How To Turn a Mini Maglite Into a Laser

[crenn]

Everyone keeps mentioning etching with these, what do you plan on etching, plexi? Metal? I don't see the use, if it isn't very hight powered..

How fast do you think it will die if I give it more than 3V? The bastard was at 150F after 3 seconds I swear (at 6V heh..) but what about 4.5? Or would it be more worth while to work on the lenses for more heat/power?

It's possible to have it so you could use variable voltages on the laser with relays, such as one voltage for etching, another for testing/targeting your piece. And because my idea is to have the laser stationary and have the material moving, it might be possible to implement some cooling so you can use 6v. But the other thing is to have a lens to focus to a tiny dot. That way you can have multiple settings by just adjusting the height of the lense in front of the laser... or at least that's my thought. I wonder if it's possible to get it working... worm gears maybe..... Oh well, when I can afford it, I'll let you guys know when I'm building it.

How would you power it up out in the middle of the wilderness? A lemon tree?

I agree with your last statement though. I don't really see any viable uses for this mod, but it sure would be fun to have if you had a bunch of balloons!

Actually yes, you could make a few lemon batteries if you have the right material.

Also, it's one of those because I can moments.

[Omega]

How would you power it up out in the middle of the wilderness? A lemon tree? :p

You have your mini-laser-maglite in a bag. A plane you're in crashes. It still has batteries in it.

So yeah. Batteries, dood, batteries. Anybody who carries a flashlight with no batteries in it is retarded.

[ownaginatious]

yes i agree, i don't mind killing ants or bugs becuase they don't really show any kind of emotion, at least i can't tell or see any. anything that makes noise when it gets injured i wouldn't hurt or kill.

But bugs are still living things 0.o It's not nice to harm them intentionally, unless of course they are trying to harm you (i.e. A horse fly or a mosquito).

[D1337]

You have your mini-laser-maglite in a bag. A plane you're in crashes. It still has batteries in it.

So yeah. Batteries, dood, batteries. Anybody who carries a flashlight with no batteries in it is retarded.

Im guessing the laser caused the plane crash in the first place.

[Omega]

Im guessing the laser caused the plane crash in the first place.

Probably not.

Again, this isn't really a viable weapon. While you're too busy pointing it at somebody all they have to do is hit your or move =/

also, getting into the cockpit of a plane is probably impossible after 9/11 so...

[DaJe]

Speaking of planes, it's a felony to point a laser at a plane, just so you guys know. Though you should NEVER point a laser at another human or animal anyway. As for me, I have lasers already, I like lasers, I know lasers, I know the dangers. I even put a big disclaimer on my worklog. I have one particular green laser than can go for 4.7 miles. As for my maglite laser, I'd most likely only be using it in a controlled environment, and wouldn't anyone as touch it, as I can't trust them with it. But you know, I think I'm just going to back out of this thread now. It's already gone too far off topic and has become to much of an arguement.

[crenn]

It hasn't gone too much off-topic..... well I don't think I have....

[crenn]

Would anyone like me to draw up my 'etching' station idea?

[DaveW]

Bingo. You could always use a convex lens to focus the beam.

That's not how lasers work. Lasers use a concentrated beam of parallel lights. Basically, the principle relies on 'constructive interference' (google it) allowing for a single beam to increase in intensity. Although pointing 2 lasers at the same place will increase the energy into the target, pointing a laser into a convex lens will not cause the beam to become 'more focussed'.

Just thought i'd clear that up.

EDIT: Oh, and you'd need a concave lens...a convex lens would spread the beam further appart...

-Dave

[progbuddy]

That's not how lasers work. Lasers use a concentrated beam of parallel lights. Basically, the principle relies on 'constructive interference' (google it) allowing for a single beam to increase in intensity. Although pointing 2 lasers at the same place will increase the energy into the target, pointing a laser into a convex lens will not cause the beam to become 'more focussed'.

Just thought i'd clear that up.

EDIT: Oh, and you'd need a concave lens...a convex lens would spread the beam further appart...

-Dave

concave


convex

Even though the principal of a laser is to concentrate light in one direction, you could increase it's concentration by lowering the surface coverage of the beam. Convex lenses create a focal point, even with lasers.

Also, either a convex or concave lens will cause a spreading of the beam, but one creates a focal point, and the other does not.