# Laser Vortex Tunnel Question



## Acererak (Jun 1, 2011)

Hi Fellow Haunters,

I've seen a lot of threads lately (here and elsewhere) regarding the laser vortex tunnel. This effect looks fantastic and would fit very well with my Widow's Walk spider tunnel, so I'm considering trying this. My concern is the hazard of laser light hitting someone in the eyes and causing vision damage. So how safe are these laser vortex tunnels when set up properly? Does the ring of light created by the mirrors deflect harmlessly around spectators? 

Thanks in advance for any input!


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## FreakinFreak (Aug 27, 2010)

You don't want people looking at the laser light, to my understanding it can damage the eye. And green is worse than red. Understand an instant of an eye seeing a laser is one thing, and staring into the laser is different. When I sent up mine, I just set it up so that the TOTs didn't have direct access to the vortex and could stare at the light.

There's a lot of info out there on it, if you have concerns definately do some research.


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## Setarcos (Jul 4, 2015)

I too have struggled with this one. It seems like there isn't such a thing as a Class 1-2M green laser which would be the only eye safe options, or even a Class 3R (<= 5mW) which would probably be ok because of the spinning mirror. Everything available seems to be Class 3B and up which are most certainly not eye safe. 

If anyone has a source for Class 1-2M green lasers please do let us know.


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

It's a drag because interacting with the laser light is one of the coolest parts. I've got a dark hall where I have planes of red laser light that run parallel to the wall, with about an inch of separation. Folks can put their hands in (TOTs dubbed the effect "epic!") but it would take some effort to stare into the emitter. It's basically the same for laser planes underfoot.

I've never done a vortex tunnel as such, laser or otherwise. Would an eye safe laser be bright enough to get the right effect? In any case I would think you could put the vortex "surface" far enough from the railing that people couldn't put their faces into it. They'd have to pass through it on the way out though. To avoid that you could (a) turn off the laser when they reach the end, (b) make them exit the same end of the tunnel they entered, or (c) make the exit such that opening it blocks the laser (like a physical door that swings into its path). (Or (d) make them sign a waiver before entering and let them walk through it. )

I dunno, just brainstorming.


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## Acererak (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback, people, sorry it took so long to revisit this thread (busy with a ton of other Halloween projects).

I did a little more digging and came up with a few sites that discuss this very topic. I'm still sifting through it all, but so far the consensus seems to be that modifying the laser into a cone diffuses the light considerably, and the use of mirrors and fog further dilutes it. I haven't found any real authority on this, but I haven't found any cases where someone was injured from this particular prop.

You can read about it here and here.


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## nategilby (Sep 24, 2010)

We've mounted a red/green laser higher up and angled down. Throw in a fog machine with a little fog and it is a great effect. Haven't had any issues with the eyes being damaged, we angle it down enough that you would have to stare at the ceiling to be effected. throw in a mirror on the back wall and it gives a cool effect bouncing back too.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

I had mine set up for 10 days at a state park. The light cone was walked through by at least 2000 people. Kids played in it for quite a long time. Almost every kid knew not to stare into the light. never had a single complaint of eye issues. It was a green laser by the way.


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## hauntchefdj (Sep 4, 2015)

We used a green cone laser that would spin, and a couple fog machines, the effect was awesome, it was a ten foot wide hallway but it looked like the vortex was only like 4 foot wide, we had actors on both sides and all they had to do was reach through the fog. Check out A Petrified Forest, i think there's a pic of it on the website


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