Discovered this company recently... Awesome stuff!!!

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Real lasers you can burn stuff with!    

http://www.wickedlasers.com/

I HAVE to find a way to save up some money to get me one!!!   

[captain spaulding]

Those lasers are sweet. Did you check out the flashlight? Claims to be the worlds strongest. 4100 lumens! 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TsV3-IvS8UA#!

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Yeah, I saw that.  I suppose it's true in a technical sense...  FourSevens has a light now that puts out something like 18,000 lumens, but it's not a 'flashlight'.  I saw some things on CPF about it when it was in the prototype stage, and as far as I know it's now a production item, although I can't see what kind of demand they'd have for it.   

Wicked Lasers, though, has an attachment for their Arctic laser that converts it into a flashlight!     They say it puts out 500 lumens, which is pretty respectable.  Not sure if you can control the power setting though...   

Edit: here's the link to that 47's thing I just mentioned...

https://www.foursevens.com/products/XM18

[PTRSAK]

I bought a wicked lasers 35mW greenie about 6years ago. It was $200 back then but what a toy.
 I went with that power level as it is about the limit where an accidental specular reflection won't result in instant permanent eye damage.

One of the things I still use it for is chasing crows out of the trees behind my house. They hate it as much as I hate their damn squawking.

Of course here in Nannystralia now anything more than 2mW it's now classed as a restricted weapon.

[derekmac]

Those are so   I'd even like to have one of the Nano Series ones, but would really like an Arctic!

[captain spaulding]

$2,399.00 for the Fourseven. 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Those are so   I'd even like to have one of the Nano Series ones, but would really like an Arctic!

I think I'll get one of the Nano's first (eventually).  I like the purple one.  It would be cool for when I'm teaching class.   

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

$2,399.00 for the Fourseven. 

Yeah... like I said... *where* is the market for that?   

And then, they bitch and moan about how poorly their neutral and HCRI emitter lights sell?   

[Gareth]

Yeah, I saw that.  I suppose it's true in a technical sense...  FourSevens has a light now that puts out something like 18,000 lumens, but it's not a 'flashlight'.  I saw some things on CPF about it when it was in the prototype stage, and as far as I know it's now a production item, although I can't see what kind of demand they'd have for it.   

Wicked Lasers, though, has an attachment for their Arctic laser that converts it into a flashlight!     They say it puts out 500 lumens, which is pretty respectable.  Not sure if you can control the power setting though...   

Edit: here's the link to that 47's thing I just mentioned...

https://www.foursevens.com/products/XM18

I think that is intended as a dive light like the ones seen here;

[Gareth]

scratch that, I've just read that it has an internal cooling fan.  Can't see that working too well underwater.

[Tofty]

For those who find the wicked laser torch a touch pedestrian:
http://www.led-tech.de/en/High-Power-LEDs-Cree/CREE-Solutions/7-x-CREE-XM-L-U2-on-copper-round-PCB-LT-1847_120_117.html
7x XM-Ls on a 35mm solid copper MCPCB, The potential for 7000 lumens.
It's just begging for some clever sorts to build it a cosy little home.

I reckon  it would make a great dive light so long as it doesn't boil the water in front of the lens.

[jekostas]

scratch that, I've just read that it has an internal cooling fan.  Can't see that working too well underwater.

From what I know the FourSevens was designed to be a portable high-power spotlight for military usage.

[xt60043f]

For those who find the wicked laser torch a touch pedestrian:
http://www.led-tech.de/en/High-Power-LEDs-Cree/CREE-Solutions/7-x-CREE-XM-L-U2-on-copper-round-PCB-LT-1847_120_117.html
7x XM-Ls on a 35mm solid copper MCPCB, The potential for 7000 lumens.
It's just begging for some clever sorts to build it a cosy little home.

I reckon  it would make a great dive light so long as it doesn't boil the water in front of the lens.

Like this?

http://www.lightmalls.com/trustfire-7xt6-7-cree-xm-l-t6-8500-lumens-5-mode-memory-led-flashlight-2-26650-3-26650-3-18650

[Tofty]

Like this?

http://www.lightmalls.com/trustfire-7xt6-7-cree-xm-l-t6-8500-lumens-5-mode-memory-led-flashlight-2-26650-3-26650-3-18650

A bit, but that one's LEDs are spaced further apart so it couldn't be a direct MCPCB swap.
However knowing that the driver can be made that small and can run off just 2 rechargeable batteries is worth knowing.

The spring on the drop-in though really doesn't look like it could handle the claimed 7amps + of current, neither could the generic looking clicky tail switch.
I'd say it could do 4000 lumens initially then it would drop off quite rapidly.
Even with as much mass as it has i don't think it could shift anything like the head generated from 7 XM-Ls at full current.

[xt60043f]

I agree.

Read this:

http://budgetlightforum.com/node/18190

[Tofty]

I read it and now have one on my ebay wish-list  waiting for a day when my resolve weakens enough.

I found an even better example of a high end 7x LED torch here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?357319
The driver used in this build looks perfect for the task (haha).


This thread fascinated me enough to do some reading up on lasers so i thought i'd share what i've learned so far.
Wicked Lasers as a company seems to be a bit like LEDLenser; they market their products at people with little to no previous understanding of the type of product, and for a reason.
Few of us experienced flashlight buyers would buy a Lenser as they are considered over-priced, under-performing and certainly not the best option available, this appears to be equally true with Wicked Lasers.

