thanks for the info, much appreciated. I would still prefere to use a laser tube to make the light, so that the beam can be incorperated aswell. I do like the plasma colour as it is, just thought it would look good in blue also. I will have to look into purchasing a HeNe laser now...

Interesting, I was just watching a few vids from them on YouTube last night. How much did they charge for that work, if you don't mind me asking?

-Dan

Mercury units glows blue ..... but they heat a lot much more than He-Ne tubes, and emits so much UV that is too dangerous to use them as desktop lamps (not speaking about the cost of a similar unit, LOL)

As Dave suggested, the better choice may be to ask to some of those shops that prepare industrial display panels, for a piece of tube filled with the mix of gas that produce the color that you want (you may also choose the colors, in some ranges ..... some are obtained with mercury tubes covered with different phosphors, some others, with direct gas discharges).

If you're looking for a tube that glows blue, get a Cold cathode fluorescent tube. Why does it need to be a laser?

Here's one

If it absolutely has to be a laser, you can put a blue film over the HeNe tube. And yes, the HeNe tube does emit some blue light, but it will be substantially dimmer. But if light were your objective, you wouldn't use something as inefficient as a HeNe, would you?

Just a crazy design idea for the "jayrob-style (pat. pend.) desktop lamp" .....

Get 2 of these blue CCFL with the same lenght of the He-Ne tubes, like the ones for PC-modding, then use them for make the "supports" of the plate that hold the He-Ne tube (as example, in Jayrob design, when he added the rods in front, what if instead the rods, they was 2 CCFL blue neons, with their own protection tubes ? ..... maybe with a little circuit that, very slowly, change the powers of the tubes, and of the laser, from 50% to 100%, in cycles of 30 or 60 seconds ..... or that drive the tubes with external noise ..... just imagining ..... )

I know, i know, i'm crazy

That's a cool idea!

It did not cost more that $20 bucks for the two pieces.

Then I ordered the two rods for the front later. I think they were around $10 dollars because I had them shipped to me...

Thanks for info and advice, the cold cathod tubes do look cool, i will do some thinking. I have already spent some money on lasers recently so perhaps should hold back on this one for abit. The lamp in this thread is amasing tho, good work!!

Take a look at this (cheaper) tiny little lamp:
http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/fs...rts-44252.html

So how long do these things last if you leave them on? I've got a tube sitting here that'd be fun to turn into a lamp, but it's old and I'd be sad if it only lasted a month or two.

I read that the operating lifetime of a typical HeNe laser tube is greater than 15000 hours when used within its specified ratings. (operating current, proper polarity)

I would like to know more information on this quesiton too!

Hey Jay! Very cool indeed! Now, if this one becomes a "kit" I'll just have to get one going for one of my HeNe's ! -Glenn

my math isn't great but at 8 hours a day you should get about 5 years

Nice! I sure hope that's true! It will never burn out then...

Because I would never run it anywhere near that much.



Glenn, the only thing about making a kit with the pre-cut acrylic pieces, is that it seems that there are lots of different size tubes, as well as mounting hardware.

But it's not a difficult project! You just have to take some measurements, and Tap Plastics can cut the pieces to your exact specifications!

I just fired up my HeNe today for the first time. I'd love to try your lamp mod, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to find the time. Looks very nice.

When figuring the "lifetime" of a HeNe you not only can expect the 15K hours, but it doesn't "burn out" at the end of those hours. That estimate is the "working" lifetime. As the tube ages it VERY s l o w l y begins to lose output.

Most of the tubes we get as used (and then use them for another lifetime) were pulled from equipment AFTER the rated life was "used." When the HeNe's output drops below the OEM required output in the machine, they pull them, replace them, and sell the pulled unit to a surplus/salvage Co. or just give them away to employees.

This is one of the main reasons why most of the tubes we get on eBay, (etc.) put out well below their "rated" output.

So, if after five years, your lamp loses a MW or two AT THE BEAM, will your lamp be trash? Nope. You will still see the spot AND the plasma will still be just as bright. Even after the gas mixture gets so depleted it will no longer lase (no "spot/beam"), the plasma will still be going strong. The "hue" of the plasma will shift toward oxygen, but it will still glow brightly.

Try THAT with a diode LOL!

Burn baby burn

Peace,
dave

Interesting stuff Dave...

Thanks for sharing that!

Bump for a great project- beautiful!!!