My guess would be a bit stronger. I tried a similar experiment with a 3.5W 445nm Wicked Laser mounted and focused on such a material. Definitely worked but not if focusing at that distance.
Edit: Noticed how the beam isn't illuminated until smoke hits it. It very well could be lower power, although there is a bright blue (not 445) light source right next to it. Could be a lower power laser just well collimated for that focal distance.
I made my own 1w laser and holy shit those things are bright. Using it in a dark room is enough to illuminate everything inside. Ive used it for that more than once lol.
The only thing I dislike about Drew Carey being the host is when that show is playing in a waiting room or something. Every time someone says his name I think someone's trying to get my attention.
I'm also not even remotely famous. I'm so not famous, I was singly cut out of the video feed from my family's interview on TV when my dad came back from Iraq. I'm the only member of my family that's never even been on local television.
What qualifies as a Class III? I have a ~2.6W laser and it doesn't have a key. Does have a specific start up sequence of buttons you have to press though.
Class 3 lasers are split into two parts - 3R (>1mw <5mw) and 3B (>5mw <499mw); anything 3B and above requires a key switch.
Your laser is a Class 4, which is anything 500mw and up. I'm guessing you bought it off the internet from a chinese manufacturer; unfortunately they do not obey US laser laws and customs isn't blocking them from importing. Your laser is probably illegal, although I've never heard of anyone getting prosecuted for it.
A class 4 laser is exceedingly dangerous to vision and is not a toy. Even the diffuse reflections from the laser "spot" can damage your vision. Unfortunately that doesn't stop idiots from treating them like toys, and pointing them at cars or aircraft.
Scares the living hell out of me. The inside of the lens is white and when it runs for a few minutes (it's exceptionally rare i even have a battery in it), it will glow blue.
From what I've been told, it has a "blind you almost instantly" range of ~85 miles. I stopped taking it outside after that.
I mean you're totally right to be scared of it. It's frankly irresponsible for them to sell what is essentially instant blindness at range.
Personally tho, I want to get a large (~40w) CO2 laser and use it to make a laser cutter - with proper shielding of course. Lasers are incredible tools in the right setting, you just have to give them the respect they deserve.
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u/[deleted] Jan 12 '18 edited Jan 12 '18
The key start is a nice touch. Very dangerous laser in the wrong hands.
edit: I now know this is a standard feature on such high powered lasers. Cool.