The wicked lasers are, if you can believe it, not very well regarded on the laser forums for a number of reasons:
1. Wicked lasers claim theirs is are the most powerful lasers on the market but not only are there more powerful lasers around that cost less but wicked lasers offerings often under-perform compared to their quoted power level in bench tests.
2. The very first thing i learned when going onto LaserPointerForums.com is that if you don't wear goggles when operating even a reasonably low powered laser then you are taking a great risk. Lasers can cause permanent eye damage even before your blink reflex can kick in. Goggles should always be worn, but high powered lasers can still damage the eyes through some goggles even if they're designed for the specific wavelength. Wicked Lasers only offer a $20 pair of goggles with their lasers which cannot be appropriate for the output of their Krypton or Arctic. They also don't make it clear on their website exactly how dangerous these things can be as most of the pictures of people operating them aren't wearing goggles.

After some more reading on the forums i thought i might as well make myself an impressive, wicked laser beating, laser pointer using what i've learned from making and modding flashlights, since the principles are pretty much the same, so i bought off ebay a 2W M140 copper mounted 445nm blue laser module for $140, complete with 1.8A driver and G2 focusing lens.
The module is only 12mm in diameter and less than 40mm long and just needs a host and a way of connecting the batteries (2x Li-ions), so i also ordered a nice blue Solarforce L2P host and a big chunk of copper for the heat-sink and P60 style module holder.
All in all the parts shouldn't cost more than $200 and that's for a working laser that is a great deal more powerful than anything wicked lasers sell (1.4W for $400).

[xt60043f]

Tofty's second point is EXTREMELY important.  Even the diffuse reflected light from lasers is dangerous.  If you value your eyesight (which you do) you MUST wear the appropriate goggles for the wave length you are dealing with.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I read it and now have one on my ebay wish-list  waiting for a day when my resolve weakens enough.

I found an even better example of a high end 7x LED torch here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?357319
The driver used in this build looks perfect for the task (haha).


This thread fascinated me enough to do some reading up on lasers so i thought i'd share what i've learned so far.
Wicked Lasers as a company seems to be a bit like LEDLenser; they market their products at people with little to no previous understanding of the type of product, and for a reason.
Few of us experienced flashlight buyers would buy a Lenser as they are considered over-priced, under-performing and certainly not the best option available, this appears to be equally true with Wicked Lasers.

The wicked lasers are, if you can believe it, not very well regarded on the laser forums for a number of reasons:
1. Wicked lasers claim theirs is are the most powerful lasers on the market but not only are there more powerful lasers around that cost less but wicked lasers offerings often under-perform compared to their quoted power level in bench tests.
2. The very first thing i learned when going onto LaserPointerForums.com is that if you don't wear goggles when operating even a reasonably low powered laser then you are taking a great risk. Lasers can cause permanent eye damage even before your blink reflex can kick in. Goggles should always be worn, but high powered lasers can still damage the eyes through some goggles even if they're designed for the specific wavelength. Wicked Lasers only offer a $20 pair of goggles with their lasers which cannot be appropriate for the output of their Krypton or Arctic. They also don't make it clear on their website exactly how dangerous these things can be as most of the pictures of people operating them aren't wearing goggles.

After some more reading on the forums i thought i might as well make myself an impressive, wicked laser beating, laser pointer using what i've learned from making and modding flashlights, since the principles are pretty much the same, so i bought off ebay a 2W M140 copper mounted 445nm blue laser module for $140, complete with 1.8A driver and G2 focusing lens.
The module is only 12mm in diameter and less than 40mm long and just needs a host and a way of connecting the batteries (2x Li-ions), so i also ordered a nice blue Solarforce L2P host and a big chunk of copper for the heat-sink and P60 style module holder.
All in all the parts shouldn't cost more than $200 and that's for a working laser that is a great deal more powerful than anything wicked lasers sell (1.4W for $400).

Thanks for the info on this!  I haven't had the time to research high end lasers.  Wicked had an add in my Facebook feed, so I decided to check it out. 

I'll check out that laser pointer forum... I'd like to get a new, small, laser pointer to use when teaching.

[Cupboard]

what sort of power is dangerous in a laser?

[Tofty]

That seems to be a very hard question to answer accurately as different laser wavelengths do different types of damage to the eye, therefore some are more dangerous than others at the same wattage.
Generally a safe laser output ought to be something like 5mW and below but even then staring directly at the beam for a while can do damage.
Non-visible wavelength lasers can be some of the most dangerous because you may not be aware you're being exposed.
The best way to be sure of a lasers hazard level is to look at it's hazard class and what safety precautions are recommended.

[Cupboard]

that's interesting. I've got a green laser pointer that says it's <1mW and it's really bright!

...by which I mean it's sunny outside and I can quite clearly see it on some green trees that are a good 200m away.

[tattoosteve99]

Now they have a Gatling laser woah!

[derekmac]

Something just made me think of this old thread, so I figured I should post to see if anyone has bought one of these cool lasers?

[comis]

I do have some, being where I am and it's not too difficult to get lasers at different mW.  But most of the retail or online shops do overstate or understate their accurate power, and one of the first thing I learn before playing with laser is to get the appropriate glasses.  Even the reflection of high powered laser(for example, from a smooth service) could damage your eyes if you are not careful.

I got mine sometime last year, and there was talk of solid state greenlaser but at very expensive prices(unless you build one which is usually much cheaper), hopefully it is out now in a compact body, and it will be the thing to get!