Some genius out there figured out how to take a mini mag light and a DVD burner and turn it into a LASER capable of lighting a candle and popping a balloon. This is pretty cool but I can just see the headlines now. Kid loses sight after making a LASER. Don't get me wrong, I think what the guy did is cool as hell but making a how-to video and uploading it to the net is just asking for trouble. I acn see a bunch of teenagers taking apart their DVD burners and mag lights and building one of these things and blinding their friend because they don't understand how dangerous a LASER can be

I, however, do know how dangerous they are. My stint in the Marine Corps had me working on LASERs. They are extremely dangerous depending on the class of LASER. Let me layout the different classes of LASERS there are. For those that don't know there are four classes.

• Class 1: "safe" if not disassembled.
  • Example: Laser printers, CD-Rom players/drives
• Class 2: may exceed class 1 exposure limits if viewed more than 0.25 seconds [aversion respond time], but still not pose a significant eye hazards.
  • Example: Supermarket scanners
• Class 3a: eye hazard if viewed using collecting optics, e.g., telescopes, microscopes, or binoculars.
• Class 3b: eye hazards if beams are viewed directly or specular reflections are viewed.
  • Example: research, Military
• Class 4: eye hazards if beams are viewed directly or specular reflections and sometimes even from diffuse reflections are viewed. Also skin burns from direct beam exposure.
  • Example: research, manufacturing, Military.

Now, DVD burners are classified as a Class 1 LASER. According to my description above CLASS 1's are considered safe if they are not disassembled. Key term there being disassembled. I took a LASER safety course a few years ago and the instructor said:

There is no such thing as an eye safe LASER

Call me silly but I believe the same thing. LASERs are a useful tool but are extremely dangerous. I find it a bit irresponsible for this guy to put this kind of information on the net. I hope for his sake the dumb teenagers of this generation do not try this stunt at home.

Here is the video for anyone interested