Big green laser?

[danielbriggs]

Are there any CW greens with Laserscope-level output?
...snip...
those things are EXPENSIVE.

I want a Bloodhound SSC or a Bugatti Veyron; but I only have this ten pound note Sir...

I'm not going to be doing shows with a Laserscope (too scary).

In that case there are plenty of cheaper ways to kill/injure yourself.

[bwang]

If you can give people an idea of what you want to use the laser for and where you want to use it, then maybe we could help more with power level suggestions.

Mainly for my personal amusement. I like big lasers in the same way that HV people like Tesla coils - big, scary, and dangerous, but given proper respect and safety precautions guaranteed to give at least hours of fun
If I decided to do a public display, I would most likely get a couple of 445nm diodes, which are small, cheap, and "safe" (relatively).

[Phredy1]

MIT or not, bluntly putting this, you have no business owning a Laserscope. Nor do I.

Granted you can get mega power for maybe less than the cost of a DPSS laser, but a solid state laser and a Laserscope are two totally different things.

For an untrained person you can easily hurt or kill yourself or someone else. Electronics background or not, a Laserscope is not a fun big boys toy. It's something very cool when done by someone who knows wtf he is doing I will grant you that.

Personally, Laserscopes scare the crap out of me and with it plugged in and not turned on, you would not get me closer than 5' from that beast. I don't think anyone here is saying not to get into lasers, but "starting" with a Laserscope is like getting your first flying lesson launched from an aircraft carrier in an F18. Likely a Cessna would be a better place to start learning.

If you want something to play and learn with, I have a Chinese 100mw TTL 532nm projector with less than 1 hour on it you can have for $200 + shipping.

[White-Light]

Indoors or out?

Bear in mind outdoor with lasers you'll need FAA clearance or be facing jail.

Indoors in a home, a few hunded milliwatts of green is more than enough.

[danielbriggs]

Personally, Laserscopes scare the crap out of me and with it plugged in and not turned on, you would not get me closer than 5' from that beast.

Aww... they're not *that* bad...

[White-Light]

Aww... they're not *that* bad...

Nah you can only look at them twice, once with each eye!

[danielbriggs]

Nah you can only look at them twice, once with each eye!

Joking aside; they *will* kill you before they blind you...

[Phredy1]

Aww... they're not *that* bad...

You poke your fingers in the Laserscope. I'll stand far away and watch....

A wise Native American once said:
"Indians build little fires and sit close. White man build great big fire and stand way back."

[Phredy1]

Joking aside; they *will* kill you before they blind you...

Don't you mean: they *will* kill you as they are blinding you...

LOL

[bwang]

MIT or not, bluntly putting this, you have no business owning a Laserscope. Nor do I.

Granted you can get mega power for maybe less than the cost of a DPSS laser, but a solid state laser and a Laserscope are two totally different things.

For an untrained person you can easily hurt or kill yourself or someone else. Electronics background or not, a Laserscope is not a fun big boys toy. It's something very cool when done by someone who knows wtf he is doing I will grant you that.

Personally, Laserscopes scare the crap out of me and with it plugged in and not turned on, you would not get me closer than 5' from that beast. I don't think anyone here is saying not to get into lasers, but "starting" with a Laserscope is like getting your first flying lesson launched from an aircraft carrier in an F18. Likely a Cessna would be a better place to start learning.

If you want something to play and learn with, I have a Chinese 100mw TTL 532nm projector with less than 1 hour on it you can have for $200 + shipping.

I've played with big IR lasers and still have all my body parts, eyeballs included I'm just looking to get into the visible spectrum.
Although none of my other lasers were Q-switched, so Laserscopes might be completely different beasts...
Though its unlikely enough I'll ever get a Laserscope, so all this fuss is probably just hypothetical There are only two on Ebay at the moment, one has a broken power supply, and the other is $1000 + $500 shipping for an untested system. I do *not* want to truck a broken laser back to the seller