Need ebay laser, easy to 'pot mod'

[Finny]

Hey there, new here and hopefully stick around if i get interested in this, hobby?

I Need to find a cheap laser and need your advice on wether it will be modifiable, the main reason i want one is for the novelty of lighting matches, popping balloons etc so it must be capable of that.

I doubt it, but is it possible to do with something like this:
(oops, can't post links ) , the link is an ebay 5mw laser with this description:
"5mW Green Red Laser Pointer Pen Led Light Torch" for about £5 roughly.


or do i need to invest in a little more, i really am clueless at this stage and any info is appreciated(would be great if someone could give me an example from a site in a pm), Thanks.

 

[SenKat]

For L5, I highly doubt you would get anything that is modifyable....Check out the prices at Dealextreme.com for inexpensive green lasers - I assume you want green ? Those combo led/laser/pens are garbage, and not able to be modified... DX (Dealextreme) sells greenies for about a dollar per milliwatt - you should go for a 50mw or above really to get the "burning" ability you want...

 

[Finny]

Ok thanks alot, so are you suggesting i should get one from DX above 50mw unmodified, or that i get one to mod?

 

[SenKat]

Well, since you want to burn stuff, and pop balloons - I would suggest a 50mw or above. Now, the problem with the 100mw and above new wish lasers that DX sells, is they leak lots of IR - the jury is still out as far as the total amount goes, but one reputable source put the amount of IR leaking from a DX 200mw laser at close to 50% of the total output power.

What is your budget ? Are you looking for a disposable laser ? A laser you want to keep for quite a while ?

 

[Finny]

Yeah, preferably a long lasting one i.e chargeable(which i doubt) or battery powered and the laser has a long life-span, but it's quite possible im asking for too much, for me this is purely, currently a novelty so i'd say my budget is £50 max, maybe it can't be done in this price range i don't know.

 

[SenKat]

As long as the laser is green - you can use rechargeable batts in it. If you could go up to £80 perhaps, you could get a long-lasting, high quality laser that owuld do all those tricks, and be well worth the funds with no need to modify it, which can be tricky at beast, and WILL shorten the lifespan of the laser. If you can go that high, then take a look at NOVA lasers - good prices, high quality. The DX lasers are notoriously fragile - I have not owned one long enough to figure out the lifespan - I sold them off, or gave them away - I have one 50mw module left - the DX laser without the body ! No good to anyone but me, setting it up as a labby laser for fun. Some folks have had better luck than others with the DX lasers, but at the price point of £50 you are looking at 100mw from them, with a lot of IR - the IR leaking means that although the laser is putting out 100mw of power, only 60% of it or so is green, the rest is invisible radiation. Those lasers lose their burning power pretty fast, depending on the distances measured.

 

[Finny]

Ok thanks, looking on youtube at peoples 50mw, i'm not sure they can light matches but can pop balloons, there is a video of someone lighting a match with one, but the comments say 50mw can't do that :S ? Would you say spending £50 on a 100mw from DX wouldn't have a very long life span? i really don't wanna spend that much on one that will last me a month tops or something. (Thanks for your help and fast replying)

 

[SenKat]

If you are positive that £50 is your top limit, I honestly would recommend oyu save a few more bucks to invest before spending on a DX....they are decent - some have had theirs for quite a long time, but I personally do not care for them as much as I like the other companies' brands...

 

[Finny]

Well i'll think about it, i looked on google and i can't find anything under NOVA lasers? is it possible to give me a link, thanks alot.

 

[yew.sir-name]

Well i'll think about it, i looked on google and i can't find anything under NOVA lasers? is it possible to give me a link, thanks alot.

http://www.novalasers.com

 

[SenKat]

Check out my review on their X-85 laser first....it may help you with making up your mind. I think the £ is almost 2 to 1 for the US dollar right now, maybe more - so you will get a hell of a good exchange rate, man !

 

[Finny]

If i were to get the X85 Compact Portable Laser, then i make it £86.20 roughly including the 5% discount and i really can't see my dad considering me getting one (Yeah i'm only 14, despite the fact it would be my money.) at this price, if i were to get one, i think i might go with the 50mw or maybe 100 from DX first?

 

[SenKat]

That is definitely your choice to make - the DX lasers are decent for the price you pay....the X-series, and others are more decent though Play whatif's for a sec....regardless of who you go with - if oyu buy laser A which is more power for less money, and it dies within 2 months (I am unsure of the warranty with DX) would you rather have spent the extra L26.20 and gone with a laser that most likely you will never need the warranty ? I am NOT saying you gotta buy form anyone - just look at all the facts out there, and judge....I will back off, and let you hear from some other folks - they can share their experiences, too....

 

[Kenom]

i've had two dx lasers now and am not overly impressed with them. I got an ok beam lots of artifacts. Don't like the fact that they seperate in half instead of havning the threads on teh tail end. Messes with me when I put batteries in. I've got one that is shooting at a 30 degree angle off the head. all around I will steer clear of DX in my mind it's more worth it to save the money and buy a QUALITY laser. it's going to give you better duty cycle, better beam divergence, better power and all around a better laser. Of course I'm of the school that believes quality is paid for. and if your not going to get quality then don't get anything. wastes everyone's time when you come back dissatisfied and want a replacement and/or refund.

Now I don't personally own a Nova laser. I have never beheld it's quality in person. I cannot speak from personal experience as to it's quality or anything. I will recommend the Nova over a DX anyday regardless of not having any personal information other than what I've learned here!