Topic: LEGO Sized Lasers?

Are there any LEGO sized (I guess) lasers available?

I'm trying to make the effect of a very directional light source (in different colours), similar to what you'd see in concerts, etc.
LED globes diffuse a lot, so I'm guessing lasers. Although I'm not sure if they make them so small. Would fibre optics work maybe?

http://www.cxpulp.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=874&d=1279678499
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Re: LEGO Sized Lasers?

I've found that fibre doesn't have a lot of 'throw' (its sole purpose is to bring light along its own length, which it does fantastically) so I wouldn't recommend it for your project.

Essentially you need to directionalize (is that a word?) your light. A narrow reflective tube would bounce the light from the source along its length - the same concept as the fibre - but since the tube is hollow you are bouncing in air and don't have the issue of medium to medium transmittance at the end.

You could try making a tinfoil tube (fragile) or wrapping a clear plastic cylinder (try cutting up and rolling a soda bottle) in tinfoil. Then stick a light on one end (an LED or Christmas light if you made it really small).

The tricky part is building a reflective box around the light to force as much of its light as possible down that tube. I use compact fluorescent bulbs and even those get hot. I made a box lined with tinfoil - open at the top - and used a Pringles can (the inside is somewhat shiny) as my tube. I could narrow the beam using cards with a hole on the end of the can. Still, that's pretty big compared to a minifig and waaay bigger than a laser beam - but maybe it'll get you thinking in a better direction.

Re: LEGO Sized Lasers?

jay wrote:

I've found that fibre doesn't have a lot of 'throw' (its sole purpose is to bring light along its own length, which it does fantastically) so I wouldn't recommend it for your project.

Essentially you need to directionalize (is that a word?) your light. A narrow reflective tube would bounce the light from the source along its length - the same concept as the fibre - but since the tube is hollow you are bouncing in air and don't have the issue of medium to medium transmittance at the end.

You could try making a tinfoil tube (fragile) or wrapping a clear plastic cylinder (try cutting up and rolling a soda bottle) in tinfoil. Then stick a light on one end (an LED or Christmas light if you made it really small).

The tricky part is building a reflective box around the light to force as much of its light as possible down that tube. I use compact fluorescent bulbs and even those get hot. I made a box lined with tinfoil - open at the top - and used a Pringles can (the inside is somewhat shiny) as my tube. I could narrow the beam using cards with a hole on the end of the can. Still, that's pretty big compared to a minifig and waaay bigger than a laser beam - but maybe it'll get you thinking in a better direction.

Sounds like good ideas mini/smile

I was thinking I might need some kind of fog or haze machine if I wanted to actually see the beam, and not just the point. Anyone ever experienced with this?

http://www.cxpulp.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=874&d=1279678499
The new KB Videos coming soon.

Re: LEGO Sized Lasers?

Be careful lasers permanently kill pixels on a camera sensor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzyKLoEDb64

Re: LEGO Sized Lasers?

Well I'm not about to point it straight at the camera. My eyes would be in the way mini/tongue

But say on the off chance there was a laser pointing in that general direction, would a filter protect the camera to any extent?

http://www.cxpulp.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=874&d=1279678499
The new KB Videos coming soon.