a nice visible, bright beam, etc.

 

[cheech226]

Don't leave out a hene for a lab laser. You can get 4 more colors with them.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Don't leave out a hene for a lab laser. You can get 4 more colors with them.

Indeed. its pretty much the only way to get a 612nm, and a very effective way to get a stable 594nm. Similar to getting a 488 from an argon ion tube...

 

[swamidog]

go with 532nm. it's way cheaper than 473 and is a more visible wavelength.

since you're in canada, ping shawn at ultralasers:

Ultralasers, Inc

It's only illegal to import anything greater than 5mW. Because of the Radiation import laws. If it's already here it should be perfectly legal to own .

Edit: I did some pricing and found that 473nm is a lot cheaper of the exotic wave-lengths, but I was typically wanting to go closer to the visible wavelength around 556 - 561, maybe even 589. But my research showed me thousands. So if you can recommend me an nice beginner laboratory laser at a decent price for an exotic wavelength, I'd be really happy .

 

[Lia Johnson]

I already have a 532 which I'm happy with. Not really interested in repeating wavelengths until I get a decent collection first. Is 520 a viable option?

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Don't think I've ever seen a 520 labby. they're still pretty new lasers and as far as I know, the only way to get that wavelength is to make one for yourself. (or have a forum member do it for you they pop up now and then in the B/S/T thread)