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How powerful laser would I need?

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Feb 8, 2013
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I'm making a device that has mirrors on motors and a laser pointed so that it reflects from one motor to another ( 3 motors in total ). The idea is to point it at a wall. and draw circles and stuff. the picture depends on the speed and direction of the motors. The motor part is good, and almost ready, but I need a laser to fit this jobs description.

The problem is that I don't know how powerful of a laser to get, those pathetic 1 mW laser pointers are .. well.. pathetic, but I don't want to burn a permanent track along the lines on the wall either :P. I'm hoping you guys can suggest a resonable power level for a laser used in this way.

In my mind, what might make it more difficult is that in a way, the light is spread out in a larger area, so a more powerful laser could be used maybe?
 





Depends on color. We see green the best, far-reds and violets the least.

I'd say 5-10mW of green, 25mW of red, 50mW of violet.
 
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You can find some cheaper lasers on ebay that are 5mW or stronger. To burn holes or tracks in your wall with a laser that inst focused to a pin point on an object 10 feet away you would need lasers most likely well outside of your price range and they wouldn't be "portable". :D
 
As long as you're not going to point this at anyone's eyes and just at a wall I see no reason why you couldn't bump that green up to 30mW.
 
just an fyi, this is called a 3 motor spirograph. seach it and find all kinds of info and photos.

Michael.
 


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