What do you want out of a homemade laser?

[Phazonx]

there are many things that lasers can do. What you want out of a laser? for me, I like the nightime effects of seeing the beam at night.

 

[xanatos]

For me, yes, I like the look, but I like lasers that can DO something - like inscribe plastic, drill small holes, etc.

I'd really like a laser powerful enough to cut 4 mil thick plastic at a rate of about 10cm/second - stuff like that. Ideally I'd like a laser powerful enough to be useful around the house as a drill, knife, etc.

D

 

[Chris.]

For me, yes, I like the look, but I like lasers that can DO something - like inscribe plastic, drill small holes, etc.

I'd really like a laser powerful enough to cut 4 mil thick plastic at a rate of about 10cm/second - stuff like that. Ideally I'd like a laser powerful enough to be useful around the house as a drill, knife, etc.

D

I hear they give out guide-dogs free with those?

 

[xanatos]

LOL!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[Phazonx]

It was so foggy last night that my 150mw(assumed power level) laser beam was visible from the side!
Its fun to turn on your laser and go about 200 feet and stare down the beam path.

Unfortunately, I scratched my lens 4 times trying to open up the back of it. It still makes a laser beam, but some of the power of the laser is being diffracted as lines and junk along side the beam.

 

[Abray]

burning stuff and night time stuff are the cool things for me!

I like looking at beams during the night.
And popping balloons. and cutting electrical tape