Missing My Wonder....

[IsaacT]

Does anyone other than me miss the wonder of getting your first high powered laser?

I remember mine like it was yesterday. I had ordered a 50mW 532nm and a 200mW 650nm Laser from Rayfoss. They were waterproof. The 532nm one wasn't focusable but I just remember being in awe of the pure green beam. To be fair it was the first 532nm laser I ever remember encountering somehow. And the 650nm burned and it just amazed me how light could transfer energy to the point of damaging things.

It has been a long time since then but I sometimes miss that "in awe" feeling I got when using those lasers. I think maybe making your own lasers takes away some of the mystery of it.

Now...don't get me wrong, building my own lasers is the best thing since sliced bread. When I make it, I get what I want and how I want it and in the host that I want it. But it is a completely different experience than how I started this hobby.

Anyway enough of my nostalgic rant. I am still in awe of lasers, but there is a small piece of that wonder that is gone and I cannot put my finger on it. Anyone else feel this way or am I the only one?

Thanks,
Isaac

 

[Photonz]

I think I can relate. I used to watch laser videos all the time and watch in awe of how powerful the 1W 445nm's ones were and how I wanted one so badly... but now I have a laser 3 times as powerful, yet the "in awe" experience just isn't there.

 

[jander6442]

Isaac is your girlfriend out of town or sometin.

 

[IsaacT]

Isaac is your girlfriend out of town or sometin.

No she is in town haha. But I have a very bad sunburn...like so bad I am afraid my skin is going to crack if I raise my arms. Its fun.

 

[Moebius]

I expect to be in awe again when I get a ~150mW 520nm.
Also when I get my first Yellow. Also when I get my first 2W 532nm labby.
It began for me with a ~90mW Newish PHR pen from Dave. Even though the beam wasn't extraordinarily bright,
the florescent properties were really cool. I couldn't get enough. But it was the Opto 150 pen that made me
realize I didn't have an ordinary laser. It was SO bright and the beam was SO small.
When I showed it to certain people it actually scared them a little.
I don't bother showing them my 445's.
I think the "awe" wears off after awhile but you can get it back :eg:

 

[crazyspaz]

I think the awe has worn off for me because nearly every single damn thing I've built has died. Hard to like something when you spend money on it, and the next day it craps out on you....I remember the feeling though, when i got my first 445, and then when i built my 520. I was amazed at the feeling of holding something in my hand, and seeing a solid green beam shoot up into the night sky, without any visible end.

 

[Tmack]

now that ive been building strictly for other people and not myself, the amazement has really worn off. although when i find something special, or new, i still get excited.

the new 405 have really been fun. burning from the amazing distances we havent seen before is very exciting.

 

[IsaacT]

Oh god. No....just no.....

 

[Rifter]

Isaac is your girlfriend out of town or sometin.

I was thinking the same thing!

And I only have one high power laser so for now im still in amazement, I am going to build a few more in the coming weeks so im sure that will change soon.

 

[Sigurthr]

Did she get stung on her lips, Mac? Lmfao.

Anyway...

I've lost the awe factor for almost all lasers. The only ones that awe me now are lab systems (DPSS and Gas) and yellows. With the yellows, it's every damned time I see them I get the awe feeling, which is why I love them. With lab systems, it has to be something new or special, or a particularly good specimen.

No hobby will retain 100% of its awe inspiration in all aspects, but some of them will retain most of it in a few if you really find one that fits you well. The trick is to keep pushing yourself to broaden your horizons and cherish the things that do still retain their awe.

 

[LtKernelPanic]

It's inevitable. The first time you see a 1W 445 you can't help thinking "holy crap!" but eventually the newness wears off. It still happens on occasion like last week when I got a JDSU 1145P HeNe. There's something about a high powered (relatively speaking) HeNe that's amazing to me at least. I can still remember seeing the violet color of 405nm after ripping apart a sled, extracting, and pressing the diode. It was one of those "Holy crap that's cool!" moments and years later that's still one of my all time favorite lasers.

OTOH every time I fire up one of my argons, 473s, or 589 I can't help getting that feeling of awe from them which is the main reason I'm pretty much only interested in (non532nm) DPSS and gas lasers now days.

 

[Thejoker301]

To be honest ... yes something is missing

I miss the feeling of getting my first laser built.

Today as I build many lasers for many people .. it is hard to find sometime for my self. I think I should build my self a nice laser ... Did not do it for a long time now ..

:beer:

 

[IsaacT]

Why does everyone think "wonder" is referring to my gf? Did yall just think I was depressed cuz I wasn't getting any? lol :crackup:

To be honest ... yes something is missing

I miss the feeling of getting my first laser built.

Today as I build many lasers for many people .. it is hard to find sometime for my self. I think I should build my self a nice laser ... Did not do it for a long time now ..

:beer:

Yeah my awe comes from building the best possible lasers I can for myself. I want my collection to be show pieces. Lasers that are classy as f*** so to speak. I need aethetical elegance inherent in my creations.

But the downside is that I make everything so complicated that the process takes a month or so. By that time I am expecting the excellence haha.

 

[busman2]

Hey Isaac, sorry to hear about the sunburn. I bet the girlfriend has lost her "Wonder" seeing as you are so badly burnt that you cannot "Raise" up for her. Your arms that is!:na:

 

[Thejoker301]

Why does everyone think "wonder" is referring to my gf? Did yall just think I was depressed cuz I wasn't getting any? lol :crackup:



Yeah my awe comes from building the best possible lasers I can for myself. I want my collection to be show pieces. Lasers that are classy as f*** so to speak. I need aethetical elegance inherent in my creations.

But the downside is that I make everything so complicated that the process takes a month or so. By that time I am expecting the excellence haha.

Totally understand. I just got my new Arcane 2.0 Host after a month. If I will be able to save my self one ... I think I will go with a 462nm diode. Like your Aquarius build Looks awesome ! :beer:

 

[Things]

I'm still in awe that only 5 years ago I was on these forums telling people that blue and green diodes probably wouldn't exist for a long time yet .. and now we have 1W available of each. Only 5 years ago your diode options were IR or 650-660nm. 10mW of blue? That'll be $400 please ..