Laser Pointers Four One One

Laser Pointers. Laser Pens. Here's a site designed to tell you everything possible to do with one.

Click here for the laser pointer purchasing page.
Hello. And welcome to the Laser Pointer Information (411) webpage. No stupid fancy graphics or frames here, just plain, simple, and fast. I own, collect, and study everything about laser pointers. This page I've constructed has everything from fun things to do with them, to ways of modifying them. If you love laser pointers as i do, then this freak webpage will be perfect for you:) Laser pointers are incredible devices. This page explains all about them. If you have any suggestions on any things to do with them, or fun things to do...send it to me. I'll surely post it on my page for you. But one thing...i'm not responsible if you accidentally shine the laser in your eyes or others.

Laser Pointers 411: [411 for you]:

Recently, a new law was passed which said that you cannot shine your laser pointer at ANYONE. Shocked? You shouldn't be. No shining your laser at aircraft either. If you are caught shining your laser pointer at ANYONE, cops will put you in jail for a year. This page has been up for nearly 3 years now and this law meant i had to bump down our page. Well, freak dat. I just took out the fun things to do with lasers because you can remember what the topics were about for all you fans of diz site. Dont shine your laser pointer at anyone. No airplanes, no people. HahAHAHaha we feel weird writing that. Dont shine lasers at anyone. Aiite? WeLL, hope you enjoy da rest of what is left of this site.

What would you do in this situation? (Lasers 411 Laser Sniper Training Photo):

Okay. You see this picture? If it was at night, and you were hiding in your car with a lasernocular being able to see this place, where would you shine your laser?
See where your answer lies:
Red: You spur the moment and could have been seen by that man. Try not to let temptation make you get caught.
Orange: Good place to shine laser. Easy to see because it will be indoors. People inside may see laser dot.
Yellow: Laser will bounce off water and da person.
Green: What the??! No comment.
Blue: Shining it in the bathroom. Fun. Since the lights are off, laser dot will be really bright, and brighter to the occupants inside.
Purple: You are the true skilled sniper. You pick your targets wisely. Enclosed areas allow for high visibility of laser dot on victim. The light above them will cause their eyes to adjust to the light around them, causing them to not be able to see though the dark well. That means it is harder for them to see the glow your laser produces where the light comes out.

What you need to know when and before buying a laser pointer:

All kinds of claims are made on the internet and places about laser pointer range and brightness. The range depends mostly on the wavelength of the laser diode inside the laser pointer, as well as the biggest factor: the current lighting conditions, the amount of sunlight, or the kinds of interior lighting used in buildings, or the kind of surface the laser dot hits.

Definition of Range:
A claim of a 1500ft range means that after the laser dot travels 1500ft, it will still be visible IN TOTAL DARKNESS. You wouldn't be able to see the laser dot after it traveled 1500ft. in the day time. If a flashlight won't do it, a laser won't.

Laser diodes are what create the laser beam. The shorter the wavelength the diode produces, the greater the dot has in range and brightness. Diodes come in 4 standard wavelengths: 670 nanometers, 650nanometers, 635 nanometers, and 532 nanometers.
The abriviation for nanometers is nm, which means 1 billionth of a meter. The following distances are provided by the laser with the corresponding diodes. These are accurate only in total darkness...
Remember, a mile has 5280ft in it, and a half mile has 2640ft. There are 1760 yards in a mile.

532nm~6000+ft. Brightness provided by a Green diode laser pointer. Brighter than the sun. : )
635nm~4000 ft. The Most Powerful Red Laser you can buy...Ultra Bright
645nm~1800 ft. 645nm lasers usually come with the "underline" feature...Tad Brighter
650nm~1500 ft. Standard Wavelength on most laser pointers you'll find...Super Bright
670nm~1000 ft. Laser Pointers that are easily sold and $cheap$...Crappy Bright

Note: Laser pointers with "changable pictures" MAY appear weaker than the appointed wavelength designated to them. *These are the kind where you twist a "Bezel" to change designs. Not the kind where you twist off the heads for different pixes* If the laser pointer has a wavelength (nm) of 650nm, then it will PROBABLY appear as if it had the brightness of a 670 laser. Not all lasers with heads make a dimmer dot, but how would you know which lasers did when you were going to purchase one?. The lense in the head is not as super precise as if you were to purchase one with no changable picture option. They are simply just for entertainment. So I recommend this: If it's your first time buying a laser pointer, buy one with no changable pix option. You wont regret it! If you don't belive me, get a laser pointer with no changable pix option, and compare it to another laser which has a changable pix. Make sure they have the same wavelength..(650nm is recommended) Put the normal red dot head on the chanagle pix laser, and shine both the normal and changable laser at the same time against a wall. If you really can't notice a difference, then put both of them on binoculars, and compare the laser dots at about 1500 feet away. The laser with the dimmer, bigger dot, will probably be the changable pix laser. OK? I'm not saying that changable pix lasers are weak or anything, they are fun...it's just that...why buy one? You'll hardly use the other patterns....

