Zippiot Posted October 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Yes, thanks I am very new to much of this. I am pretty sure I got "gain" correct, now I need to try and calc the "gain" of a small CO2 laser...Most of these lasers that are capable of burning papaer are nearly 2 feet long...will a 4 inch even be noticeable (check spelling)? Pop a balloon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Yes, thanks I am very new to much of this. I am pretty sure I got "gain" correct, now I need to try and calc the "gain" of a small CO2 laser...Most of these lasers that are capable of burning papaer are nearly 2 feet long...will a 4 inch even be noticeable (check spelling)? Pop a balloon? No noticeable speeling airs that I sea. :cup: I have no idea about those calculations & myself would just begin from there with the trial and error phase. I built a spectacularly underpowered solar oven by these means. :eek: :doh: :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I spent almost an hour putting a flat face and a mirror polish on a penny (2006 penny is zinc on the inside, every penny since 1982 is zinc) and it reflects the light of my laser pointer as good as the bathroom mirror! And it fits nicely inside of 3/4 inch pvc pipe (which is no where near 3/4 of an inch, LIES THEY FEED ME AT THE HARDWARE STORE!!!!!!). Off to the store again to pick up the rest of the pieces I need, which is: 2 washers that fit nicely inside of 3/4 connectors but not 3/4 pipe3 microscope slides (dunno where to get those)2 smoothe to threaded female 3/4 pvc inline connectors2 pvc threaded male end caps I have 3/4 pvc pipe but its old, should get some new stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Found an itneresting site http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/lighting.html So it looks like I may need to add a drop of mercury to the gas...maybe not we shall see It says that these lamps produce much ultraviolet light in the 200nm range, which is not visible to the human eye. This is perfect as CO2 lasers produce almost entirely ultraviolet light...The bulb in a regular setup is coated with phosfors that illuminate when exposed to ultraviolet radiation..that is why they appears white. So if I can focus the ultraviolet radiation into a beam...LASER (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation)!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 I screwed up, CO2 lasers make far infrared beams not ultraviolet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 HUGE OVERSIGHT!!!!!! I have been reading up on how fluroescent lights work...I will need to modify the lasers internals a little and rig up the started from a commercial fluorescent bulb... They need an interesting little starter, I assume since the laser will only be a few inches long I can use one from a 2 foot or less bulb set-up. Looks like I will have to add in a small coil at each end, when power is turned on it turns hot giving off electrons. Then once enough power has gone through the starter module arcs, makes a connection then separates. If the gas inside was sufficiently charged the light turns on (or lases in this case), if not the process repeats until it can...So if I dont get things right, gotta pull the plug fast so as to not fry my starter... Did I get that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAHD Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 hope you have breakers or fuses in your plan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 check it So it looks like I may be able to replace the starter with a simple blade switch... So I make a coil of wire at each washer, attatch them together with the blade switch, when I throw the switch the end sheat up. I leave it on until the gas gets to the correct temp. It will take some testing and I am sure to melt the wires a few times...but it is super simple. So when I turn on the power, if the switch is normally open nothing happens (most likely). I throw the switch and wait, shouldn't be longer than a sec or two. Then I release the switch and see if it lases, if not them I throw it again and continue until I get a result. So I started every paragraph with so...need to take some more english classes... CO2 makes light in the far-infrared spectrum...so even if it is lasing I might not be able to detect it, unless it makes a noticeable amount of heat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Gonna post my final design before I start to piece stuff together. I doubt it will work, if it did then lasers would not cost so much!!! here goes Purple is the transformerBlue is the mirrorLight blue is the lens (glass)Grey is the washerPink is the starter (came with the transformer, starts the system)Orange is the copper wire coil, may repalce with Nichrome if I can find it So when I turn it on nothing happens at first, but quickly the started charges up and connects power to the coil. The coil heats up and soon the gas starts to "lase". Then I can screw in or out the fixture to adjust the lens, focusing or correcting the beam. If it does not lase it could be a few problems, such as the gas isnt at the correct temp, there are not enough free floating ions (may need a few drops of mercury to fix that) or the whole system doesn't have enough juice. Sice the transformer can get an 18 inch bulb to light I'm sure a 4-6 inch should have no problem. Anyone see an potential problem or do I go ahead with construction? learnin to learn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
learnin to learn Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 what is the red line? be sure to post pics of your progress! I cannot wait to see how it goes! Best of luck to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Wires....forgot to mention wires :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Completed a test mirror and the main body tube with copper coil for heating. I tested the coil under heat a few times, got hot enough to radiate much heat but the refractory spacers I used keep the pvc pipe very cool. The tube is 4 inches long, used 1/2 inch pvc pipe which everyone knows is in no way 1/2 an inch! Tomorrow I plan on finishing assembly and doing some tests...If it lases, even for a second, then it is a success I hope that the fluro light starter is strong enough to power the copper coil, if not I may have to attatch a car abttery charger to get things going. Does anyone know a way to get the backing off of a cd without damaging the plastic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAHD Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Does anyone know a way to get the backing off of a cd without damaging the plastic? without damaging it? er....a heat gun and a tray of ice-water maby? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippiot Posted October 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Slow progress as I found a much larger ballast and its wiring diagram is faded and rubbed away... Afraid of a lethal shock, this thing weighs like 30 pounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mohit Pandey Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Which symbols are you struggling with?Start like this. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=electronics+diagrams+explained Then when you see any particular words repeated over and over like the word "circuit" in the above google search, you learn to modify your search. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=circuit+diagrams+explained Then maybe you focus in on one part of a circuit diagram to learn about it http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=circuit+diagram+tank+circuitYou have spent time googling. You have a good experience on that. May I ask you can we search the name websites by Google or other search engine?:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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