which laser is best to buy??

[Valid]

o ok now im thinking of getting the 1W 445nm over the 125mw 532nm since they dont last for more than 2 years or so. how long do u think the 445 will last? before it loses power? if i cant find anybody on the fourms to buy a 1W from what laser/website do u suggest?

I suggest you buy it from Rayfoss or O-Like, or any other cheap company out there who's lasers are reliable and up-to-spec.

How long it lasts all depends on how much you use it, how careful you are with it, etc.

Also, 1W is hell a lot of power to start with as your first laser, personally I wouldn't recommend it.


P.S. If your PARENTS are going to give you money for a laser, they must be totally dumb. :shhh:

 

[xLiGhTz]

is the 1W spartan good? i might get 1 from laserglow if they have 1, i havent checked yet. or from optotronics since both are good companies. and i know its ALOT of power but even though this is gonna be my first i know how dangerous they really are and i know how to be safe with them. im young but im not stupid. and i may use is for about 1 min tops at a time maybe once a day (maybe) and i want to get a hardcase for it like what the aries or hercules comes in, with like that foam in it and stuff. and my parents are buying it for me, they just dont know how powerful it is :shhh: lol

 

[Valid]

is the 1W spartan good? i might get 1 from laserglow if they have 1, i havent checked yet. or from optotronics since both are good companies. and i know its ALOT of power but even though this is gonna be my first i know how dangerous they really are and i know how to be safe with them. im young but im not stupid. and i may use is for about 1 min tops at a time maybe once a day (maybe) and i want to get a hardcase for it like what the aries or hercules comes in, with like that foam in it and stuff. and my parents are buying it for me, they just dont know how powerful it is :shhh: lol

I see, I see, well; Laserglow and Optotronics are both trusted companies afaik.

Don't underestimate a 1W laser, I once caught a stray reflection of a 200mW, which is NOTHING compared to 1W, and really, I hate those pesky blind spots .

Keep the duty cycle in mind!

And indeed, storing them in a safe place is never wrong, I personally store my 5mW> lasers without batteries in them.

 

[xLiGhTz]

ow that must have sucked i heard any mw over like 150mw can like hurt ur eyes for a sec and u will see like dots for a few mins or something like that idk. i know when i use i wont use it for very long at a time. im gonna try to get a protective box cuz when i get this i cant replace it until christmas a year later so im gonna do my best to take care of it and if i can get a box that locks or has a place where i can buy a lock and use it on the box in case someone tries to steal it or to keep my little brothers from screwing with it and maybe blinding them selfs or some stupid thing they do with it (which the wont). and a quick question are the 2W 445nm lasers as good as the 1W? im pretty sure im getting a 1W but a 2W would be pretty cool to but may be too powerful...

 

[Valid]

ow that must have sucked i heard any mw over like 150mw can like hurt ur eyes for a sec and u will see like dots for a few mins or something like that idk. i know when i use i wont use it for very long at a time. im gonna try to get a protective box cuz when i get this i cant replace it until christmas a year later so im gonna do my best to take care of it and if i can get a box that locks or has a place where i can buy a lock and use it on the box in case someone tries to steal it or to keep my little brothers from screwing with it and maybe blinding them selfs or some stupid thing they do with it (which the wont). and a quick question are the 2W 445nm lasers as good as the 1W? im pretty sure im getting a 1W but a 2W would be pretty cool to but may be too powerful...

150mW is more than enough to cause permanent damage, but you might get lucky and end up with temporarily damage.
If the damage is temporarily you'll have dots for weeks if not months, I've had mine for 3 weeks now, but they're getting a bit smaller now, but only a tiny little bit!
If it's permanent damage they won't even go away, the brain will just compensate for them as much as possible.

However, 1W will do WAY MORE damage than 150mW, and because it's 445nm you won't get immediate damage, instead of that, the photochemical effect kicks in, so you might end up blind 3 days after shining the laser in your face.

While it's unlikely you would go completely blind when taking a hit from a 1W, you certainly will end up with major retinal damage, permanent blind spots, etc.

