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How to Make a Laser Target

Despite what you may have seen in the movies, a laser beam going through the air is essentially invisible. Those times when you can see the beam, it's because of particles or moisture in the air. So when you want to know that you are putting a laser beam in a specific place, it's a good idea to have a target. There are many ways you can build a target, depending upon what you need your target to do. One option is to build a target that will "light up" when it's hit by a laser.

Things You'll Need

1/8-inch or 1/4-inch-thick Plexiglas
Jigsaw
Sandpaper
Target mount
Aluminum foil
Visible light laser

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a disk from the Plexiglas. Depending upon your needs, you might choose a 4- or 6-inch-diameter disk. Use the jigsaw, go slowly, and clean the teeth of the blade often to prevent melting or cracking as you cut.
- 2
  Cut a ring out of the remaining Plexiglas. This is an optional step, but if you want to have a graduated target, you can cut 2-inch-wide concentric rings.
- 3
  Sand the front surface of the cut Plexiglas parts. You want to roughen the surface so it looks uniformly cloudy.
- 4
  Attach the disk to the mounting surface, using epoxy, glue, screws with washers or whatever method you prefer. If using concentric rings, wrap the edges of the sections in aluminum foil to keep light from moving from one target section to another.
- 5
  Shine your visible light laser on the target. When the light strikes a target section, the roughened surface will scatter the light and the target section will "light up."

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