Homemade Lasers – How to make your own laser ray gun?

Want to make your own laser ray gun?  Just search “laser weapons” on YouTube and you will find this guy (styropyro [1]): 

In his own way, styropyro does promote laser safety since he doesn’t want to burn his own eyeballs out.  And some of the components in his inventions are fairly complicated and expensive.  In one part of the video he wears laser safety goggles under a welding helmet for double protection.  Using an infrared camera, he demonstrates just how awesome and powerful the laser beam is, even though to the human eye or a normal camera it appears to only make a tiny harmless dot.

What About Laser Safety?

Why are we talking about crazy homemade laser weapons on a laser safety website?  Because they demonstrate the need for control measures and personal protective equipment.

For instance, laser cutters and engravers focus a high energy laser beam to produce a precise cut.  They are widely used by schools, hobbyists and small business.  They are Class 1 lasers because they are fully enclosed systems.  However, the laser embedded in the enclosed system is typically a Class 3B or Class 4 laser emitting high energy beams capable of causing serious eye and skin injuries and burns.  The safety interlocks and controls should never be tampered with.  Required PPE for working with laser includes safety glasses and often hearing protection.

Fully enclosed industrial laser systems are considered Class 1 and do not pose a hazard.  The risk comes during a malfunction, service operation or beam alignment.  The on-site laser safety officer is required to develop standard operating procedures for performing laser set-up, servicing and beam alignment.  Burns and blindness can occur if these otherwise safe laser systems are compromised or improperly serviced.

It may seem crazy stupid to dismantle laser pointers and electronic components to make powerful laser weapons like styropyro.  At Laser Safety Certification, we don’t suggest you try making your own lasers guns.  If you use lasers in your job, however, you must understand their potential for injuries.

How can we help?

Whatever class laser you work with, workplace safety comes first.  Proper laser service and maintenance is a key safety factor, but safety starts with training and certification.  If operators don’t know how to use the laser properly, their safety will be compromised.  Laser Safety Certification offers affordable online safety training and laser safety officer programs.

For more information about industrial laser safety, check out our courses for Industrial Laser Safety and Industrial LSO certification. We also have an FAQ section with common answers about our courses, certification options and kit offerings. Click here to register your company and sign your employees up today.

References

[1] styropyro YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVrJUbeuG44