Anyone here like lasers? I’d like to build a laser but don’t know where to start. Any suggestions? I’m aware that lasers are extremely dangerous and can cause severe eye damage if it doesn’t blind you first. I will be careful.
2 Likes
I used to have a full sand table with all the goodies, Try Edmund scientific or the other guys. The other guys have really high wattage and can be quite dangerous. The name escapes me but you’ll know then when you find them. The other guys also sell Tesla coils in many different sizes. Always wear your protective eyewear even if you think the device is powered down. Have fun.
1 Like
Is Edmund scientific like a website or something? I took apart a small laser pointer I got from the Dollar Store… I wonder what I can do with it.
Diode, driver, host. Basically match em up. Many use cheap aluminum body flashlights as host. People used to make drop in kits for some host. You’ll have to look around as its been years since I did. The price goes by color and wattage iirc.
1 Like
All lasers (even my Dollar Store laser) have diodes, right?
I have a powerful green laser I use for astronomy purposes. It literally creates a beam of light that I can point at the night sky and the beam appears to be pointing at the star, planet, etc. it feels like your holding a light saber if smoke or fog crosses the lasers beam! I’d recommend buying one of those and dismantling it to see what’s going on. They aren’t too expensive.
4 Likes
Looks awesome, thanks!
2 Likes
You can find knock off versions on EBay for cheaper too.
2 Likes
Prolly a dollars’ worth of damage?
2 Likes
Haha someone made a video about lasers and he said the FDA only allows 5 mW lasers to be sold in the US and eBay sellers say they are 5 mW but they are way more… They do look fun…
2 Likes
Prolly.
1 Like
2 Likes
Have you built one?
Yes they are, out of New Jersey I think
1 Like
That’s the laser. Laser diode. 
People used to pull them from the DLP projectors for cheap. Others have gotten them from old disk drives and playstations etc. Not very strong, but lasers! You may need a lens to focus them properly.
Nope. I was going to build one years ago. If you can solder, it’s easy with a kit.
I decided not to build one after seeing the ease at which people were blinded at burning power (1kw & up). But burning stuff was the main draw to me so you need powa! Yet, when you accidentally reflect one off your fridge door handle and it hits a shiny sink part and blinds you in one eye from getting around the side of your safety glasses for a split second, I decided the risk/reward ratio wasn’t worth it. In a controlled environment that shouldn’t be an issue, burning balloons and the like.
1 Like
I have a few dance lights with lasers built in. Nothing scientific.
1 Like
I decided to poke around Edmund Scientific for a few out of curiosity and have now spent the last hour reading about holography and different types of lasers.
Pretty neat stuff
3 Likes
Couple of high powered prebuild sites.
1 Like
I’ve got a 13.5” reflecting dobsonion myself.
2 Likes
The holography is what originally got me also.
1 Like