I need lasers

not the Plymouth variety.

I need a few small, battery powered lasers that are powerful enough to pop a rubber helium balloon.

Surely the Hive knows where to find the best ones...

I'm pretty sure that qualifies as weapons grade and will get you on all sorts of lists.

Look for the green ones, IIRC many of them will do balloons.

Inquiring minds want to know why...

You want the green not red lasers, and the ability to pop the balloons depends on time and distance. The beam does get scattered as the distance increases. The time involved is to effectively weaken the balloon due to the temperature rise until it can burst.

I can't believe I'm the first...

Rats, I was just sure you found yourself with a surplus of sharks only to find out you want to remotely pop balloons.

Planning on spoiling a neighbors birthday party?

In reply to Basil Exposition:

I don't believe it either. I thought I was going to be first.

Honestly? old DVD writers have the laser diode that is powerful enough.

Basil Exposition wrote: I can't believe I'm the first...

With that avatar, we had to let you be first.

Ill tempered Sea Bass, perhaps?

Lol. Close range, say two to three feet max. It's for a product demo for work. Just a little showmanship, nothing nefarious.

I just dropped my wife's wedding band off at the jewelers to have a small diamond replaced. We got to talking and he was telling me about the small lasers they use to solder things together now instead of the old torch solder method. Anything that small that can heat up gold enough to melt it sounds like something I would like to have. Just think of all the cool ways I could get in trouble with one of those.

wickedlasers.com was always my goto place. I really really want the flashlight they sell.

The website seems to have changed since I was last there, but they have some pretty hardcore lasers available, and have been around at least 10 years developing newer crazier stuff.

Well E36 M3, the US is a noship zone now for some of their products. I wonder when that happened? It's a real shame too, they have an open source laser. I can't begin to understand, but it can be controlled by a phone and manipulated. Alas, can't ship to US, CH, NZ, or AU.

Any flashlight that is described like this

"Use this power to guide your way home, light a fire, or even fry an egg."

Is something I think I want.

I'd also say wicked, as above. Their Spyder 3 arctic can be had at up to 3.5 watts.

Beware reflection and oopses with a laser like this. Not only for you, but for others. Treat it as the weapon it is.

Wicked was the first place I checked but they do not guarantee shipping to the US. That's a hassle I don't need, particularly for a work project.

ultraclyde wrote: Wicked was the first place I checked but they do not guarantee shipping to the US. That's a hassle I don't need, particularly for a work project.

Oh, that's right. Forgot about the USDA ban on anything powerful enough to be interesting. USDA 500mW limit

I ordered 2 green "laser 303" and two blue "laser 301" "burning" laser pointers from ebay for under $10 each. Youtube reviews are good on these and show them lighting matches and etching plastic.

They should be in next week, I'll let you know what I think once I do some testing.

Coinsidence that I just finished watching Real Genius before replying to this thread?

I've bought a laser or two that were advertised to burn stuff, most I got was some paper to smoke for a few seconds with a purple laser, I think you pretty much have to build them yourself. Or get a private party to do it

My friend an I ordered a Wicked Lasers S3 Arctic 3.5 watt for our friends graduation gift back in 2010 and it is awesome. Popping balloons from across the room was great and didn't get old until we realized we needed to clean up all the balloon carcasses.

In reply to Lancer007:

I wonder if you filled them w/hydrogen if it would ignite the gas too? That could scare the crap out of someone!

RevRico wrote: Well E36 M3, the US is a noship zone now for some of their products. I wonder when that happened?

Some time after budding mass-murderers started pointing them at airplanes, blinding the pilots.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

At least I can still buy a flashlight that does this https://www.youtube.com/embed/wsIHyRyETKg Maybe it has been a few more years than I thought since I last shopped fun toys.