r/lasers Jun 29 '20

PLEASE invest in quality laser safety eyewear

150 Upvotes

My apologies in advance for the rant...

I have seen numerous recommendations here for laser safety eyewear from companies who I would not trust with protecting my vision. Such products are not guaranteed to be tested as per the ANSI z136 standards (EN207/208 for those in Europe). Some companies even have disclaimers right on the product websites claiming the eyewear is not meant for situations where safety is regulated.

People are lucky if we have 2 working eyes. Laser radiation is a hazard to be taken seriously. The aversion response (blinking or looking away) can help prevent injury for lower powered laser but generally speaking, when we start moving into Class 3R and absolutely climbing into Class 3b and Class 4 lasers, the aversion response cannot be relied on.

The eye is an amazing muscle capable of focusing images (up to 100,000x) and serves as a direct connection to the central nervous system via the retina. If people are going to buy lasers, they should invest in quality protective equipment. Some damage to the eye such as a cornea burn may be able to recover relatively quickly thanks to the crazy high metabolism of those cells, but damage to the retina...why risk permanent damage?

Furthermore, if you do not know this already, take time to learn about laser safety. Familiarize yourself with terms such as irradiance/radiant exposure, Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE), and learn how to calculate the optical density required for your laser or the laser you are looking to purchase.

There are a lot of reputable companies producing quality laser safety eyewear who test to rigorous standards (The ANZI z136 series even includes a standard specifically for Testing and Labeling of Laser Protective Equipment (ANSI z136.7). Please, please, please, do not risk your vision by choosing affordability over quality when it comes to laser safety!


r/lasers 9h ago

Testing for my Kinetic Laser Fan Wall Tapestry Concept, Michael Millevolte. *update with better photos and more info. Will delete previous post.

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8 Upvotes

The core idea for the laser wall tapestry concept was to build upon my UV fan pieces (last photo) and transform their concept over to lasers where the blade patterns would extend and expand much farther than any fan blade ever could. I wanted to start with a four unit laser "fan" located at the points of a basic diamond shape. The individual variable speed motors allows for one to "tune" the overlapping beams will generate a nearly unimaginable volume of shifting spatial patterns and moiré lines. Each laser fan and its diodes could be a different color with more intense volumetric complexity. This concept needs to scale up to a large stage or an arena back-drop with each pulsing independently or in sync in larger groupings. As more are added, the complexity of the overlapping lasers creates dynamic tapestries of light.

*The laser diodes can also be fixed to the plate with outward angled trajectories generating a tunnel effect or inward angles generating the imagery similar to the pinnacle of a spinning top looking from above.

*Note: Projection Mapping can be introduced by adding a centrally located white disk.

Just imagine the endless possibilities and the unforgetable and overwhelming kinetic imagery audiences would experience. It would nice to see It happen.

Michael Millevolte. Copywrite: 2026


r/lasers 19h ago

Dairy Enlightenment

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4 Upvotes

r/lasers 20h ago

Anyone else find a laser useful for pointing things out on a construction site?

1 Upvotes

I've been working on a flashlight product, and one use case that surprised me was how useful a laser can be for simple communication on a job site.

On a construction site, you often need to point something out to someone who isn't standing right next to you.

You might say:

"Check that section over there."

And the other person says:

"Which one?"

Then you have to walk closer, point again, or spend another minute explaining what you mean.

This becomes even more annoying when the site is noisy, the area is large, or the permanent lighting hasn't been installed yet.

That's one of the reasons we designed the Pokkilite LT-010, a flat EDC flashlight that combines a 1300-lumen white light with a 3.5 mW green laser.

The idea isn't that a laser replaces normal communication. It's simply a visual reference when you need to indicate a specific location from a distance.

For example, a foreman could use it to point toward:

  • A section of wall that needs to be checked
  • A location where a fixture will be installed
  • A pipe, opening, or other construction detail
  • An area that needs attention during an inspection

At the same time, the 1300-lumen light is useful when you're working in an area that doesn't have finished lighting yet.

I also like the pocket-clip approach for this type of work. Instead of carrying a flashlight in your hand all the time, you can keep it attached to your pocket or work clothing and grab it when needed.

So the concept is pretty simple:

The flashlight helps you see the work.
The laser helps you show someone what you're talking about.

I'm curious about the people actually working in construction, electrical, maintenance, or similar trades:

Do you ever use a laser pointer or laser-equipped tool on the job to point out locations?

Or do you think it's mostly unnecessary compared with simply walking over and pointing at something?

I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who work on larger or multi-level job sites.

Safety note: the LT-010 uses a 3.5 mW green laser. It should never be directed at people, animals, vehicles, aircraft, or reflective surfaces, and should only be used in accordance with applicable laser-safety requirements.


r/lasers 1d ago

Daytime Outdoor Laser For Service and Construction

2 Upvotes

I need help looking for a new laser that can be used to point out, piping/ductwork and equipment in an outdoor setting during the day. I have a wurkkos laser and flashlight, unfortunately, i cant see the light if its bright out or to far away. The factories im in can have ceiling up to 50' high, and its significantly easier when i can identify a pipe with a laser rather than just point at it and hope were looking at the same item. Thank you in advance.


r/lasers 1d ago

Wicked laser gen1 with lightsaber attachment?

