Killer laser:

[Jan Panteltje]

Anybody know what the output power of a DVD burner diode is?
Mike

About 200mW for a 16 x burner.

 

[Jan Panteltje]

It would likely work even better if the lens section from a real laser
pointer was placed in front of it.

He has a section with collimator lens added.
here is some more detail, diagrams, :
http://www.felesmagus.com/pages/lasers-howto.html

 

[Jan Panteltje]

There are a number of US companies who sell green laser pointers that
can burn.

http://www.spymodex.com/laser002.htm

mmm 500$ for the same thing (a 16x DVD burner is < 50$).
?
Not a good deal.

 

[Jan Panteltje]

I always thought the DVD lasers were infrared ?
The pinout of a laser pointer is definitely not
the one shown in the movie. The standard pinout
includes amonitor diode. The movie thus likely
is a scam.

Rene

You opinion is added to the round bin.
CD player started IR.
DVD has red laser (higher frequency shorter wavelength, more data),
and these days we have Blu-Ray (so blue laser, even shorter
wavelength, even more data).

Will he have UV players? maybe.

 

[John Schutkeker]

mmm 500$ for the same thing (a 16x DVD burner is < 50$).
?
Not a good deal.

Sure, a $50 DVD burner and $450 worth of precision shop work. Once I
used to try simple assembly tasks like that, and found them extremely
dificult for the amateur, and typically unreliable if not done by a
skilled professional.

 

[Jan Panteltje]

Sure, a $50 DVD burner and $450 worth of precision shop work. Once I
used to try simple assembly tasks like that, and found them extremely
dificult for the amateur, and typically unreliable if not done by a
skilled professional.

Sure some people have problems stick a fork in a saussage.
This project is not for them.

I have the same problem when I see somebody do a lot of vacuum stuff.
It looks simple, but I cannot do it.

 

[John Schutkeker]

Killer laser:

Legal? I think not.

The important question is, what sort of useful tasks could a home
hobbyist do with it? A magician could light flash paper from a
distance, and a home pyrotechnician could trigger fireworks, without
risking his hands.

But could it be used to ignite an alcohol lamp, a backyard barbecue or a
kitchen stove? Could it ignite a piece of tissue paper or a piece of
newspaper? How does the surface energy flux compare to a child's
assemblage of sunlight and a magnifying glass rig?

And how long would it take for the beam to become painful, if trained
onto someone's skin? Rather than debate it's legality, lifetime or
mechanism, we must look for applications. :[~

 

[Jan Panteltje]

Killer laser:

Legal? I think not.

The important question is, what sort of useful tasks could a home
hobbyist do with it? A magician could light flash paper from a
distance, and a home pyrotechnician could trigger fireworks, without
risking his hands.

But could it be used to ignite an alcohol lamp, a backyard barbecue or a
kitchen stove? Could it ignite a piece of tissue paper or a piece of
newspaper? How does the surface energy flux compare to a child's
assemblage of sunlight and a magnifying glass rig?

And how long would it take for the beam to become painful, if trained
onto someone's skin? Rather than debate it's legality, lifetime or
mechanism, we must look for applications. :[~

Sure, I have been thinking several times about an insect zapper.
I have this nice camera system with servos I designed, and
just this morning I was thinking about mounting the laser on it (so it
can quickly point anywhere).
Of course a simple movable mirror system would work too, and be faster.
The challenge is to get a good location in 3D space, maybe 2 cameras
to create a 3D model, then, at low power, point the laser, or scan it
near the insect, it would show up as a bright dot when hit, then increase
the laser power to burn it.
What would help with this, is a 10M$ grant from DOD, so once it works
it can be adapted for bigger lasers
Any ideas?

 

[John Schutkeker]

Killer laser:

Legal? I think not.

The important question is, what sort of useful tasks could a home
hobbyist do with it? A magician could light flash paper from a
distance, and a home pyrotechnician could trigger fireworks, without
risking his hands.

But could it be used to ignite an alcohol lamp, a backyard barbecue or
a kitchen stove? Could it ignite a piece of tissue paper or a piece
of newspaper? How does the surface energy flux compare to a child's
assemblage of sunlight and a magnifying glass rig?

