*promote

Self promoting this video and sending it back into the queue for one more try; last queued Thursday, January 8th, 2015 4:31pm PST - promote requested by original submitter deathcow.

That's pretty awesome, but I couldn't help but think that he's vaporizing paint that's known to be cancer causing, and not wearing a respirator. I wonder how dangerous that really is.
Also, does it eat rust in the same way media blasting will? If so...want want want want want....WANT!!!!

Neat. Does the entire system *draw* 1kw, or does the beam actually deliver 1kw (seems unlikely)? Either way, it must require massive off-camera cooling equipment. I've seen arrays of LEDs used for welding before and that was impressive.

It must be a prototype because the company that makes it doesn't list this model, and don't give much information on the models they do list. And, of course, it doesn't look remotely practical, awesome as it is.

edit:

After a bit more reading, maybe it does emit 1000 watts. Also, look at this thing from their webpage:

http://www.nortonsandblasting.com/images/lasr-backpack_unit1web.jpg

That is a straight up proton accelerator if I've ever seen one (okay, maybe photons, but close enough) and I damn well want one. I promise to use it responsibly and never cross the streams.

No point in using on cars unless there is a structural concern. Sandblasting is quicker, uses less energy, and costs a lot less for the initial equipment. The only thing this would be good for is for cleaning surfaces that cannot afford to be eroded, such as sculptures or maybe very old cars with dodgy metal quality.

a 1kw diode.......I work in telecoms around 300mW is the most ive seen, and thats extremly dangerous for your eyes.

This thing?

Uhh....nope....nope nope nope nope nope.

As to the fumes, it looks as though the front of this thing has a vacuum nozzle, you can see the dust particulate being sucked into it as he ablates the paint in some parts of the vid.

Right around the 1:25 mark, you can see that there is a vacuum hooked into the unit. You can see it sucking up the smoke and particles.

That's what I was thinking, but there's a lot less byproduct using this system.

But yeah, sandblasting would do the job far faster and far more thoroughly.

sandblasting can warp panels... can this

I was thinking the same thing. No physical force, but I can imagine it's very easy to build up heat with this thing.

However, perfect for stripping paint from military class airframes made of titanium/unobtanium, eh?

its the heat from sandblasting that warps right? So this could do the same?

moar lasers! can it be fitted to sharks? anyway, to quote @ant "pew pew"

Its the heat and pressure of the sandblasting, so yeah, if there is a structural concern you would be better off using this or a chemical strip.

Be extra careful going around the mirrors.

Lasers have a pretty amazing attribute where you can use a wavelength that is only absorbed by certain materials, leaving all other materials entirely untouched by the photons (as they have a very high reflectivity or transmission index for the wavelength).

No idea whats going on with this system, but its possible they are using a colour that is optimised for maximal paint absorption (heats up the paint the most), whilst at the same time maximal metal reflection (doesnt transfer any energy into the metal).

Source: telecom engineer (I work with lasers...)

In that case they're using it in a very strange way. They certainly seem to be using it in a way that prevents heat build up.

I understand completely what you're saying and you're right, if the correct wavelengths are used there wouldn't be so much of an issue. I wonder if there's an overlap between the wavelength that heats the paint and the wavelength that heats the metal.

Ive no doubt

World's First Laser Rust Remover has been added as a related post - related requested by eric3579 on that post.