Spec me a laser pointer/pen

Darkst4r · 22 Dec 2010 at 18:55

Hi, I've been looking at getting a decent laser pointer/pen for a couple of weeks now just for the gadgetry of it but was wondering A: what the laws are regarding maximum output and B: what is a decent make or model to get ?

Ideally I want a green or violet laser, as powerful as legally allowed and for as reasonable a price as possible.

I've been looking at wickedlasers and dragonlasers but are they any good or is there better and cheaper out there ?

PapaLazaru · 22 Dec 2010 at 18:56

wickedlasers have an awful rep. Check out their forums.

Plus, I do believe they are illegal in this country.

tang0 · 22 Dec 2010 at 19:04

Ive ordered from wickedlasers before and not had a problem, and also I think they sell the best lasers out there

I think they're legal to own in this country unless you're misusing them

PhillyDee · 23 Dec 2010 at 07:55

There is specifics as to what powers are allowed. I can tell you now, green lasers are dangerous. I have one, but it stays with my Astronomy kit. 5mW is plenty.

Go out with that one night, and they see you without a good reason, expect to have some awkward questions asked of you!

Any reason you want one?

jp_bl_68 · 23 Dec 2010 at 10:08

PhillyDee said:
Any reason you want one?

I was about to ask the same thing.

I've yet to meet anyone who owns a laser pen who actually needs one. Normally they just want to use it to annoy/blind people.

psd99 · 23 Dec 2010 at 10:14

ah laser pointers used to want more and more

got myself a class 3a with <5mw back in the days

would like to get class 1 or 2 mmmmm

jp_bl_68 · 23 Dec 2010 at 10:20

What do you use yours for?

Skyrunner · 23 Dec 2010 at 10:34

5mW... toys, I've got a nice 15W (W not mW) 808nm IR one here in my workshop, now that's a laser ;-)

, specially designed for burning out night vision!

flibbage0 · 23 Dec 2010 at 10:39

Darkst4r said:
Hi, I've been looking at getting a decent laser pointer/pen for a couple of weeks now just for the gadgetry of it but was wondering A: what the laws are regarding maximum output and B: what is a decent make or model to get ?

Ideally I want a green or violet laser, as powerful as legally allowed and for as reasonable a price as possible.

I've been looking at wickedlasers and dragonlasers but are they any good or is there better and cheaper out there ?

My friend bought a green laser pen for £20, it has a range of 20 miles.

Did it from one side of the school to another, people were really confused.

Will get back to you.

Malt_Vinegar · 23 Dec 2010 at 11:11

I just have a cheap red one for cats to chase

Magic_x_uk · 22 Apr 2012 at 09:59

sorry to bump this, but i am looking for a cheap one just for playing with the cats as mine has recently broke. The cats love chasing it around the house. loads of fun. Any ones I should look at or any on that auction site ok for cat fun?

_dogma_ · 22 Apr 2012 at 11:49

The one i got for my cats was from pets at home and cost £5. Standard red pen and you can turn the light into different shapes.

Not sure why anybody needs a laser pen, unless you have cats

MBennett · 22 Apr 2012 at 12:15

Skyrunner said:
5mW... toys, I've got a nice 15W (W not mW) 808nm IR one here in my workshop, now that's a laser , specially designed for burning out night vision!

Pah, I have a 16kW NdYag back in the lab! For laser welding purposes

darael · 22 Apr 2012 at 12:34

Damn you, OcUK. Just bought a 5mW green laser pen from the auction site.

oli356 · 22 Apr 2012 at 12:38

Sure there was a massive thread about lasers..

This guy likes popping balloons and burning stuf with his: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4Oknc8onG8

Efour · 22 Apr 2012 at 12:49

jeez when i had a cat i used to play with it with a ball of string... now its all lasers and cyborg cats. Things change fast

Jay794 · 22 Apr 2012 at 12:54

Unless you do a lot of presentations, the only reason to own a laserpen is to mess about, shine it into peoples houses or at airplanes, which is illegal

Aedus · 22 Apr 2012 at 13:03

tang0 said:
also I think they sell the best lasers out there

Nope.avi

Importing lazers isn't illegal as such, but if you're caught messing about with them then you can land in serious trouble, doing things like shining them on Airplanes or in peoples faces.
5mW-35mW are pretty safe, 75mW is about when they start to burn skin (Just a general thing, some won't, some will), and you don't want to get someone in the face or eyes with that.

Green lazers are the brightest, so if you want a lazer which has a small beam, kinda like a light saber, then get green, violet won't be as bright.

http://www.dragonlasers.com
http://www.o-like.com/

Scythian · 22 Apr 2012 at 13:36

What is the law surrounding lasers? Is it illegal to own over so many watts? or is there no limit as long as you dont go doing daft things with it?

Aedus · 22 Apr 2012 at 15:00

Scythian said:
What is the law surrounding lasers? Is it illegal to own over so many watts? or is there no limit as long as you dont go doing daft things with it?

I don't think there's a limit to own 1, but if you're caught using them then yeah.
Basically mess about with them all you want at home, but if you go out I wouldn't go above 35mW, 5mW would maybe be acceptable, but 1mW is what's considered safe for a lazer, that's basically what lazer pointers are.