Question on incorporating lasers into model star ships.

[jay24k]

I'm designing a room for my son and would like to simulate a fire fight using lasers. I'm not tied into specific colors but was wondering if it was even possible to do this. I don't mind running wires through the ceiling and into a side closet junction box for power. At first I was thinking of doing just led's and have them blink at different intervals.

My main question is: Can this be done? I'm looking at maybe 12 to 18 laser lights shooting across the top of the room. Anyone have any good sites that explain into more detail?

Or can someone explain exactly what parts are required to wire these up?

Is this a possibility or do I need to go back and just use led's?

Thanks.

 

[lasersbee]

First....

to the Forum...
Don't forget to read the Newcomers section and the Forum Rules...

If you need to mount lasers into some Models then you will need small
lasers... Have a look at what this seller offers...

Laser Module 650nm w - APC Diode driver built -in 3.3mm on eBay.ca (item 120528952659 end time 16-Feb-10 14:15:46 EST)

These small lasers work off 3 Volts (2X 1.5 batteries)

Don't forget... the easier you need to see the beam... the bigger (phsically and power wise)
the laser will be...
You can see the beam of a weaker laser by putting particulates into the air...
(Fog Machine)...


Jerry

 

[photonaholic]

For safety sake, I personally recommend LEDs.

if one of the spacecraft were to somehow drop or shift, you stand the risk of directly exposing your son to laser radiation.

I like your idea, but it's very very risky.

Even with tiny laser modules, a direct exposure to your sons eyes can result in permanent damage.

There are some extremely bright LEDs available nowadays that would keep a child entertained.

When my middle child was a baby, I mounted a dozen flashing LEDs on her baby mobile, she would stare at that and make cooing sounds for hours.

 

[Asherz]

Yea it is very possible.

But it could be expensive, I would guess the easiest and cheapest route would be a mixture of low powered 5mW green and red modules, since you don't want them running on batteries I assume, the green modules run on a 3V DC source, so you would need to find a way off getting that to all the different models.

you said you also wanted them blinking on and off, this will probably be the most difficult part, I can't help much there but I guess if you have one source 3V DC supply to all the lasers, just have a timing switch which flicks on and off occasionally should work.

Wait until a few more members offer some help, in the mean time read up on all the stickies as they'll help you understand more about the construction of lasers, they're need for regulated current etc.

A link to some cheap lasers since quality won't matter much would be

dealextreme.com

Look at their 5mW green pointers, since green is most easily seen by our eyes it would be pretty visible, and safe for eyes in case one came out somehow since they are below 5mW.

It might be worth incorporating a fog machine into this product, so that smoke enters at the roof area and will linger there for a while, making the beams MUCH more visible.

EDIT: Everyone posted at the same time as me, as photon said, checkout the route of super bright LED's, they would work very well and probably more visible without the aid of fog.

 

[Deleted member 8382]

go with leds, you don't want to risk your son eyes...

 

[photonaholic]

Danger Will Robinson, danger.

It would break my heart to read in the headlines "Child blinded by toys"

Even if this kid is say 5-10 years old, they play rough, and the risk of one of these star ships shifting and pointing the lasers downward is even higher still.


Please I beg all responsible thinking members stop suggesting that it's even remotely a good idea here.

 

[Greenmechanic]

I think I would go LED's, unless money is no object.
I did some quick calculations and to do what you want with lasers would run at least $200. (9 X $5=red + 9 X $12=green) not counting the PSU and wires, controller, etc.
That's for the lowest power laser diodes and modules.
LED's on the other hand would be under $3 (18 X $.010=diodes + 18 X $.005=resistors)

 

[RA_pierce]

Danger Will Robinson, danger.

It would break my heart to read in the headlines "Child blinded by toys"

Even if this kid is say 5-10 years old, they play rough, and the risk of one of these star ships shifting and pointing the lasers downward is even higher still.


Please I beg all responsible thinking members stop suggesting that it's even remotely a good idea here.

Sure, there is a slight risk, but I don't think this man is going for "high power" lasers.
5mW green and red would suffice and be relatively cheap.

Also, at <5mW, the only way to achieve eye damage would be to intentionally stare into the beam for several seconds. Even then, the resulting damage would not be complete blindness, but retinal scarring, which would manifest itself as a small blind spot in the field of vision.

Also, since lasers create a single point of light, it would take some effort to get your eye exactly lined up in the path of the beam.

Jay:
Quite a bit of power is required to get a visible beam, even from a green laser. The visibility depends on the atmosphere and power. 5mW lasers would work for the lighting effect and not be dangerous, but the beams will not be visible. You can buy some smoke in a can that will provide enough fog to see the beams for a few minutes without needing a fog machine.
If you just want VISIBLE beams without fog or smoke, you're looking at >100mW of green and >400mW of red. Which can be expensive and dangerous in this situation.

This idea is pretty interesting and I do think it is a good one, but even cheap lasers are more expensive and time consuming to set up than LEDs.

If you want to make it safer and add a cool effect, you can purchase a diffraction grating (they can be pretty cheap) and attach it to the aperture of a few of the lasers. This will spread the beam into several. Each resulting beam will be <1mW if you are using a 5mW laser.

If you do decide to go through with this, I think 5mW red and green modules and a canned smoke/fog would be the best option.

 

[lasersbee]

Hey guys... you know I'm all for Safety....

I didn't suggest he install a SPYDER I in the Model...

I suggested a low power Red...
Here is part of the Description from the Link...

~3 mW of laser power output, Class IIIa. Can be factory set for Class I, II, or IIIa. We do custom work.

It has been stated a multitude of times on the Forum that Laser <5mW are
safe.

I don't think there is a real great danger using those... IMO..

Jerry

 

[jay24k]

Wow. Wasn't expecting all the responses. Yea he is 5 and they would be suspended where he couldn't get them. I'm all about making sure it is safe but I thought it would be nice to see the beam shoot across. I'm guessing the lower power ones probably won't show the beam unless something like smoke is in it's way. I'll look at the ones you provided. I know with LED's, you can make them have variable blinking but I wasn't sure with laser lighting if you could.

Edit: If I were to go with LED's, since you guys appear to be experts, what would you recommend? Any particular products that are brighter/better then others? I'm looking to it right the first time and don't want to have to tear a model apart to fix or repair. I'd like to have some led's for always on lights and then blinking at variable rates for the guns. Possibly blue for the good guys and red for the bad guys. I don't think wiring them up to do that will be an issue.