Lasers

Is anyone knowledgeable with lasers?

That is so cool!

The laser specs similar enough that it should work. If I were you, I would at least try it...if it doesn't work, then you're out a lot less money.

If you try it and it works, post about it.

I've heard of people taking lasers out of high-speed DVD-ROM drives.

My buddy is an engineer at a company that designs lasers for manufacturing, Ill ask him about it tomorrow.

I like how as they're telling you not to point it at people, he's shining it in his eyes as he lights a smoke.

Just remember, electrical components are typically extremely cheap to manufacture.  It probably didn't cost them close to $7 to make that, much less $60.

That's both awesome and highly dangerous which is why you must make one and let me play with it. I might be able to find an old cd drive that you could gut for the laser but i'm not sure if that's the right power level. What I do know is that those lasers are dangerous though so you really need to be careful when building that thing. Also, don't trust your friends playing around with that, they'll probably blind you.

FE, so not true. A laser is only a weapon when you use it as one.  What you have is a simple solid laser, crystal diode. Class IV when you push the button.  That one could be used as an engraver on weak material, plastics and wood. I tried making a resonator in my basement about 10 years ago based on our 3.5 kw resonator. I scrapped it.

choopie911 wrote: Mmm, dead spots on the retina

or worse...I have a training video we did blowing a cow's eye ball up with a single 2kw pulse. the cow was dead at the time of the pulse shot.

400nm-480nm is visible light.  Damage to retina.