Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:19757 sci.optics:214 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!ptimtc!nntp-server.caltech.edu!juliet.caltech.edu!franko From: franko@juliet.caltech.edu (Filipanits, Frank J.) Newsgroups: sci.electronics,sci.optics Subject: Cheap lasers Message-ID: <1991Apr30.201245.14292@nntp-server.caltech.edu> Date: 30 Apr 91 20:09:07 GMT Sender: news@nntp-server.caltech.edu Reply-To: franko@juliet.caltech.edu Distribution: usa Organization: California Institute of Technology Lines: 12 News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4x I've seen two ads for cheap ($60) laser kits in this month's Radio Electronics magazine... these are for a .5mw HeNe laser tube and power supply (you provide 12-18Vdc and an enclosure, power switch, etc. Are these junk? It seems like he perfect birthday gift for a friend who's an Optics major, but I want it to work okay (i.e. produce a coherent beam at least half the time). Anyone have any experience wih these cheap lasers? Recommendations? E-mail replies ASAP, please (her birthday approacheth) Thanks, Frank franko@juliet.caltech.edu