Power Ratings:

Lasers, an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, is the strongest source of light ever created by man. For example, a one milliwatt (1 mW) or one thousandth of a watt laser is about 1,000,000 times more brilliant than a 100-watt light bulb. All lasers that are manufactured are NOT to exceed the power output of 5mW (mW: milliwatts) by law. Companies that claim to manufacture lasers with any higher power output are obviously telling misleading information. For the consumer use of lasers, the FDA (food and drug adminstration) limits the INPUT of laser power to 5mW. During it's passage through the laser generating circutry, power is of course lost. Therefore, the OUTPUT power does not exceed 3-5mW. Some are rated 3mW and some at 5mW, but they all produce the maximum power allowed by law. A few laser pointers are labeled 1mW, that's so they can avoid FDA regulation. If you ever purchase a laser without a warning label, it's probably 1mW.

Some companies try to equate the power output with the wavelength of the laser! They'll advertise this for example:
"Power Output 15mW, Equivalent"
What they're trying to say is that the brightness of their pointer, which has a wavelength of 650nm, and an input power of no more than 5mW buy law, is the same as the brighness of their 670nm pointer, also with an input power of 5mW. This is sooo confusing and annoying to the purchasers. I guess they say that to make it sound all fancy and technical. It just makes clear sense to rate the brightness of a laser next to it's wavelength rating (nm), since the power input (5mW) and output (3-5mW) is the same for most laser pointers. So don't let them get you-

What kind of laser pointer should I purchase?

The 650nm laser is most common and the brightness of the diode it produces is a great deal. It may cost a little more than a laser with 670nm, but with the 650nm, the dot is twice as bright, and goes 2wice as far. Lasers with 635nm are extremely brighter than the 650nm laser, and are sometimes hard to find. They're more expensive, but their power of brightness and range definately make it worth the money.

I, personally favor Quarton Infiniter laser pointers. That's the brand of them. They have the best looking quality laser dot, and all the lasers they manufacture look better than those cheap ones you can find in the mall. Don't ask which ones are, you figure out for yourself. Here is Quarton's motto:

Make your point with the Infiniter laser pointer from Quarton. High quality elegance and durability define the Infiniter laser pointers. When you're before a group to make your presentation, you must depend on your tools. Infiniter is 5 to 10 times brighter, and lasts longer than typical laser pointers on the market. The quality standards used in manufacturing these precision instruments serve as the benchmark for all other laser pointers throughout the world. Don't settle for just any laser pointer, make sure it's the original Infiniter," the Ultimate Presentation Power Tool."

Click here for the all exclusive Quarton Infiniter Laser site

Laser Pointer Batteries:

Almost all the lasers you buy should come with batteries, either AAA, AAAA, or the button celled ones. Laser Pointers which use the AAA or AAAA battery, usually have a constant on time of 6 HOURS. The smaller keychain laser pointers which use the button celled batteries, only have a constant on time of 60 MINUTES, or 1 hour. The button celled batteries are a little more expensive than the AAA, or AAAA, and don't last as long. But if you think having a keychain laser pointer is better than a AAA battery one, you get stuck with constantly purchasing batteries!

Eye Damage and laser pointer safety information:

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions, involving the danger of the laser beam to the eye:

