For those electronically inclined people - survival laser

A

andrew7978

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Mar 19, 2007
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BEFORE YOU TRY THIS, THERE IS A POTENTIAL IT COULD BLIND YOU. PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND NEVER SHINE IT ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR EYES. THIS IS NOT A TOY. BEING BLIND IN A SURVIVAL SITUATION IS NEVER GOOD!!!


With that being said, I more posted this as informational, not for people to actually try to make because of the danger associated with it.



Here is a interesting video I found on how to turn a mag lite into a burning laser using a cd drive diode. Supposedly it can light a match from the heat. I wonder if it could light tinder.

http://lifehacker.com/software/diy/turn-a-flashlight-into-a-handheld-burning-laser-287252.php
 
You can also convert a regular laser pointer but the down side is you will burn up the diode very quickly and it also sucks the battery down fast. Youtube also has several "how to" videos on tweaking lasers.

Even though it burns them up it still looks like it would pretty cool to try.
 
yeah, but u have to make sure the tinder isnt reflective, if a bit of beam bounces into ur eyes u'll get a blind spot in 0.001 seconds

faster than u can blink ur eye
 
Just be super goddamn careful with it, since being blind makes a survival situation a fair bit worse. You do not want to screw around with anything in that power because it will blind you in less than a second. Some of the dvd burner lasers are in the "blind you if it reflects" class. As an added bonus, these can blind you before your CNS blinks as a reflex action. This is so not a toy.

I suspect you'll have issues w/ tinder, but it might be possible. The red light energy is even more energetic than IR, but 300mw or whatever you get out of it isn't all that much in the grand scheme of things. IIRC, the earth's surface receives about 1400 Watts (not milliwatts) per square meter in sunlight, so that handy magnifying glass will work a whole lot better if you can focus it.
 
loraksus said:
Just be super goddamn careful with it, since being blind makes a survival situation a fair bit worse. You do not want to screw around with anything in that power because it will blind you in less than a second. Some of the dvd burner lasers are in the "blind you if it reflects" class. As an added bonus, these can blind you before your CNS blinks as a reflex action. This is so not a toy.

I suspect you'll have issues w/ tinder, but it might be possible. The red light energy is even more energetic than IR, but 300mw or whatever you get out of it isn't all that much in the grand scheme of things. IIRC, the earth's surface receives about 1400 Watts (not milliwatts) per square meter in sunlight, so that handy magnifying glass will work a whole lot better if you can focus it.
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What he said!

All the DVD burner diodes have output powers that can cause severe eye damage.

Seriously folks - don't mess with these without taking your eye safety very seriously. I certainly do.

It is good fun though ;)

From a survival kit standpoint though, I would rather carry a lighter.

Rick.
 
I have to agree with you guys, the fact that these things can blind you scared me a litle and therefore I didn't try it, although it looks pretty cool. I think I'll add a warning to the original post just letting people know in case they don't read the rest.
 
but if you know these can blind you...you should be able to take the appropriate precautions.....

i heard a rumor that knives can cut you...so be careful. you have to be especially careful when trying to get spark off a rod with the edge up :D

okay...back to the thread topic....i have some limited experience with this stuff and i'll just say they are fun to play with but I wouldn't count them as reliable in an "oh sh!t" situation.

if you plan on playing with any of these toys.....here is a nice page on laser safety.

http://members.misty.com/don/lasersaf.htm#safyor0
 
yeah, i'd think if u got the right kind of safety glasses, there shudnt be any risk.

but tho there is a huge difference, in a millisecond generated permanent blind spot and sum knife cut that is healed the week after.
 
nephildevil said:
yeah, i'd think if u got the right kind of safety glasses, there shudnt be any risk.

but tho there is a huge difference, in a millisecond generated permanent blind spot and sum knife cut that is healed the week after.
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true.....but is it a lot easier to cut yourself with a knife than it is to blind yourself. You literally have to point it in your eye or catch a perfect reflection off a mirror. I've been "flashed" with a diffused laser light and with no damage...and thanks to this braille keyboard I have no trouble typing this message.
 
Not to be a killjoy or anything, but could someone please explain to me the utility of a laser in a survival situation? For signaling, a regular bright light would be more effective, because it doesn't have to be aimed as carefully to be seen (and won't blind your rescuers). To start a fire, a lighter, flint and steel or matches in a waterproof container are all more effective and less fragile. What other uses could there be?
 
Joel Stave said:
Not to be a killjoy or anything, but could someone please explain to me the utility of a laser in a survival situation? For signaling, a regular bright light would be more effective, because it doesn't have to be aimed as carefully to be seen (and won't blind your rescuers). To start a fire, a lighter, flint and steel or matches in a waterproof container are all more effective and less fragile. What other uses could there be?
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ZOMFG LAZERZ!!!!!!!888
 
Joel Stave said:
Not to be a killjoy or anything, but could someone please explain to me the utility of a laser in a survival situation? For signaling, a regular bright light would be more effective, because it doesn't have to be aimed as carefully to be seen (and won't blind your rescuers). To start a fire, a lighter, flint and steel or matches in a waterproof container are all more effective and less fragile. What other uses could there be?
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lil bit more serious now

like it has been said before, it is not a toy it is a weapon

so yeah

use it like a weapon

shoot birds out of the trees with it, blind them and see them bump into other trees then go collect

roasts bugs with it and eat them

stuff like that
 
Joel Stave said:
Not to be a killjoy or anything, but could someone please explain to me the utility of a laser in a survival situation? For signaling, a regular bright light would be more effective, because it doesn't have to be aimed as carefully to be seen (and won't blind your rescuers). To start a fire, a lighter, flint and steel or matches in a waterproof container are all more effective and less fragile. What other uses could there be?
Click to expand...

Since you see the beam - great for signalling like a light saber
 
morrowj_98 said:
nice idea.....use it start a fire then light saber through the smoke...how cool would that be. ;)
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With a strong enough green pointer, no smoke is needed, the beam is visible for hundreds of feet at night. Presume the same thing would happen with the red one.
 
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