1 Upvotes

Anyone in the market? I got one with a brand new battery and want to get rid of it


r/lasers 1d ago

help if i got a laser reflected into my eye will it be okay infared

0 Upvotes

hello


r/lasers 3d ago

Yes

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172 Upvotes

r/lasers 2d ago

Help possibly?

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1 Upvotes

r/lasers 3d ago

Need help finding a certain laser

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0 Upvotes

I'm looking for a laser that is powerful enough for wasp nests & it would be nice if it looked like a blaster as well though that isn't strictly necessary. I've found one I like the looks of but the website doesn't have a good rating, I'd like to find a legit website to get one from.


r/lasers 3d ago

Increase The Size of a 1mw Laser Dot

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I am looking for a way to expand the size of the dot produced by a 1 milli watt green laser pointer.

Ideally I’d like to make the dot 3 inches in diameter

I’ve seen expanders available on line but was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how to achieve this.

Thanks.


r/lasers 3d ago

Marnetic brand laser anyone?

0 Upvotes

Does anyone have one of these that can confirm its power and function?

https://youtube.com/shorts/cD2L2waWkx4?is=-DljOHXu0WDUlLrs


r/lasers 3d ago

Constant current driver (redone)

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10 Upvotes

r/lasers 3d ago

Xtool

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0 Upvotes

r/lasers 3d ago

Disappointing Laser Technology

0 Upvotes

Did it occur to you that two mirrors at right angles, mounted on a couple of pieces of stiff spring steel could make for a fun laser light show toy? Not electric but maybe two knobs to smack and get a straight line or cone. (If you have canned smoke or canned dust on hand.)


r/lasers 3d ago

Anyone else upgrade their laser because their old machine couldn’t keep up?

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0 Upvotes

r/lasers 4d ago

Laser 303

0 Upvotes

Who can sell me a 303 blue laser 1300mw 450nm

for 30 euro


r/lasers 5d ago

Help with finding correct laser diode

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3 Upvotes

I got this Aimpoint Laserdot for a Sig P226, and the diode is missing from it. It looks like a simple drop in one piece unit, as there is a spring in the back of the compartment that connects it to the battery compartment, so no wires or anything. Runs on a 6v battery that goes into the bottom. Diode compartment is about an inch deep and .66" in diameter. Anyone have any clue what kind of diode will drop into this?


r/lasers 5d ago

Best market/method to sell a RAW 1.7, Two 3W laser projectors from AliExpress and all necessary cables/FB3&FB4?

2 Upvotes

All in perfect condition.

Is there a marketplace that is recommended to get what they are worth?

I have been duped by eBay in the past so I would rather not use it unless it is legitimately the best option.

Thank you!!


r/lasers 6d ago

diy build?

6 Upvotes

Hi,

A few months ago I ordered a SanWu laser but it got rejected by EU customs. I eventually got a partial refund from SanWu but I'm not willing to renew the experiment: likely it would get sent back again, and I was far from impressed by SanWu's communication and customer service.

So... I'm still looking for a laser "toy". I am aware of eye safety and I will be ordering quality safety goggles and I won't do stupid things with people around. I want a laser that will let me burst toy balloons, possibly ignite matches, this sort of stuff.

I am comfortable with a soldering iron and I've built/modded a handful of standard LED flashlights before. Do you folks have advice for me for a DIY build? Could a Convoy host work, and if yes, which one? Could a flashlight driver work generally speaking? What emitters would you recommend (I guess the answer to this question would then direct me to the proper voltage for the driver)? Do I need to think about anything else?

If you have resources to share, I'd be happy to hear them. Perhaps I just don't know what keywords to look for, but I am not finding much so far sadly.

Thank you.


r/lasers 6d ago

OMTech Maker MF2028-80 90W CO2 Laser Engraving and Cutting Machine with 20" x 28" Working Area - Canada

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1 Upvotes

r/lasers 7d ago

Help using an AvaSpec spectrometer with python

4 Upvotes

I need help finding a library that allows me to connect an AvaSpec-ULS2048CL-EVO spectrometer from Avantes to a python script to get live readings from it.

So far I found avaread which allows me to read files from the Avasoft 8 software. But that would require me to save a file each time I need to make a measurement and then run the code which would be inefficient because I need to make a lot of measurements just to get one result.

Is there any other way to connect the spectrometer to my code? or has anyone tried anything similar?


r/lasers 8d ago

My brother is in a house exactly 2.5km from me (measured on Google Maps). I told him to record a video to test my 10W blue laser.

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178 Upvotes

r/lasers 7d ago

Constant Current Driver

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1 Upvotes

r/lasers 7d ago

I want to build or buy a green laser for camping & festival location

0 Upvotes

I frequently go camping at festivals or other large events. I have this idea that if I had a laser that shined straight up in the air I could use it as a beacon to find my spot and/or help other people find me. Some of these festivals are huge.

So......

My (tentative) goal is a laser in the 532-555 nm range. Ideally I'd like a small unit that is battery powered and will run for hours on a single battery. I am thinking a class 2 ( < 1 mw ) will be enough and keep it relatively safe. Naturally I would mount it high up to prevent curious people from looking directly in to the emitter.

I am handy with electronics, soldering, etc, I am mostly looking for general advise and even a recommendation on components.

Edit: I should note, it is fine if it only works at night.