Laser Delight

[Model Maniac]

Apart from military models, I've recently developed interest in laser pointers and
I've acquired the following during the past few months:

- 1 x 5mW 532nm Green Beam Light Laser Pointer
- 1 x 5mW 650nm Open-End Red Laser Pointer
- 1 x 1mW 532nm Green Beam Light Laser Pointer
- 1 x 500mW 532nm Green Beam Light Laser Pointer w/ Kaleidoscope Head (Shaking type)
- 1 x 50mW 405nm Violet Laser Pointer
- 1 x 5mW 532nm Green Beam Light Laser Pointer (another one)
- 1 x 500mW 532nm Green Beam Light Laser Pointer w/ Kaleidoscope Head (Rotating type)

(In USA, the law allows possession of not over 5mW Laser Pointer, in UK & Australia not over 1 mW)

And a few days ago I got another one which is the most powerful laser pointer available commercially.
It's a 3W (3000mW) Blue Laser Torch, as seen in the following iamges, compared with 500mW Green Laser:

While 500mW Green Laser Pointer uses 1.5V AAA x2 batteries, the 3W Blue Laser uses 3.7V Lithium
(#16340) x2 batteries. The set comes with 2 batteries, a charger and 5 Kaleidoscope heads.

Holes poked on plastic sheet and thick black plastic bag by the 3W Blue Laser. It can light a match
and explode balloon with ease:

Size comparison with 500mW Green Laser:

Watt comparison:

Pointed to the night sky at 60 degree. Only blue ray was visible through the camera lens:

Pointed horizontally with flash on, only blue ray was visible while the green laser showed only end-point:

Pointed horizontally with flash off, green ray is faintly visible at the left side of the blue ray:

Not because 500mW Green Laser is not powerful, it's just can't compare with the 3W Blue Laser!

 

[chukw]

 

[kryptosdaddy]

:dude The modern day magnifying glass vs. the ants, but I can't buy one here in the USA-This is just plain NOT fair :vmad

 

[reconron]

That's cool stuff for sure!

A couple of years ago someone used a laserpointer at AWACS airplanes from NATO Airforcebase Geilenkirchen,close to the place I live,he tried to blind the cockpit-crews with a laserpointer.
Think it could have been a disaster if he would have been successful.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=awacs%20verblind%20door%20laserpen%20op%20vliegbasis%20geilenkirchen&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CDMQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fplaatsen.inhetnieuws.nl%2FGeilenkirchen%2Fplaatsen%2FMaastricht&ei=sj45T-zaL4TL8gOpp-TSAg&usg=AFQjCNFYm-IQ4diJUYpdcpUGIikboaxX7Q[try Google translation from Dutch to English]

Greetings,Ron.

 

[moon puppy]

There were several cases of that in the US Ron..but i'm at a loss how to apply this to modeling. Will it heat up solder, plastic weld??

 

[kryptosdaddy]

Tell that ^^^ to the guy that scratch builds spaceships BB! I wonder if you can take one apart and mount it into a chassis?

 

[Model Maniac]

Thanks for all your kind responses!

Ron - as moon puppy told, there were cases in the US too. Here are a couple of links I keep:

http://www.laserpointersafety.com/tips/tips.html

http://calgary.rasc.ca/atmosphere.htm

moon puppy - I think I can apply this to modeling. Drilling scratches and holes on armors' turrets & hulls.

krytosdaddy - He can mount the whole thing there, just add mechanism to press/release button at its end.

PS - After reading articles in the links above, some of you guys might be interesting in getting a US legal 5mW Green Laser.
Here's the best deal on the Web, it costs only $ 4.94 and shipping is free worldwide. I've ordered several times from this seller:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5mW-532nm-Astronomy-Mid-open-Green-Beam-Light-Laser-Pointer-Pen-Class-3A-Black-/170769120696?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c2a1fdb8#ht_3106wt_905