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Thread: Brand new to the world of Lasers with ~$700 Budget. Suggestions and Opinions please!

  1. #21
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    I am excited to get started. I have a lot of spare time so perhaps I will make the voyage to oakland some time to see a show (im off of school until march)
    April eh? Are you doing coachella?
    Freelance Laser Operator in L.A.
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  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnthonyGarcia View Post
    I agree with that privacy is dead thing xD Me and a lot of my friends rarely care if someone knows my number.
    Im sure Jon and I are going to get along just fine
    I work in a corporate biz where discretion is the better part of making money. Where a competitor knowing where I was last week, can cost us a future sale. A bit different, older, world. It has its charms.

    Steve
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  3. #23
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    Anthony - just as a side note. You've caught the attention of some excellent resources on this forum. Not every newbie that pops up with a $700 budget looking for a cheap Chinese laser gets the time of day you've been given thus far. You DO want to learn from dsli_jon, mixedgas, dkumpula and others. Take Jon up on his offer since yes, he is very close. Biggest lesson to learn is that $700 in this endeavor is merely spare change. Hell, I've paid more than that in shipping, for a projector the size of a car battery.

    Keith also gave you a great suggestion that ought to be heeded by a lot more people... If you've got the bug or the interest, the best thing you can do with that $700 is use it towards attending a LEM. The NWLEM in a couple weeks would be huge for you. FLEM at the end of next month. If you're patient and can be satisfied with reading, learning and spending little time with Jon for a couple months, then SELEM in August. You learn so much at those events and being able to see and work with the stuff up close and personal - software, lasers, etc. before spending your own money is simply invaluable.

    There are times when I think I would have been MUCH better served using the money I've spent on lasers and used it for just attending LEM's and enjoying everything on other peoples dime! Welcome to PL!

  4. #24
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    I appreciate the warm welcome. I cannot wait to look back at the old Anthony with my 700 dollar Chinese budget. I wish I knew about the NW LEM sooner as I will not be able to take off time for that. At this point, Im still thinking of a $700 budget for a laser/DAC/software just so I can get my hands going with something until a LEM. Like I've stated before, I have quite the cash flow for an 18 year old and not many places to put it. I will gretly consider spending my next 700 on an LEM. And Jon? I can tell that him and I think very much alike

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    I am already looking back on decisions I made last year. Im sure I will learn in the future
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  5. #25
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    Quote: I have quite the cash flow for an 18 year old and not many places to put it. End Quote.

    Um, Call Vanguard and invest in a stable, low loss, high yield, long term fund.. My family has done pretty well with them.

    Find the right Gal when your young, as you get older, dating gets much harder in the digital world.

    Then play with lasers.

    Steve
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  6. #26
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    Chicks dig lasers - but they don't dig the fact that you spend more time with laser than them :P

    <single>

    Keith

  7. #27
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    Ah yes Steve but remember... once you have the girl... laser related expenditures get a lot harder... you have to learn to lie, intercept the mailman, spend nearly an equal amount in shoes and jewelry to get what YOU want, and, have friends whose address you can use to ship things to and a sympathic quiet person there who can sign for such packages! Burn holes in drapes, furniture and kitchen cabinets need to be fixed quickly! The list goes on.

    Because as we all know... pound for pound, it's the most expensive meat you'll ever buy!

  8. #28
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    the small green man said it best:

    suppose you're thinkin' about a plate o' shrimp. Suddenly someone'll say, like, plate, or shrimp, or plate o' shrimp out of the blue, no explanation. No point in lookin' for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconciousness.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by AnthonyGarcia View Post
    Im still thinking of a $700 budget for a laser/DAC/software just so I can get my hands going with something until a LEM.
    Between Etherdream and LSX you will most likely spend 500-600.


    Quote Originally Posted by Bradfo69 View Post
    Ah yes Steve but remember... once you have the girl... laser related expenditures get a lot harder... you have to learn to lie, intercept the mailman, spend nearly an equal amount in shoes and jewelry to get what YOU want, and, have friends whose address you can use to ship things to and a sympathic quiet person there who can sign for such packages! Burn holes in drapes, furniture and kitchen cabinets need to be fixed quickly! The list goes on.

    Because as we all know... pound for pound, it's the most expensive meat you'll ever buy!
    Isn't that the truth. I have stopped opening packages in front of my wife because I get the inevitable "How much did that cost".

  10. #30
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    LSX is (roughly) 130-350$ depending on the version.
    Ether-Dream is 180-200$ (case v. no case).



    Quote Originally Posted by SaltyRobot View Post
    Between Etherdream and LSX you will most likely spend 500-600.




    Isn't that the truth. I have stopped opening packages in front of my wife because I get the inevitable "How much did that cost".
    suppose you're thinkin' about a plate o' shrimp. Suddenly someone'll say, like, plate, or shrimp, or plate o' shrimp out of the blue, no explanation. No point in lookin' for one, either. It's all part of a cosmic unconciousness.

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