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Messages - hastypete

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1
Lasers / Re: Suggestions for purchase of decent RGB safety glasses?
« on: July 06, 2010, 04:33:06 pm »
How much power are you running at each wavelength?
Typically for white light lasers you need what is called neutral density filters.  Otherwise known as dark glasses.
I have found that any safety glasses that completely block a beam from your vision can be dangerous since it means you can no longer see the beam at all!   But especially with WL glasses you would see nothing! :)


Now if you are talking about low powers in the 100mW range.  This is bad for your eyes.
But the danger is in the use, not the beam.  Just like you don't let someone untrained in driving take your car on the road.   Driving is dangerous (very), but if you are well trained it is a safe (mostly) activity.
Using powerful lasers is also safe with good sense.


I work on 5 Watt lasers daily and do not use safety glasses at all.  But my eyes NEVER go near the laser plane!  Just like I don't drive my car into a phone pole.


Now with laser shows you have a beam that is flying around.  But this is actually a safety benefit since the eye exposure is reduced vastly with a moving beam.  (I'm talking about 5 Watt CW laser shows, not 20W or Q-switched pulsed.  The latter should NEVER be used when directed at people for any reason) 


Beam safety in laser shows is about power density.  If you get it low enough it is quite eye safe.  Audience scanning has been done for many years at quite high powers and you just don't hear about problems.


The closest I came to damaging an eye was out on a show gig.  I was in FRONT of the projector with my face right where the beam was too be, then I opened the damn shutter.  I got a nice burn on my forehead for the trouble.  Do your adjustments from a safe place.  Never put your face in a beam path whether the beam is there or not.


- hastypete

2
Joint Development / Re: ILDA is over
« on: June 23, 2010, 01:43:21 pm »
Wow.  I read over your document.  I remember hearing about this controversy a few years back.  I can't believe it's still going on.  Oh yeah, ILDA is involved. OK I can believe it.
 
ILDA is just a bad organization.  I think the idea is of the organization is good, but the implementation is faulty at best.  It has turned into a group of "good-ol-boys".
 
I usually don't comment on my feelings of this publicly because I'm afraid myself of being put out.  (I work for an ILDA member company, but I'm not speaking for my company, only personally.).  I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks there needs to be a new orgainization that has integrity and gets things done.
(Now I've said this stuff publicly, I wonder if I'll still get their emails.)
 
So, not everyone is on ILDA's side in this matter.  There may be others who don't speak out for fear.

3
Media of the moment / Re: DEVO!
« on: June 23, 2010, 01:34:45 pm »
It really is a fun album.  So glad DEVO is back and also that the new album is so good.  It's been a few years since I've seen them perform.  The last time I did see them was as the Concourse in San Francisco at the ZDTV opening party. (Was this 10 years ago?)  I was the laserist at that event and I didn't even know they were playing.  Yes, I got to throw lasers for DEVO.  On a side note, this was also the first time I saw the Blue Man Group.  The Blue Men brought a giant jello mold to the stage and dug the ZDTV logo from inside the jello.  I didn't find out who those wierd blue guys were until several years later.
 
- hastypete

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