You might also get very unlucky and hit some nerves, in that case, you can actually go blind.

2W is double the power of 1W, and to be honest, I wouldn't recommend it at all as your first laser.

Accidents happen, even if you think they won't. (I'm talking from personal experience here.)


Moving on, you should indeed LOCK the lasers away, you wouldn't like your brother going blind because of your laser.


Make sure to know the dangers, and if you're under 18 (or whatever the legal age may be in your country), tell your parents about them, they have the right to know. (Plus, it's better to tell them beforehand than to tell them AFTER you've got the laser in your eye.)

 

[Xplorer877]

They'll see how ridiculously bright they are right away anyways.

-Tony

 

[xLiGhTz]

i didnt mean to put 150, i meant 50mw my bad. i knew the little-more-than-basic dangers of them, but u made them a bit more clear. i wasnt gonna get a 2W yet maybe another time. if i cant get a locking case for whatever reason, i will hide it in a place they will never find cuz i dont want to have them get blinded and i get in trouble for there stupidity... and i might tell them after i get it so i cant return it. im not sure if they have a "legal" age. can somebody get me a 1 of ehgemus' links to the 445nm lasers hes selling so i can check them out?

 

[Xplorer877]

Reguardless of what wattage they are, ANY 445nm laser, uses the dame diode (the little thing itself that generates the light). So a 2w laser is the same as a 1w laser, cept the current through the diode is much higher. 2w is like the upper limit the diodes can run at. They'll get very hot quickly at that current and their lifetime is cut short.

IMO 1w is even too much for a handheld laser. I set mine to 800mW (.8w).

I don't meant to patronize you, but it's not a matter of "don't point it at my eyes". Don't point it at anything shiny.
Don't use it in the house without safety glasses.
Don't point it into the sky without first looking for planes.
Don't use it in public, it draws unwanted attention.
Don't let any of your siblings or friends use it.
Store it without batteries, and with the lens unfocused.

Start a WTB thread. Write "looking for a builder" or something like that. Someone should respond.

If you stay in the hobby eventually you'll wanna learn to build them yourself. Learning to solder is pretty easy. Just start out with a cheap laser diode to practice on.

-Tony

 

[xLiGhTz]

i know they use the same diodes just more power (and i know what a diode is lol) and i know all the safety stuff like that but 1 safety question say the laser was mounted and was pointing at a wall which im gonna say is white since the inside of my house is painted white, would it be ok to not where glasses just dont look at the beam dot on the wall for too long? and i wasnt gonna store it with the batteries in it, i saw a safety post on here. and 1 problem that might happen with that is scammers will respond and it will be there first time selling 1 and there isnt anybody on his page saying hes a scammer. thats y i was asking ppl for the best person to buy from so i know there well made and i dont get scammed.

 

[weidmark]

http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/fs-1-3w-445nm-guidesman-added-burning-video-58675.html

PM if you have questions

 

[Moebius]

if i cant get a locking case for whatever reason, i will hide it in a place they will never find cuz i dont want to have them get blinded and i get in trouble for there stupidity... and i might tell them after i get it so i cant return it.

i know all the safety stuff like that but 1 safety question say the laser was mounted and was pointing at a wall which im gonna say is white since the inside of my house is painted white, would it be ok to not where glasses just dont look at the beam dot on the wall for too long?

Like Xplorer877 said, don't use it indoors without wearing goggles.
A 1W to 2W laser focused on a white wall will reflect off the paint.
It can burn your eyes.
Don't hide your lasers.
Don't lie to your parents.
It's not just knowing the "safety stuff". You need real experience.
Don't you want to have fun with your laser?
A 1W is so bright indoors you'll be cringing in pain most of the time.
Start with a 150mW green. It will blow your mind. You'll thank me later.

 

[udanis]

nd 1 problem that might happen with that is scammers will respond and it will be there first time selling 1 and there isnt anybody on his page saying hes a scammer. thats y i was asking ppl for the best person to buy from so i know there well made and i dont get scammed.

Send flaminpryo a pm or dtr both are trustworthy and do a nice job