Newbie here... safety question.

[jaredlcravens]

Hi all,
I just did my first laser build with the NUGM06T, with around 2 Watts optical output. I'm very excited, I work in gas discharge and neon, but always was eager to do a laser build. Now I feel an addiction coming on, as I already NEED to make another. I do understand the seriousness of the matter, but I need to inquire about certain conditions with no safety glasses. If I shine it on the ceiling, and I look at the green wall next to me, how dangerous is that ambient light? If I shine it on a tree a quarter mile away and observe the dot? Looking at the beam path through the night sky? The easy answer here, I know, is to just say none of it is safe, that I need to wear safety glasses at all times. And I'm not saying this is the wrong answer, I just wanted some clarification.
Thanks,
Jared
P.S. I definitely went overkill on my copper heat sink, it barely gets warm! Can I overdrive it? Is the current itself dangerous to the diode, or mostly just the heat that the current makes?

 

[zigzag123]

Nice build.. Thats is a nice heatsink for sure.
You can look at the beam and dot without glasses but your eyes will get tired looking at the dot alot.
2W's of green is BRIGHT!!
Glasses are more for burning which gets boring after a while, or at least to me or having extra pairs for friends to use if your showing them your build.
Its a very addictive hobby and the Blue diodes are best for burning reaching at over 7W's.

To bad you didn't join here about 5 years ago as this forum was rocking but now its a shell of what it use to be.
Still though. you can lurk the older posts and have fun.

 

[Encap]

OP, since you have no idea of what you are doing or why and no knowledge of proper laser use procedures or proper eye safety while using a laser study the following excellent and authoritative webs sites to get at least some idea about lasers and safety related calculations + facts

https://laserpointersafety.com/ best laser safety internet web site
and
https://lasersafetyfacts.com/hazard_distance_chart.html excellent explanations and charts.

Also see: https://laserpointerforums.com/thre...dont-turn-a-blind-eye-to-laser-hazards.71299/

PS Ocular/eye damage from a direct or reflected laser hit happens in less time that the human blink reflex of 0.25 seconds no way to make a correction before damage has happened thus the need for laser glasses/goggles + laser damage to eyes is cumulative over time.

 

[jaredlcravens]

Nice build.. Thats is a nice heatsink for sure.
You can look at the beam and dot without glasses but your eyes will get tired looking at the dot alot.
2W's of green is BRIGHT!!
Glasses are more for burning which gets boring after a while, or at least to me or having extra pairs for friends to use if your showing them your build.
Its a very addictive hobby and the Blue diodes are best for burning reaching at over 7W's.

To bad you didn't join here about 5 years ago as this forum was rocking but now its a shell of what it use to be.
Still though. you can lurk the older posts and have fun.

Fantastic thanks! Yes I'm going to definitely need to add other colors to my collection. Why has it been so abandoned, is there a reddit or facebook group that caters to laser hobbyists?

 

[zigzag123]

Fantastic thanks! Yes I'm going to definitely need to add other colors to my collection. Why has it been so abandoned, is there a reddit or facebook group that caters to laser hobbyists?

To many trolls I guess and not enough Mods to keep this place in check.
Plus to many new sellers of Chinese laser junk that work but mostly break at some point.
Its a shame as prices of diodes has come down so so much and new pretty WL's also.
Not to many builders of heatsinks anymore either.

Maby members like "Z80" and "Ricker" can help with machining..