And how long would it take for the beam to become painful, if trained
onto someone's skin? Rather than debate it's legality, lifetime or
mechanism, we must look for applications. :[~

Sure, I have been thinking several times about an insect zapper.
I have this nice camera system with servos I designed, and
just this morning I was thinking about mounting the laser on it (so it
can quickly point anywhere).
Of course a simple movable mirror system would work too, and be
faster. The challenge is to get a good location in 3D space, maybe 2
cameras to create a 3D model, then, at low power, point the laser, or
scan it near the insect, it would show up as a bright dot when hit,
then increase the laser power to burn it.
What would help with this, is a 10M$ grant from DOD, so once it works
it can be adapted for bigger lasers
Any ideas?

I'm sure you can find DOD's grant submission page without my help. It
soulds like a good, low power, low cost prototype that would prove
concept for the large scale system.

 

[John Schutkeker]

What are we, chopped liver?

Are theorists chopped liver?

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

Sure, a $50 DVD burner and $450 worth of precision shop work. Once I
used to try simple assembly tasks like that, and found them extremely
dificult for the amateur, and typically unreliable if not done by a
skilled professional.

What are we, chopped liver?


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

Are theorists chopped liver?

Only theoretically.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[John Schutkeker]

Sure some people have problems stick a fork in a saussage.
This project is not for them.

I don't think thsat sticking a fork into a sausage is a fair analogy for
soldering on those electrode extenders, nor getting the assemblage to
fit tightly into the "cap" of the flashlight. Notice also that the guy
didn't say anything about aligning the beam, after it's mounted. In a
professionally built system, there would be "set screws" for that, which
is a whole 'nother little design and assembly problem.

For complecity and difficulty, this problem definitely outranks the
building of the model railroads. ;(

I have the same problem when I see somebody do a lot of vacuum stuff.
It looks simple, but I cannot do it.

Now that's something that *I* can do.

 

[Jan Panteltje]

I don't think thsat sticking a fork into a sausage is a fair analogy for
soldering on those electrode extenders,

With my eyes closed

nor getting the assemblage to
fit tightly into the "cap" of the flashlight.

mm, the lens and holder for the laser diode is one piece, bit of 2 component glue
works miracles.
Heat it up for speed.

For complecity and difficulty, this problem definitely outranks the
building of the model railroads. ;(

Never tried model railroads, I never understood why people would spend weeks,
month, years building toy trains in the attic....

Now that's something that *I* can do.

Thats is why it is all teamwork

 

[Radiosrfun]

Killer laser:

Legal? I think not.

The important question is, what sort of useful tasks could a home
hobbyist do with it? A magician could light flash paper from a
distance, and a home pyrotechnician could trigger fireworks, without
risking his hands.

But could it be used to ignite an alcohol lamp, a backyard barbecue or a
kitchen stove? Could it ignite a piece of tissue paper or a piece of
newspaper? How does the surface energy flux compare to a child's
assemblage of sunlight and a magnifying glass rig?

And how long would it take for the beam to become painful, if trained
onto someone's skin? Rather than debate it's legality, lifetime or
mechanism, we must look for applications. :[~

Two things -

First: The young college student I spoke of in a previous post to this
thread - "was" found guilty this week - of using/having bomb making
materials in his apartment. He is to be sentenced later on.

Second: As to application.......... As one pointed out before - a "lit"
cigarette... Bad habit or delayed fuse igniter? A knife - is it being used
to cut meat, open a box, etc? OR to "cut" or "stab" someone? A gun - to
target practice, hunt or "murder"/"threaten one's life with"/"commit an
Armed robbery" ? A Baseball bat - used to play baseball or smash someone's
skull in?

"Application" - is the operative word. A big part of whatever is used. Yes,
it can be looked upon as a "weapon"/"threat" or be considered for what it
actually is.

As to the laser burning the skin or becoming painful - maybe if you do some
google, you might find out. I would have to imagine, with all the "laser"
surgery available - the doctors know this information and some or all is on
line to be had. Asking this question - is almost like reinventing the wheel.
Surely - some experimentation had to be done and caveats issued for lasers
to be used as wide scale as they are.

I can't recall the company name - but when I was in High School, they were
selling laser kits of at least a couple power levels - for what seemed to be
not too bad a price. I'm sure the stuff is still out there - or at least
plans. I browsed a book at a local Book Store and seen "Laser" plans - in
it. Are all the parts available? I'm sure they are - somewhere.

