First post, and a quick question about LaserCheck power meters
Hi all,
I stumbled across this forum a few weeks ago, what a great place
Loads of info, debate and interesting points of view.
If I may start with a quick question about the Coherent LaserCheck power meters? specifically where I can get one for reasonable money. I say reasonable because a quick sniff revealed that it's going to set me back about £366 (over $700) If I buy here in the UK - which seems a little
compared to the $335 (£171) our US friends can pick one up for.
I emailed RLI in the US about cost of shipping to the UK, but they seem unwilling to discuss the matter for some reason
Any thoughts would be most welcome as I *really* want to get my hands on one without getting financially punched in the goolies.
Ok, a bit 'bout how I found this forum, if you're interested
:
A mechanical engineer at heart, I got bit by the photon bug back in the early 90's when I saw a multicoloured beam table projector fill a club with a stunning aerial & graphic show. I woke the next afternoon(!) with an overwhelming urge to find out how it worked.
Sooo... after some investigation and deliberation, I purchased a 60mw argon head, made a PSU and eprom based scanning system/speaker style scanners (capable of a couple of a hundred pps - at best!) but 'twas was good enough for aerial shows. I made it safe, and hired it out (with me operating) once a week to a local club promoter & it started to pay for itself. One thing led to another, and over a couple of years I had built up a collection of multi-watt, 3 phase, water cooled projectors and was lasering full time. This was all going ok, then after a discussion at a display site with the UK's NRPB big cheese, I concluded (at the time) the future looked bleak for crowd scanning with any laser, the regs were being revised to the HSG95. I should add at this point, that all my projectors and shows were very safe (interlocks, shutters, masks, sensible power levels etc etc) and I pre-obtained the necessary permission/clearance (PM19 at the time) from the local authorities to carry out public shows. As the club scene was my main business, this potential crowd scanning issue (proved to not be the case over time) helped me make up my mind to do something I had been contemplating for a while anyway, and I sold the heavy ion lasers (for which my spine was very grateful) and shifted careers into IT.
Feeling sad, and in need of more LESER (Life Enhancement by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation) I noticed a few years ago that DPSS lasers started appearing on eBay for reasonable money, and have been collecting photon emitters and bit's and bobs ever since. Mainly Lasever stuff (I'm a big fan due to excellent service from the guys) I now have everything for a decent RGB projector. I just need the time to put it all together.
Anyway, I hope you don't mind if I pop in to learn, and perhaps help (or is it hinder
) from time to time.
Pit.
A little bit werrrr, a little bit weyyyyyy, a little bit arrrrgggghhh