What size (watts) laser...

DeepSpace · Post by **DeepSpace** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:54 pm

...would be best for long distance visability?

I have been rock-hard over the potentiality of bringing a laser to this year's burn but could use advice...

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:24 pm

Are you bringing a giant "laser"?

DeepSpace · Post by **DeepSpace** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:37 pm

Not "giant"...cost too much. But a handheld item that can be seen a ways...
Frankly, I'm surprised I don't see more at the burn...

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:43 pm

Somebody will be able to help you out I'm sure. There are some laser geeks around that's for sure. Hell, I walked by a camp last year that a whole shitload of lasers, splitter, intensifiers, etc and they were aiming everything at The Man.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:14 pm

A 20mW laser would be plenty. plus you'll see the beam real well since there is so much dust in the air.

Badger

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:16 pm

1.21 Gigawatts!??!?! Great Scott!!

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:19 pm

Currently on the market for handheld affordability, look at the 532NM green dots.

http://cgi.ebay.com/INTENSE-GREEN-DOT-L ... dZViewItem

Full daylight visibility for at least a half mile and they look freakin awesome at night if there is anything floating in the air. I have one mounted on one of my M-4's and was on a tac course at dusk and the beam was a solid thin shaft of magic green "bullets go here" from the muzzle to the target.

Prices have been falling a lot on these too.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:34 pm

Bit cheaper here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/532nm-Green-Laser-S ... m153.l1262

Don't get it for your gun though. The windage and elevation adjustment is a damn lie.

Badger

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:24 pm

DeepSpace wrote:...would be best for long distance visability?

I have been rock-hard over the potentiality of bringing a laser to this year's burn but could use advice...

I am a bit of a laser geek. What do you have in mind? "Long distance visibility" is still pretty vague. Do you have a laser show in mind?

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:46 pm

capjbadger wrote:Bit cheaper here:

Don't get it for your gun though. The windage and elevation adjustment is a damn lie.

Yep. Mine is dead on at about 35 yards. I can keep them in the torso of the target using it out to about 60 yards, after that, its just kind of pretty to look at.

I actually do not even have it mounted anymore. I switched to an EOTech and one of those super mondo xenon Streamlights.

DeepSpace · Post by **DeepSpace** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:43 pm

By long distance visibility I mean if I am on the last street of the City, say 6 o clock...someone out on the playa can see the beam..

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:15 am

Are you thinking of shining it in people's eyes? Or at the sky?

MozyBonz · Post by **MozyBonz** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:35 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:Are you thinking of shining it in people's eyes? Or at the sky?

I'm with Doug on this.

Maybe th OP should do more research before getting a laser for the playa.

Or tell us more of what he has in mind

Wikipedia wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser
Laser safety
Warning symbol for lasers
Warning symbol for lasers

Main articles: Laser safety and Lasers and aviation safety

Even the first laser was recognized as being potentially dangerous. Theodore Maiman characterized the first laser as having a power of one "Gillette"; as it could burn through one Gillette razor blade. Today, it is accepted that even low-power lasers with only a few milliwatts of output power can be hazardous to human eyesight.

At wavelengths which the cornea and the lens can focus well, the coherence and low divergence of laser light means that it can be focused by the eye into an extremely small spot on the retina, resulting in localized burning and permanent damage in seconds or even less time. Lasers are classified into safety classes numbered I (inherently safe) to IV (even scattered light can cause eye and/or skin damage). Laser products available for consumers, such as CD players and laser pointers are usually in class I, II, or III. Certain infrared lasers with wavelengths beyond about 1.4 micrometres are often referred to as being "eye-safe". This is because the intrinsic molecular vibrations of water molecules very strongly absorb light in this part of the spectrum, and thus a laser beam at these wavelengths is attenuated so completely as it passes through the eye's cornea that no light remains to be focused by the lens onto the retina. The label "eye-safe" can be misleading, however, as it only applies to relatively low power continuous wave beams and any high power or q-switched laser at these wavelengths can burn the cornea, causing severe eye damage.

DeepSpace · Post by **DeepSpace** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:53 am

I have no intention of aiming at people!
My thought (tho maybe I should shitcan the idea) was to simply aim at the sky and cause oooooo's and ahaaaaa's...

