Re: New To Lasers

[spd2last]

Re: New To Lasers

define a nice green laser. do you want it primarily to burn or be visible? if you are going to build your own, most likely you will be building a red laser using the diode from a DVD burner, it is a great learning experience but it takes some work and patience. but if you've never seen a greenie before, i recommend getting one of those

 

[BlueFusion]

Re: New To Lasers

With $150 go for a Nova x85.
Will give you nearly 100mW power! and cheap as compared to a lot of others.
With extras ($179)
Without extras ($159)
Highly recommended to get the extras pack.
Oh and don't forget the goggles if you're going to be playing with this indoors.
And welcome to LPF!

 

[marianne]

Re: New To Lasers

the nova X85 is very nice, i have one welcome, acid!

 

[marianne]

Re: New To Lasers

currently, bluray diodes that you'd be able to obtain easily are like 7mW max, definitely not gonna burn anything green lasers are incredibly difficult to home build, verging on impossible for the average hobbyist - there aren't green diodes (i don't think at least, if there are they'll be hideously expensive), the average green laser works by sending an infrared diode's output through a special set of crystals and perfectly aligned optics. with a DIY red, it will be more powerful and cheaper than pen style greens (though there are handheld greens that can out-do a good DIY red, at the sorta $800+ mark), so it's really a question of if you want cheap burning power more than visibility. the human eye is way way way more sensitive to green light than red, so a 200mW homemade red would probably be outdone visibility wise by like a 30mW green.

 

[styropyro]

Re: New To Lasers

Like everybody says get the X85 from Nova. If you have any extra money to spend after that, buy a few 16x DVD burner diodes in the group buy and build yourself a powerful red laser for under $30 total.

 

[BlueFusion]

Re: New To Lasers

http://www.sp3plus.co.uk/green-diode-lasers.php
Green diodes!

Well, almost. Just a DPSS green in a 9mm diode package.
For all intents and purposes, a green diode! Except the price of course...

And agreed. If you are new, go for the x85, but if you really want to sink your teeth in you could build your own. Look around the other forum areas for lost of info on how it's done!
Once you have LOTS of experience making reds, try a BluRay. Not high power but the rarest sort of laser, absolutely blow you away if you've never even seen a green.

I do recommend the X85 first, but if you want to go the DIY go for it by all means!
Please however, take care of your sight, it's incredibly valuable, and buy a GOOD set of goggles for WHATEVER high power laser you end up with. Only a few minutes of reading in the Safety section is needed to see why.

 

[nes_ds]

Re: New To Lasers

I recommend that you invest into getting a green laser now, and if you get into it, and believe me...you will, then you can attempt making a red module.

I'm not sure if you know this, but a 200mW 650nm(red) laser will only be as bright as a 5mW 532nm (green).

And if you get a 650nm (red) laser, your not going to be able to find cheap eye protection, it will most likely cost you ~$60.

 

[Gazoo]

Re: New To Lasers

Of course I agree with the majority having an X105 that I absolutely love...get an X85 if you can. You will need goggles if you intend to try anything close up like match lighting, but you can get them from the above poster for a very good price. If you don't intend to get goggles right away you will need to be very careful to prevent reflections and what not from entering your eyes.

If you go with the red laser diode, you will definitely need goggles and we recommend the lasershades from Wicked Lasers. But I do not recommend their lasers.

And welcome to the forum..

 

[nes_ds]

Re: New To Lasers

thanks guyS!!! i didnt think i would get this much feedback!!!

i think im gonna go with the BFG laser i love the casing and the people there seem nice and speak the truth thanks

Take A LooK For Your Self

www .bfglasers. com

i am sure yu have heard of them any good?

thanks.

Don't go with BFG!!!!!

Sen_Kat (highly respected mod) reviewed their laser, even though it was before my time I have heard nothing but negative results when messing with that company. If my memory serves me right, they advertised their lasers as 200mW, but after getting reviewed by Sen_Kat, it was silently lowered.

 

[timelord]

Re: New To Lasers

My BFG kicks out 168mw and that was from the batch that was supposed to have a problem with a few of them...