Laser

[addre...@invalid.invalid]

Hi
No, not a question on laser levels or pointers, but I have acquired a
1000mW 810nm laser and control box. I was told it was functional but
have not switched it on (it is marked class 4).
Is there anything entertaining that I can use this for (apart from
blinding myself)?

[Andy Dingley]

On 5 Jan, 09:48, <address...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>I have acquired a 1000mW 810nm laser and control box.

> Is there anything entertaining that I can use this for (apart from
> blinding myself)?

Not really. That's a dangerous wavelength - I presume this is a soft-
tissue surgical laser? You can't see it, it will cause injury, it's
particularly bad for eye injuries as your iris won't even notice it to
close down.

Try flogging it? See if abex.co.uk will give you some gelt for it?

[d...@gglz.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_safety

[pete]

On Tue, 5 Jan 2010 01:56:53 -0800 (PST), Andy Dingley wrote:
> On 5 Jan, 09:48, <address...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>I have acquired a 1000mW 810nm laser and control box.
>
>> Is there anything entertaining that I can use this for (apart from
>> blinding myself)?
>
> Not really. That's a dangerous wavelength - I presume this is a soft-
> tissue surgical laser? You can't see it, it will cause injury, it's
> particularly bad for eye injuries as your iris won't even notice it to
> close down.

You don't even have to look into the beam. Reflections (which you also
won't see) can be damaging, too. If someone gave me one of those, I would
strip it for parts, but I'd never try turning it on.

[addre...@invalid.invalid]

I saw a 5W laser on eBay for �2k (which looks much more impressive), so if I
can prove that my unit works, it might be worth trying to sell it.

[Dave Osborne]

No seriously. Don't muck about with it. Read the link to laser safety
Dom posted and be very cautious.

[James Salisbury]

I would strongly suggest that you do not attempt to turn it on. The
safety precautions required to use a class 4 laser are very extensive
and include no windows and so on.

Regards

James

[addre...@invalid.invalid]

I take on board all of your concerns, and will not power it up.
How can I test it before selling? Will it burn objects? If so, I can put it
in a sealed box and give it a quick try.

[addre...@invalid.invalid]

It has now turned serious. No, not the safety issue, but I've been told that
a similar new unit (the unit I have was new last year - so I'm told) is in
the region of �10-15k.

[Gordon Henderson]

In article <64a69c38-74e7-477f...@f5g2000yqh.googlegroups.com>,
d...@gglz.com <d...@gglz.com> wrote:
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_safety

And I wish I could remember the original source for this, but:

http://unicorn.drogon.net/stuff/laser.pdf

which may not help you here as you won't see it but..

Gordon

[Peter Scott]

> It has now turned serious. No, not the safety issue, but I've been told that
> a similar new unit (the unit I have was new last year - so I'm told) is in
> the region of �10-15k.
>
>

If it is 810 nm then the beam will not be visible. It will be short
wavelength infra-red. Even more hazardous then. You won't see the danger!

Peter Scott

[Andy Dingley]

On 5 Jan, 10:24, pete <no-...@unknown.com> wrote:

> You don't even have to look into the beam. Reflections (which you also
> won't see) can be damaging, too.

At this low power, your only reflection hazard is specular reflection
(flat shiny stuff), not a diffuse reflection, so one of the basic
safety precautions is to strip out the workshop of anything specular
(or cover it) before you start.

[James Salisbury]

I am confused why has such a unit been given to you, I would have
expected it to be sold on the open market?

Its a bit like getting hold of one of the large power transformers the
power company uses.

[The Natural Philosopher]

we use 60-100W IR (CO2?) lasers for laser cutting.

don't put hand in beam..

[Lobster]

Ew. The bit about not knowing that your eyeballs are boiling until you
hear the sound it makes, should dissuade most people...

David

[Adam Aglionby]

On 5 Jan, 09:48, <address...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

added alt.lasers from uk.d-i-y might be able to give you a better idea

810nm as others have commented is Infra Red , not visible to the eye.

1W is enough to cause you problems if you stare into it or its
directly reflected into your eye, so dont go looking down the
barrel ;-)

As a certified laser for medical use etc. with its calibration certs
etc it might be worth a lot , as an ex certified laser probably closer
to worth its weight in scrap unfortunately.Though the PSU might be
worth something.

810nm is not a lot of use as a pump , need 808, to obtain visible
green and there is quite a lot of low cost diodes in the 1W+ class at
these sort of wavelenghts

www.photonlexicon.com may be worth asking as well.

Cheers
Adam

[Andy Dingley]

On 5 Jan, 15:45, Lobster <davidlobsterpot...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Ew. The bit about not knowing that your eyeballs are boiling until you
> hear the sound it makes, should dissuade most people...

It's not _that_ powerful, nor is it far enough IR. This one will
create permanent retinal damage pretty much immediately. Although
that's bad, it is often noticeable enough to make people move before
they lose the whole eye.

It's only recently that I've encountered a class4 where I wasn't far
more afraid of its PSU than I was the laser. PSUs can still get you
from feet away, hours after you shut the power off.

[Helpful person]

On Jan 5, 10:56 am, Adam Aglionby <ledli...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 810nm is not a lot of use as a pump , need 808, to obtain visible
> green  and there is quite a lot of low cost diodes in the 1W+ class at
> these sort of wavelenghts
>

> www.photonlexicon.commay be worth asking as well.
>
> Cheers
> Adam

Surely the difference betrween 808 and 810nm is about 7 degrees C
operating temperature.

www.richardfisher.com

[Fleetie]

Adam Aglionby wrote:
> On 5 Jan, 09:48, <address...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> Hi
>> No, not a question on laser levels or pointers, but I have acquired a
>> 1000mW 810nm laser and control box. I was told it was functional but
>> have not switched it on (it is marked class 4).
>> Is there anything entertaining that I can use this for (apart from
>> blinding myself)?
>
> added alt.lasers from uk.d-i-y might be able to give you a better idea
>
> 810nm as others have commented is Infra Red , not visible to the eye.

Incorrect. It's easily visible, albeit with greatly reduced sensitivity.

Martin

[Steve Walker]

addre...@invalid.invalid wrote:
> addre...@invalid.invalid wrote:
>> James Salisbury wrote:
>>> addre...@invalid.invalid wrote:
>>>> pete wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, 5 Jan 2010 01:56:53 -0800 (PST), Andy Dingley wrote:
>>>>>> On 5 Jan, 09:48, <address...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>>>>>> I have acquired a 1000mW 810nm laser and control box.

> It has now turned serious. No, not the safety issue, but I've been told
> that a similar new unit (the unit I have was new last year - so I'm
> told) is in the region of �10-15k.

Are you unknowingly handling stolen goods?

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Steve Walker" <spam...@beeb.net>
saying something like:

>>>>>>> On 5 Jan, 09:48, <address...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>>>>>>> I have acquired a 1000mW 810nm laser and control box.
>
>
>> It has now turned serious. No, not the safety issue, but I've been told
>> that a similar new unit (the unit I have was new last year - so I'm
>> told) is in the region of �10-15k.
>
>Are you unknowingly handling stolen goods?

Could get his fingers burned.