Q: Will wearing sunglasses protect your eyes from damage from a laser beam?
A: Wearing sunglasses may reduce the risk by 20%. Most of the time when the laser hits across your eye, damage does not occur. So wearing sunglasses may reduce the risk.
Q: How long does the laser beam need to be shone on the eyes until damage occurs?
A: If a laser pointer is purposely shone into the eyes, and you happen to stare directly into the laser diode (or the opening where the laser emits from) maybe 5-10 seconds will do major damage. When you blink, you will continue to see light spots from which incredible brightness of the laser produced.
Q: Do you have to be looking right into the beam for it to damage your eye? If someone shined it into your eyes from an angle and you were looking somewhere else, would it damage your eyes?
A: This is the most common way someone gets hit with a laser to the eye. If your not looking directly at the laser, and someone shines it across your eye, you will normally see a flash of redish white light. Most of the time, your eye will feel 'numb' and the sensation will quickly subside within 2-10 minutes. If your not looking directly into the axis of the beam, damage normally will not occur.
Q: Are laser pointers illegal in schools, public events, or at sporting events?
A: Some states have banned laser pointers totally from ALL public, sporting, or any kind of event such as concerts, sport games, conventions, etc. People have been shining the laser at players while on basketball courts, baseball, football, etc., thinking that they can distract the playes or temporaily blind them while playing.
Schools where children have constanly brought lasers, and have used them for non-presentatious purposes, have banned them. Not all schools ban lasers, it's just up to them.
Q: How long does the laser beam need to be shone in the eye for it to permanently blind someone?
A: To permanently blind someone with a common laser pen, you would have to directly look into the laser apperature, diode, or opening where it emits from, and i guess you'd have to stare at the beam when you turned it on for a long time, in BOTH eyes??! maybe....5-10 seconds...and then you'll be sorry:)
Q: Does the laser harm the skin?
A: The common laser pointer will not harm the skin. Lasers such as Co2 which are for medical purposes, will burn the skin. But the common laser pointer will not harm it.
This isn't the whole article, so they'll be more soon.

*If you have any questions about laser pointer eye safety or damage, email me and i'll answer it for you.

The Visible Light Spectrum

As you can see, the conventional laser pointer would fall just after the 600 marker.

Click here to see what it looks like when you take your laser pointer apart

Laser Pointer CLASS Information:

Class I lasers - Lasers that are not hazardous for continuous viewing or are designed in such a way that prevent human access to laser radiation. These consist of low power lasers or higher power embedded lasers. (i.e. laser printers)

Class II visible lasers (400 to 700 nm) - Lasers emitting visible light which because of normal human aversion responses, do not normally present a hazard, but would if viewed directly for extended periods of time. (like many conventional light sources).

Class IIa visible lasers (400 to 700 nm) - Lasers emitting visible light not intended for viewing, and under normal operating conditions would not produce a injury to the eye if viewed directly for less than 1000 seconds. (i.e. bar code scanners). Some laser pointers are of this class, but very rare.

Class IIIa lasers - Lasers that normally would not cause injury to the eye if viewed momentarily but would present a hazard if viewed using collecting optics (fiber optics loupe or telescope). This is the class of the laser pointers today.

Class IIIb lasers - Lasers that present an eye and skin hazard if viewed directly. This includes both intra-beam viewing and specular reflections. Class IIIb lasers do not produce a hazardous diffuse reflection except when viewed at close proximity. May singe or burn through certain materials.

Class IV lasers - Lasers that present an eye hazard from direct, specularand diffuse reflections. In addition such lasers may be fire hazards and produce skin burns. (James Bond's laser watch)

Information all about "Green Laser Pointers"

I've been getting 50 email messages a day asking about green lasers, so here's a section all about them.
Green Laser Pointers are of course, brighter than red lasers. But here's where everybody gets confused...the green laser pointer is not more powerful than the 635nm red laser. Why? Cause they have the same DANGER class rating which is: ClassIIIa. Not Class IIIb in which those will burn the skin. Stupid people think green lasers burn the skin. No they don't. So the only reason the green laser is more brighter, is because the human eye is more sensitive to green laser light. If you shined a green laser in your eye, it's the same as shining a red laser in your eye. So don't try it. Green lasers are getting more popular every month. I hope they dont become too popular. Its nice to be the only one with a green laser, when everyone else has stupid, cheap, weakling red lasers. They are soo bright, that when you shine it through the air at night, you'll be able to see the beam. It looks really foggy and steamy, as if it was shining through that. But if there is just plain air, you'll see the beam. It's a lightsaber. No really. There are 2 types, the 3mW and the 5mW. The 3mW is cheaper, ($200-$300) but the 5mW is much much more brighter, ($400). There are links on the bottom of the page for more green laser 411.

How to keep your laser pointer in 'perfect' condition: Watch out for the rent-a-center truck and the cops!!! AHH!!!

