Stop cutting your friends in half

[Ben the Ignorant]

Hi.

During the last Perseid nights at our club's obsy I had to bring my laser, and use it a lot to point various things to visitors. Having other duties as well, I kept the mini lightsaber in my jeans pocket, a habit I took so body heat will protect batteries against draining by cold air. Then, at some point I crouch to pick up something that fell on the ground; that's when I see, out of the corner of my eye, the observatory wall turning lime green for a couple seconds. What was that light? OOOOHHH, it was a giant fireball lighting up the wall, and I missed it because I was looking at the floor! AAAaarr! A once-in-a-decade opportunity, and I blew it!

But, hey, how come the guys at the other building didn't yell, if a monster Perseid just passed? ...Oohh, it was my laser switching on by itself, hitting something, and the diffused beam lit up the wall. Not a minute later the pocket lightsaber turned on again without permission, and hit a visitor in the face, close to the eye. He didn't cry, or call his mama or his lawyer, but this worried me somewhat. Even if it cuts no one in half, and gives no fireball false alarms, this laser could stupidly empty its batteries because the exposed switch pushes against my jeans' fabric.

I quickly discussed that with another club member who immediately agreed lightsaber switches should be in a safety recess, and once I got back home I made one. It's a simple split ring cut from Mixal tubing (aluminum core between two plastic layers). Three or four O-rings on each side are enough to keep the safety ring in place (man, does fabric leave bits of fibers on everything it touches!):

But when handling the lightsaber fitted with the O-rings, I was amazed by the grip not only on the skin, but also on fabric, no chance of the laser slipping out of the pocket! So I added O-rings everywhere the jedi weapon felt slippery; they seemed like too many to my eyes, and to a friend who saw a pic, but handling is judged by feel, not by sight, and this arrangement feels right, so I guess it will also look right after getting used to the novelty. Thanks to the rubber grip the mini lightsaber rests quietly in the hand without having to clench it, neat little convenience when you need to use it for hours, like when we had 60 to 80 visitors during the Perseid week-end).

Only the rearmost O-ring needs to be superglued to the lightsaber frame (it looks more like the syfy weapon than a classical pointer with these adds-on), the others can't slip out. If you don't have O-rings to keep the safety ring in place, complete Mixal rings on either side will do the job. Finally, the mod does not void the warranty - a concern if you don't buy the cheap ones - and leaves the warning label readable in case it's needed by law. There you have it, not a great ingenious mod on a great fancy telescope, but this bit of gear will be welcome.

 

[nightfisher]

You have taken a good safety precaution to prevent any problems so well done to you

[themos]

If you insulate the front end of the laser (where the laser diode itself is) it will not be affected by the cold so much.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Ah, but does it make the appropriate noises or do you do that yourself?

[Dave Lloyd]

Great idea. Could you not also put another split ring over the first to rotate over the switch. That would make it 100% foolproof.

[Macavity]

Good one. Did start an amusing conversation by leaving a *bright* RED torch
switched on in my trouser pocket. Shades of "E.T." and the glowing Anatomy?  

[Ben the Ignorant]

2 hours ago, Dave Lloyd said:

Great idea. Could you not also put another split ring over the first to rotate over the switch. That would make it 100% foolproof.

Yes.

[cjdawson]

I love this idea.  Idiots might get a kick out of shining this things at helicopters and planes..... but I love that we astronomers take precautions.   Wish I'd thought of this one it's great.   I love how it makes the switch much safer.

[SonnyE]

A while back now I purchased a "military grade" laser pointing device.

One of the features to this is a keyed switch at the rear of it so it can be secured in an Off, or in a Ready state. (Ready as being the push button must be depressed to operate it.)

I bought it with it in mind to mount it to my telescopes guiding/sighting attachments. I later found a pressure switch operated green laser that I could use as an aiming aid. It does work well for showing where the telescope is generally pointed. The first one (a laser 303) is now a pocket able pointer which does work well when trying to point out things in the night skies to the kids, but is safe with the key switch off.