Maybe we do need to start worrying about a "beast"...

[allthatwhichis]

Just a thought, I am a full blooded American so I do not believe in banning anything. I don't even like having a "limit" set in most cases. So this is not a "ban handheld lasers" and I do not want it to turn into that (don't shit on my thread).

But I have not seen much mention of the "beast" that has been birthed; and it is a beast. There is now a visible laser diode, capable of... lets be conservative... I'm... not often... a half Watt... for $50.

O own a 1Watt RGB projector and I want to put one of these suckers in a flashlight just to have one and I consider myself fairly responsible.

The "beast" is the motherfucker that isn't responsible and doesn't give a shit about the "industry".

My only solutions is to point the problem out and hope someone wiser than I can propose something.



Don't get me wrong; I am estaic these are out on the market; I bought a damn projector of em, but we might want to start thinking about where they are going.

[ElektroFreak]

I was running group buys over on LPF for these diodes at about the same price as Daniel's here, but I've decided to stop doing them for both personal reasons and very much because of these concerns. I think $50 is just too cheap for these. It makes them too accessible IMO. That's a lot of juice to have around at all if you're inexperienced and it's far too much for a portable laser. Methods of control are difficult now that the cat's out of the bag, though.. it's not like Casio is going to raise the prices of the projectors just because of a bunch of laser people..

[jaycey]

Their buying them by the truckload over LPF.

Nothing anyone will ba able to do to avert these ending up in foolish hands and being pointed at planes...eyes...pet cats etc (Not implying that LPF members are all foolish!)


I think the biggest worry will be when ready made pointers start appearing on eBay.

[mccarrot]

I was running group buys over on LPF for these diodes at about the same price as Daniel's here, but I've decided to stop doing them for both personal reasons and very much because of these concerns. I think $50 is just too cheap for these. It makes them too accessible IMO. That's a lot of juice to have around at all if you're inexperienced and it's far too much for a portable laser. Methods of control are difficult now that the cat's out of the bag, though.. it's not like Casio is going to raise the prices of the projectors just because of a bunch of laser people..

Respect Elektrofreak, you have gained maturity now

Luckily these diodes have a higher divergence, at long distance this laser can do less harm than a 300mW red with very tight beamspecs.

[carlos3621]

ahmmm,,,, what are you exactly referring to Aaron?
are you talking about somebody building a megawatt laserpointer , using these diodes??

[allthatwhichis]

ahmmm,,,, what are you exactly referring to Aaron?
are you talking about somebody building a megawatt laserpointer , using these diodes??

Not that someone will build one, like I said, I might... want one, but I am more worried that someone(s) will be a dumbass(es) with it. I am not pointing any fingers; there are somebodys out there right now getting multi hundred mW handhelds and being dumbasses with them. Not many can afford half Watt handhelds though. There are not many somebodys who can make a 445nm handheld and be a dumass with it. Very few will think twice before putting the laser they made on eBay though; where a dumbass might stumble across it and dream of all the ways they can reach higher levels of dumbassness with it. Call em a "PointerAllen". You know they are out there.

[dsli_jon]

The "beast" is the motherfucker that isn't responsible and doesn't give a shit about the "industry"....we might want to start thinking about where they are going.

*sigh* ...too late....

[carlos3621]

yeah, i totally agree with you, i really dislike high powered pointers.....
like ive said before, its too easy to buy them, and too easy to carry around, just itching to turn it on, an see how stupid you can be with it...


@ Jon, what the heck is that in your pic? looks like a casio projector??
are you in the midst of a harvest too ??

LOL

[allthatwhichis]

yeah, i totally agree with you, i really dislike high powered pointers.....

No, don't get me wrong... I don't dislike high powered handhelds. I am just a bit concerned about this new availability.

[dsli_jon]

...whatup, bro?

its too easy to buy them, and too easy to carry around, just itching to turn it on, an see how stupid you can be with it...

...it's not the pointer - it's the pointer-owner, that's the problem... ie: 'guns don't kill people, people kill people with guns' ...but yes, proliferation and cheapness, with zero 'regulation' on imports, does allow these 'light-guns' to get into the hands of those with little to no regard (or even awareness-of...) for safety - THAT, imo, is the 'problem' with 'LPF', etc, etc... too much 'excitement', not enough education... ...but gosh - I guess the same could be said for 'overpopulation / drug/alcohol abuse / obesity'... 'self-regulation' - what a concept!

@ Jon, what the heck is that in your pic? ...are you in the midst of a harvest too ??

...not my pic - *AHEM* cough, cough.... ...you'll never see 'electrical tape' anywhere near my work.... ...though, I wish I was doing a 'harvest', right now... sure, I'd love to get a few (or 24) of those little beauties to experiment-with... just no time, right now...

'kit'...
j