Always remove the batteries from your laser pointer when your not using it. (take them out at night. Put them in when using) dont say, "What!?!?" just do it...trust me. If the bettery door requires a screw to open, don't worry about it.
Apply a coat of petroleum jelly to the place where you unscrew the battery door or end of laser...did you get that?
Keep laser out of hot temperature, over 90°, or always keep at room temp.
Avoid dropping laser from altitiude of over 2Meters. You can ruin the Laser Diode.
Never tamper with the lens laser lens diode. You might off set it and the laser will not be powerful. If something happenes to the laser lense, and when you turn on the laser, the dot is HUGE!....then email me, i'll help you fix it.
If taking your laser underwater, wrap it in Ziploc bag tightly, and suck the air out of it with a straw first.
Clean the laser lens regularly (every3-4 weeks) with a moist Q-Tips. And one more thing...dont' use soap.
Never let your laser be left in your car, the hot temperature of it will damage it. Take it with you.
And, don't try to open the laser up, cause you'll ruin it and you'll be exposed to laser radiation.
Did you know that everytime you press the button on your laser pointer to activate it, you are wearing down the laser diode inside? It's hardly noticable...but after you've had a laser for at lease a year, and you constanly are addicted to the red dot and love pressing that button...the laser dot will get bigger and bigger until a halo is VERY noticable around the dot. But don't worry about it...you will be happy for a long time. Just don't HOLD the button down for ridiculous time periods, like for 10 minutes. Not only does it drain your batteries fast, it's degrading the diode too! :) So short 2-20 second busts are approapriate.

Click here for a cutout of a Laser Device: (...that means you get to see what it looks like inside a laser pointer, actually is a laser sight for guns, but the same thing as a laser pointer...)

How to use your laser pointer for your job: I dont know why i put this here, i guess i was bored...read the lame suggestions anyways =)

When giving presentations, you can use your laser pointer to point out certain things on the overhead projector. Instead of getting in everyone's way by normally using your hand or a pen, stand back, and use your laser pointer and let the red dot do all the guiding.
If you work in construction or your an architect, use the laser to point out certain things of your project that are normally out of reach.
If you are a weather man, i've seen people use them on TV to point out things on the map when they tell us the weather.
If you are a doctor, use laser pointer when showing x-rays print outs.
If you are a teacher, you can use them to point things out on the black board or around the class room.
For law enforcement, we use them to point out things at crime sceens where we normally can't go. Or use them to show for example: Where the criminal ran or the window the criminal escaped from...etc.
*All so many uses, you can use them for anything.

Here are some Laser Pointer Facts and Information:

Click here to view high precision quality taken to manufacture a Laser Pointer Device:
Click here to view Danger label required on all imported and USA made laser pointers
Click here to view, "The Safe Use of a Common Laser Pointer."
Click here to view a whole page which is devoted to the dangers of laser pointers...this is a very informative site

How to attach your laser to a binocular: "AKA: Lasernocular®"

Use 'Sticky Tack' or whatever you can find to temporarily or permanently adhere your laser to a pair of binoculars. Use right hand to activate the laser. When you look into the binoculars, shine the laser and adjust it on top with right or left hand, whatever you are, so that the dot is centered in your field of vision. This is extremely accurate for aiming, and I use it all the time. If you have a rifle scope, mount the laser on top of it, and use the crosshairs to aim the laser beam. It's easy to snipe things like this. It makes aiming really easy also. And to mention, really fun. What's also pretty tyte about this, is that you can see how big the laser dot really is after traveling over 1000-2000 feet. After my 635nm laser pointer travels over 2400ft, the laser dot has a diameter of 18 inches....incredible brightness means you can see the laser dot on objects far away. But not visible to the naked eye without using the binoculars.

Look thru binoculars then activate laser pointer. Adjust accordingly. Have fun :)

Battery modifications for Watch Celled Battery Laser Pointers:

This project was submitted by: Gabriel Morales Thrustvector@juno.com

This is a surreal incredible project that my friend Gabriel conjured up. It shows how to modify a watch-battery-operated laser pointer to use AAA, or AAAA batteries! Since Button Celled watch batteries only have a constant on-time of 60 minutes, converting it to use AAA, or AAAA (which ever your laser uses) will increase it's constant on-time for the standard 6 hours on-time:) *ClicK HerE FoR thE SpEcifIcatIoNS* then please wait for the JPEG to finish loading.

Here's the proper way to hold a laser pointer and aim it:

1. First, pick up laser with right hand.
2. Then, place the end of the laser pointer between thumb and index finger of right hand.
3. Next, use left hand thumb and index finger and pinch laser near the front.
4. Hold laser close to face, and look down axis of laser pointer. Use this position to aim laser accurately. At night, if you do this, you can see the laser beam. Use your left or right hand to activate (right hand if it's clip activated, left hand if button activated, and reverse instructions if your a lefty)
See picture for proper way to aim Laser Pointer. Your right cheek would be touching your right hand.

