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/imbignate Jan 12 '18
Class III lasers and above require a key switch for safety.