One of the many things that makes laser pointers so great is their ability to do cool things like burst balloons, light matches and cut tape.
Getting your laser pointer to burn things can be a big head ache, especially when your laser pointer’s power is not very high.
To make your burning easier, I have listed a few pointers below
Focus lens
Your laser pointer may have a lot of power but the beam could be too wide. The focus lens can focus the beam on a smaller area which will increase the burning ability. Keep in mind that the focus lens will not increase the power of your laser pointer, they’ll just concentrate the existing power over a smaller area.
You can use focus lens from things such as camcorders, disposable cameras, binoculars and monoculars.
Batteries
Batteries must be the number one reason why people have trouble getting their laser pointers to burn. You cannot use standard or used batteries. For your laser pointer to be any good at burning, you need new high quality batteries such as e2 lithiums. These batteries can be expensive but they provide the necessary high current and voltage needed for burning.
Immobile
Both your laser pointer and the target you are trying to burn need to be immobile. This means not holding your laser pointer by hand. Try to mount it on a stand or rest it on a stable surface. The same goes for the target which should be fixed.
Color
The color of the object you are burning is very important. If the color is too light, a lot of the energy from the laser pointers beam will be reflected. Try to make sure that the object you are burning is dark in color. Use black balloons and if you are trying to light matches, color them black with a black felt tipped pen or a black marker.
Surface texture
The surface of your target must not be reflective or shiny. If it is, too much energy will be lost. A shiny or reflective surface also increases the danger of reflection. Always remember that when using high powered laser pointers, even a weak reflection can cause serious injury.
Temperature
The power of your laser pointer will normally decrease as the temperature increases. For maximum burning ability, keep your laser pointer cool. This also reduces the risk of you burning out your laser pointer.
Tip for burning matches: Aim for the crown of the match
Note: Be careful about burning things that are too close to the tip of your laser pointer. You might end up with ash, carbon, sulfur etc on the lens or your laser pointer which can be very difficult to clean.
Article is courtesy of Dragonlasers – No 1 lasers, laser pointer and green laser online store
Frank is from Dragonlasers at http://www.dragonlasers.com
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