Playing around with my new lasers - Lights, Lights, Lights! Read Only. No more posting. - PlanetChristmas! Forums. Read Only. We've moved to http://talk.planetchristmas.com - The Forums of PlanetChristmas have moved to http://talk.PlanetChristmas.com
I have a couple of dmx controlled lasers I will be using during the 'rock concert' portion of this year's show along with my moving heads, etc. I am absolutely in love with these things. Just arrived from China and they are spectacular. Incredibly bright.
Almost 300 patterns selectable via dmx, plus you can fully control positioning, etc... just way too cool. Here are some pics from the garage tonight.
And just to give you some perspective as to just how bright these beasts are... here's one with all the lights on.. most lasers need pitch black to even see the beam.. these are visible in a fully lit room, with just the usual dust particles in the air..
During the show, I am using a Lemaitre Neutron Hazer with dmx control and a Chauvet dmx fog machine to make the beams visible. I will start the fog and haze during the song preceeding the rock concert sequence so that the haze is well dispersed by the time the dmx stuff kicks off.
Please don't hijack this thread with a discussion of laser variances.. that can be discussed elsewhere.
ChuckHutchings wrote: Edit: Do you have a hazer or anything to use so they'll be more visible outside? How will that work?
During the show, I am using a Lemaitre Neutron Hazer with dmx control and a Chauvet dmx fog machine to make the beams visible. I will start the fog and haze during the song preceeding the rock concert sequence so that the haze is well dispersed by the time the dmx stuff kicks off.
Look cool, can you tell me where you got them and how much?
You said from China, did you have to meet a min purchase amount?
____________________ Kevin
Colorado Springs, CO
Moderation is the last refuge for the unimaginative http://www.coloradoxmas.com
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That laser is cool - the software is awesome but shipping is insane!
How did you ship yours?
____________________ Kevin Thomas
"When you believe a thing, believe in it all the way" - Walt Disney
99,999+ lights - 500+ channels - FM100B http://www.ChristmasInKent.com
Let your light so shine before others...
That is one cool laser setup. I would love to have one.
I worked with lasers for 5 years in the microelectronics industry. The lasers we used were more powerful and were used for etching/cutting. I was amazed that this laser was rated at 300mW. I searched the specification for the laser class rating and couldn't find one. So, I found some stuff by googling. Here is a summary and below is the link to the Wikipedia article.
Class IIIb Lasers in this class may cause damage if the beam enters the eye directly. This generally applies to lasers powered from 5–500 mW. Lasers in this category can cause permanent eye damage with exposures of 1/100th of a second or less depending on the strength of the laser. A diffuse reflection is generally not hazardous but specular reflections can be just as dangerous as direct exposures. Protective eyewear is recommended when direct beam viewing of Class IIIb lasers may occur. Lasers at the high power end of this class may also present a fire hazard and can lightly burn skin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_safety#Class_IIIa
This sounds about the same as what I was told years ago about lasers. You have a really cool addition to your display, but if I were you I would consider a set of safety glasses while testing it. You buy the glasses like safety glasses but made for a specific frequency--in this case 532nm. Outside I would think that it would have little chance in causing any harm without safety glasses.
I hope this helps. A friend of mine wants me to buy one, and I think that I would if I could convince my wife.
have you decided what "rock" song(s) you are going to use yet
can't wait to see them in action. I'm sure the neighbors were wondering what the heck was going on inside your garage
I think my neighbors are sufficiently broken in at this point that they probably never gave it a second thought.
As far as music, I am really thinking I will probably use TSO's Christmas Jam to keep it somewhat seasonal, although I would love to use Blue Man Group Time to start...Maybe I will use both.
Those are pretty spectacular. But I was wondering how you keep them from beaming into the sky? Do you have a large house to target? I noticed at the TSO show that they hung very large sheets of black cloth as laser targets.
I'm wondering because I was imagining using something like that but I'm in the approach to OAK and close to SJC and I really don't want the FAA kicking down my door.
____________________ Officially designated one of "Those People". Cashier at Fremont CA Wal*Mart, 12/1/07.
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." Attributed to Dave Barry
Kevin wrote: Look cool, can you tell me where you got them and how much?
You said from China, did you have to meet a min purchase amount?
I got mine in in March.... but in our circumstance I am taking the challenge of modifying mine to be legal for FDA & FAA (which we passed most of the test and made the mods and awating our variance.)
I have learned since ordering mine and it gave me some sleepless nights as it was going thru DHL to here that the US Customs agents (on their web site goes into details), they are actually in a "clamp down" mode trying to catch Chinese lasers at the customs. I read a story about them intercepting some 1,000 a month individually mailed, DHL'ed, FED EX'd and UPS'd Lasers stockpiling at the custom's clearing house in San Francisco, all are confiscated and being distroyed. Me and Bhay's got lucky and ours cleared and arrived at destination. I had an alternative address to bounce mine to in Acapulco, Mexico if customs was to send me a letter saying your laser will not be allowed into the country.
If you guys start ordering these, keep in mind sooner or later the source address from the sender in China gets on a custom's watch list so be prepared to loose your money if it happens.
Mods we had to make was to add a key switch that makes the laser inoperable if its stolen and without the key, had to add a permantly glued sticker identifying it was ClassIIIb.
Weird was Bhays said his was sent stamped as a "stage show device" and thats why his got thru, mine was labeled as "Dangerous High Power Laser and Laser Lens" and mine still got thru! I wish when I import palm seeds they were as easy, my seed packages always get opened and searched well before clearing customs so go figure.
BTW, mine has red and green laser... 1 inch from output, the red laser lights cigarettes on fire, the green does not. Mine is 140 mW and we just had it certified by a pyrotechnician a few days ago... the beam is class1 compliant (legal) at about 30 to 35 ft from the light, closer its way too bright. The beam on aerial lasers is not perfectly like a cutter laser, it widens enough to become safe on eyes at 30+ ft. The 140 mW red is... cant see it without lots of smoke... the green is easy to see in air, although hazers and fog machines dont seem to keep their smoke in the intended area for long, air moves and away goes your fog. I did find something economical to haze the air, burn hickory chips in a smoker or just burn mulch... doesnt smell as bad as smoldering leaves and smoke makes the laser much more visible then water vapor of fog machines.
Ok. Here's my official statement.
Don't run out and purchase a laser over 4.9mw (except for a Chauvet FatBeam and similar units that are 10mw but highly diverged so that the beam is too large to enter the pupil - or a pyro or twinkling stars type that split the beam into 50 or more separate beams so that no individual beam is over 4.9mw) without doing your homework and having a specific plan as to how you will become FDA legal.
If your unit doesn't have a keyswitch and safety interlock circuit that kills the laser diode if the scanner motors fail, forget it.
I have done the homework and feel reasonably comfortable that I know what I am doing with this. I am not recommending that anyone else follow in mine or Joe's footsteps without similar measure.
Now, as I said previously, THESE THINGS ARE FRIGGIN' COOL!!!
I believe if you use this outdoors you have to contact the FAA..... At least back when I was with Blue Oyster Cult we had to.... You read all the time of people being arrested for shinning a laser at aircraft. And an outdoor display would risk hitting an aircraft....
And thanks for sharing the pics.