Back in my high school days - lasers were "science" in motion,
experimentation. Taking a container of a substance was usually considered a
"Science project". Anyone taking a knife to school was paddled, the knife
confiscated and that was usually the end of that. Today - the knife would be
considered a criminal act of some degree - if not terrorism of some level.
The "Substance" would probably bring about a HazMat Team response. The
Laser! Yeah, many could wonder your intentions. It may be up to you to sell
them your idea.

As some one already said - the world is nuts - and we've probably not even
seen the worse.

L.

 

[Barry Lennox]

A book of matches and a burning cigarette can make a dandy time-delay
fuze. ;-)

There's almost nothing that cannot be turned to evil. It just requires
motivation, not technology. Remember a couple of relevant quotes:

"Virtually every major technological advance in the history of the
human species-- back to the invention of stone tools and the
domestication of fire-- has been ethically ambiguous" .Carl Sagan and

"In my very early career, before the disenchantment, I helped develop
methods of covert warfare for use in the Viet Nam war, including the
making of explosives and incendiaries behind enemy lines from
primitive materials. The world really didn't need my technical help
in these matters. It already knew too much." ..............Dr Gerald L
Hurst (was Chief Scientist at the Atlas Powder Company and .holds
several explosives patents.)

 

[Paul Hovnanian P.E.]

Now, mount that on a shark.

 

[ChairmanOfTheBored]

Sure, a $50 DVD burner and $450 worth of precision shop work.

Bwuahahahahaah! An old DVD burner that has problems reading discs is
simply out of calibration... Perfect candidate, and no need to buy a new
drive for the job.

As for the assembly details, and kid that can build a model car can do
this. Sheesh, get a clue. That or you are just so damned clumsy that
you actually think an engineer is required for this less than one hour
hobby craft task.

Once I
used to try simple assembly tasks like that,

This remark is even more funny that the first!

and found them extremely
dificult for the amateur, and typically unreliable if not done by a
skilled professional.

You ain't real bright, are ya, boy?

 

[ChairmanOfTheBored]

The important question is, what sort of useful tasks could a home
hobbyist do with it? A magician could light flash paper from a
distance, and a home pyrotechnician could trigger fireworks, without
risking his hands.

But could it be used to ignite an alcohol lamp, a backyard barbecue or a
kitchen stove?

Well, if you knew ANYTHING at all about what the term "flash point"
means, you wouldn't even need to ask that question.

Could it ignite a piece of tissue paper or a piece of
newspaper? How does the surface energy flux compare to a child's
assemblage of sunlight and a magnifying glass rig?

Lenses and sunlight are used to burn 6 inch diameter holes in 3 inch
thick steel plates, so... what do you think? D'oh!

And how long would it take for the beam to become painful, if trained
onto someone's skin?

If it can ignite a natch, it can burn skin. Can you really be so far
in the dark here?

Rather than debate it's legality, lifetime or
mechanism, we must look for applications. :[~

No... *YOU* must look for a brain... *WE* already know what to do with
such toys.

 

[ChairmanOfTheBored]

Killer laser:

Legal? I think not.

The important question is, what sort of useful tasks could a home
hobbyist do with it? A magician could light flash paper from a
distance, and a home pyrotechnician could trigger fireworks, without
risking his hands.

But could it be used to ignite an alcohol lamp, a backyard barbecue or a
kitchen stove? Could it ignite a piece of tissue paper or a piece of
newspaper? How does the surface energy flux compare to a child's
assemblage of sunlight and a magnifying glass rig?

And how long would it take for the beam to become painful, if trained
onto someone's skin? Rather than debate it's legality, lifetime or
mechanism, we must look for applications. :[~

Sure, I have been thinking several times about an insect zapper.
I have this nice camera system with servos I designed, and
just this morning I was thinking about mounting the laser on it (so it
can quickly point anywhere).
Of course a simple movable mirror system would work too, and be faster.
The challenge is to get a good location in 3D space, maybe 2 cameras
to create a 3D model, then, at low power, point the laser, or scan it
near the insect, it would show up as a bright dot when hit, then increase
the laser power to burn it.
What would help with this, is a 10M$ grant from DOD, so once it works
it can be adapted for bigger lasers
Any ideas?

Some guys in Germany burned ten MB of data to a roll of shipping tape
about 5 years ago.

Holographic storage "cubes" using two lasers are going to be a reality
soon enough, just not from some guys DC powered, non-modulated hot pin
prick device.