Click here for a target you can print out to help you aim accurately

This is how to wrap your laser pointer in a Ziploc bag to take it underwater.

Supplies you'll need:
1. Ziploc bag
2. Two rubber bands
3. Laser pointer
4. Straw (Optional)
Now, put the laser in the bag, and wrap the bag around it, this shouldn't be too hard. Tie the rubber bands around the ends like the picture, and then, use the straw to suck all the air out, so it's air tight. This keeps it from leaking. Make sure you know where the button or clip to activate the laser is, then go outside, dive to the bottom of your pool with it, and shine it. (If you want to scare yourself, toss it into the pool then fish it out:) The laser will look all faded because it has to travel through the plastic bag, but that's Koo. K? Good. The coldness of the water will make your laser pointer hull moist. It's perfectly normal...but if your laser pointer is all drenched, then you have a leak in the bag :) hehehe. Not my fault!!

Here are some of the lasers I take for my missions...the rest are property of the æµ£ßà syndicate.

The code names/real names of them, starting from the top:
The Buggie/Infiniter 10
The Cargo/Lyte Optronics 1500
The Bond 007/Opcom's Ultra Clear Keychain Laser
The Sniper/Super Infiniter NBK
Hazmat3/Infiniter Mini 300
Switzerland/Ultra Infiniter NBK
Hehehe, no i'm just kidding, these lasers aren't really modified...they're just...normal laser s=)
These are just a sample of the powerful kinds of lasers I'd use on duty. Almost all of them have been modified, with extra components. My favorite one, Switzerland, has been refitted with a 530nm green laser! And the Buggie, weighing only 0.9 oz AFTER the modifications, can reach depths of over 2000 M underwater.
The Bond 007 has a tiny pinhole camera in it, and can withstand temperatures of -50°F.
The Sniper, has a QuANtum drill for taking through hardened steel.
The Cargo is just very rugged, can take a dropping from 20 feet, and still function like a beauty.
The Hazmat3 has been fitted with a 230nm green laser. Most of the lasers can go underwater, but the Buggie is the most versatile.
*Note: Most of these lasers are from normal companies, but they HAVE BEEN MODIFIED. So please don't email me asking where you could obtain these weapons of destruction....
**But...if you'd like to purchase the Switzerland (without modifications of course) click here: http://www.1above.com/laser_pointers/635.htm It's called the Ultra Infiniter NBK Blue

The Halo Effect:

This graphic depicts approximately how a normal dot pattern appears from most high powered laser devices. As shown in the graphic, a slight halo can be seen around the laser dot and the dot is slightly oval. The halo-effect is caused by the phenomena that occurs because the solid state laser diode chip is rectangular in shape and emits light on a plane. The light is then focused into a point using a lens. As a result, some spurious light emissions can be seen around the edges of the laser dot. Usually a small emission on opposite sides of the laser dot. Most lower powered laser pointers (670nm) do not have the halo-effect only because they are not powerful enough to create it. If the dot that your laser pointer emitts has a fuzzy ring, freckled spots, or a huge soft halo, it's perfectly normal.
This is what the dot of a 650nm laser pointer produces. Notice the fuzzy circle around the bright dot. This is perfectly normal. Do not ask me how to get rid of it.

Here are the best websites to see laser pointers and order them:

1Above the Rest Co the best laser site on the web! Specializes in: Quarton, Infiniter, and Beamshot
Discountlasers.com Nice Infiniter site. Specializes in Quarton Infiniters...just what we like
Laserplanet Odd laser pointers...very odd
Alpec Nice-looking laser pointers
Quarton Infiniter Has finally been finished, but you can't order from it.
LaserPointer It's Laser Pointer.net. Very cheap bullet laser. Excellent quality
LaserBullet This page has Laser Pointer Bullets
CheapLaser Well...they have really cheap lasers
Laser-Pointer.com
Liquidlite This company also specializes in Mass Green Laser Sales
http://www.gironet.nl/home/vosc Wholesale prices for Infiniter Lasers *Dutch Text*

Green Laser Pointer Sites
http://www.worldstartech.com/gpointer.htm
http://www.ktb.net/~toptek/Tglp.htm
http://www.amazing1.com/laser.htm
http://www.liquidlite.com
http://www.net-info.com/~dharp/green.html

eBaY: Very good place to buy laser pointers. Green and red.

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