MozyBonz · Post by **MozyBonz** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:12 pm

DeepSpace wrote:I have no intention of aiming at people!
My thought (tho maybe I should shitcan the idea) was to simply aim at the sky and cause oooooo's and ahaaaaa's...

Don't get discouraged.

I see lots of lasers out there.

I thought of doing a laser reflected off high mirrors to make a laser trail in the sky. But the physics of the playa would make it hard to pull off safely.

Tell us more about what you are thinking.
remember the playa environment is hard on equipment.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:02 pm

Pretty interesting laser site here: http://www.wickedlasers.com/

bdeywoo · Post by **bdeywoo** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:04 pm

$30 at any spencers gets you one powerfull enough to shine it on the man from anywhere on the esplanade. Its not the pen/laser combo but it does look a lot like a pen.
Had one last year that worked wonders for pointing out stars and people walking way out yander on the playa.

I dont suggest pointing it at the eyes, trust me even intoxicated it hurts.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:10 pm

In that case.

Here's a hobby group devoted to laser light shows:
http://www.eio.com/lsrltint.htm
You can often get good lasers on ebay.

falk · Post by **falk** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:11 pm

I think beyond a certain (small) limit, you need a license. There is a good reason for this; powerful lasers really are dangerous. I believe the magic number is 55mw. Beyond that, permanent eye damage can occur faster than the victim can blink. And keep in mind that even though you don't *mean* to shine a laser in someone's eye, there's always the possibility that the beam could hit a reflective surface you didn't even know was there.

I know that illegal lasers are easy to get, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

That said, green lasers are far more visible than red ones. My perfectly legal green laser was visible for a reasonable distance. Consider getting a green one.

DeepSpace · Post by **DeepSpace** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:02 pm

I'm am thinking about a green one-
So I should stay under 50w....

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:00 am

No no... Not under 50W (Watts). Under 50mW (milli Watts)

Badger

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:07 am

Depends on whether it is CW or pulsed.
Yeah, 50 W is a studly little flashlight.

It could burn your HAND, forget about your eyes!

I am reduced to quoting from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_safety

PLEASE read this if you are considering playing with lasers on the playa:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audience_scanning
The eyes you save may be my own.

Post by **mdmf007** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:08 am

BitterDan wrote:1.21 Gigawatts!??!?! Great Scott!!

That would be most excellent - of course I thihnk at that power you would be burning mountains in half, and burners as well!

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:34 am

mdmf007 wrote:
BitterDan wrote:1.21 Gigawatts!??!?! Great Scott!!
That would be most excellent - of course I thihnk at that power you would be burning mountains in half, and burners as well!

But at least you could travel back in time...

EspressoDude · Post by **EspressoDude** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:18 pm

Lasers can be very dangerous. Retinal damage can occur even if the light is not visible (you may not see it).

Many reputable laser mfg. won't sell you one unless they are convinced that you know what you are doing.

Look up CDRH (govt. Center for Devices and Radiological Health - CDRH - Home Page.
www.fda.gov/cdrh ) and read about them.

One of my co-workers cut the end of his finger off with one, cauterized the wound and it did not bleed.....

LASERS ARE NOT TOYS!!!

Antranik · Post by **Antranik** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:31 am

I think you should keep in mind that the most powerful lasers will drain the batteries much faster, so... just a reminder, lol

Post by **mdmf007** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:55 pm

What frequency laser cuts hippies in half?

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:03 pm

193nm, Q-switched at 150Hz. That'll do the trick, especially if it's 30 Watts or more.

DJ Dominus · Post by **DJ Dominus** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:27 pm

EspressoDude wrote:Lasers can be very dangerous. Retinal damage can occur even if the light is not visible (you may not see it).

Many reputable laser mfg. won't sell you one unless they are convinced that you know what you are doing.

Look up CDRH (govt. Center for Devices and Radiological Health - CDRH - Home Page.
www.fda.gov/cdrh ) and read about them.

One of my co-workers cut the end of his finger off with one, cauterized the wound and it did not bleed.....

LASERS ARE NOT TOYS!!!

That never stopped the 5w argons from firing up and many a rave I went to back in the day. Get yer shades out and make sure your sober, enough, to dance dodge the scans pointed right at the crowd. Lasers are toys!

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:37 am

5-watt lasers are toys, yeah.

What size (watts) laser...

What size (watts) laser...

Re: What size (watts) laser...