Making a one-off laser (12v)

[sarabande]

I want to have a laser made for a specific agricultural repetitive task. It's beyond my skill set.

Something like a 10mW laser, bright enough to be seen in daylight in a forest.

Any clever electronics people fancy a one-off job please ?

 

[Refueler]

If you give a little more detail of what's purpose .. don't forget that Laser even of small power should never be used to shine in eyes etc.

Low power such as you quote are many in the 'gunsight' and laser pointer range. I have a couple - one was for my Air-rifle and another looks like a pen .. used for pointing at items.

CORRECTION : The Gunsight lasers and Pens I have are actually significantly less power than OP wants .. but still carry Warning Labels about Eye Damage.

 

[ylop]

This used to be my sort of area 20 years ago. What you describe is probably a Class 3B laser. They have a significant risk of eye damage and there's no way you'd get approval for a product that was firing it round a forest.

Realistically (almost) nobody gets a laser "made" for them - you buy an off the shelf component and put it into a system with optics that do what you want. To do that you need to know the wavelength you want, the power output, beam diameter (and quality), pulse duration and frequency, power source, potentially cooling etc. Oh and budget, lasers can cost from less than a pound to over £100,000!

 

[penberth3]

......Oh and budget, lasers can cost from less than a pound to over £100,000!

Wow! And that's basically doing the same job as a piece of string.

 

[st599]

10mW is a 3B Laser which
"may have sufficient power to cause an eye injury, both from the direct beam and from reflections"
"are therefore considered hazardous to the eye"
"may produce minor skin injuries or even pose a risk of igniting flammable materials"
"not suitable for general use by consumers."

 

[WoodyP]

The only use l can think of would be for laying land drainage in which case you can hire suitable kit.
I used to use the old fashioned dumpy levels when we were doing schemes in the Cambridgeshire fens. It's not as flat as you may think.

 

[Refueler]

I checked again and I must correct .... 10mW is actually a lot higher than the Gunsight lasers I have .... and those carry warning labels about eye damage.

 

[jamie N]

I know nothing about lasers except that our sailing club has loads of them(of course), but I'm intriqued about @sarabande purpose for one of them?

 

[Refueler]

I know nothing about lasers except that our sailing club has loads of them(of course), but I'm intriqued about @sarabande purpose for one of them?

Loads of them ... for what ????

 

[ylop]

Wow! And that's basically doing the same job as a piece of string.

Well at the £10 end of things yes, at £100,000 it’s more likely to be welding or cutting or doing something very, very fast.

 

[ylop]

Loads of them ... for what ????

Oh Refueler! Teenagers (and those who think they are teenagers) use them to go round in circles whilst arguing about technicalities…. It much like this place but with more chance of getting wet…

 

[Refueler]

Oh Refueler! Teenagers (and those who think they are teenagers) use them to go round in circles whilst arguing about technicalities…. It much like this place but with more chance of getting wet…

Maybe Jamie N can answer ? I'm intrigued why a Sailing Club would have 'loads of them' ....

 

[ylop]

Maybe Jamie N can answer ? I'm intrigued why a Sailing Club would have 'loads of them' ....

He means Laser Dinghies!

 

[Refueler]

He means Laser Dinghies!

Fine ... nice that you understand his lateral comment.

 

[dunedin]

I know nothing about lasers except that our sailing club has loads of them(of course), but I'm intriqued about @sarabande purpose for one of them?

Not now you don’t - they are ILCA’s (to avoid a tedious litigation).

 

[jamie N]

Fine ... nice that you understand his lateral comment.

 

[Aja]

Not now you don’t - they are ILCA’s (to avoid a tedious litigation).

Mines still a 'Laser' it's not in competition.

 

[William_H]

The actual purpose the OP has in mind is not clear. I suspect his guess at 10mw is all wrong and he could use a much lower power. Simple answer is to buy a laser pointer and see if that will do the job he has in mind. Not difficult to connect a voltage regualtor to provide the voltage for supply that pointer needs. (ie 3v). ol'will