HeNe project

As I was doing a bit of cleanup in my lab, I stumbled upon the parts that I purchased long ago to build a HeNe laser... from an old electronics magazine from the mid 80's... Here's the kit:



I'm just missing a few parts, that are relatively easy to find except for the power transformer, that might be a bit of a challenge to find. I recall the .15uF 15KV caps were a bi*ch to find! You'll notice my little greenie pointer as reference to the size of the tube.

I never got to built it because I had a thousand things at the time and it just got shuffled back in the attic for an eternity. Now that I have a proper "Frankenstein" room, I can get back to many projects that were put on the backburner.

I checked the Meredith website and they have the exact heavy duty clips to fit the anode and cathode, as for the power transformer, i'll try to see if I can find maybe a neon sign xformer or something in that range, I have several transformers but none that I think might endure being powered from the business end... :crackup:

My only concern will be the PCB, I have a light sensitive etch kit, but my attempts at preparing a circuit board with that kit a few years back has been a dismal failure (I saw the varnish just lift off the board as I was trying to etch it with FeCL3... FAIL!). :yabbem:

So I was contemplating either doing the kit on a point to point PCB or just saying "the hell with it" and getting one of them brick PS'...

The previous threads on the HeNe table lamp have intrigued me to the extreme... Just a quick question about this... Does such a tube exposed in a transparent enclosure emit any IR from the sides? Is it okay to run that tube for long periods? That last question must be yes because if I recall, that's exactly the kind of tube used in shopping center scanners until recently, isn't it?

Anyway... parts are on the table. Soldering iron is fired up... more to come when I get close to a "build".

Robert

roddenberry said:

As I was doing a bit of cleanup in my lab, I stumbled upon the parts that I purchased long ago to build a HeNe laser... from an old electronics magazine from the mid 80's... Here's the kit:

I'm just missing a few parts, that are relatively easy to find except for the power transformer, that might be a bit of a challenge to find. I recall the .15uF 15KV caps were a bi*ch to find! You'll notice my little greenie pointer as reference to the size of the tube.

I never got to built it because I had a thousand things at the time and it just got shuffled back in the attic for an eternity. Now that I have a proper "Frankenstein" room, I can get back to many projects that were put on the backburner.

I checked the Meredith website and they have the exact heavy duty clips to fit the anode and cathode, as for the power transformer, i'll try to see if I can find maybe a neon sign xformer or something in that range, I have several transformers but none that I think might endure being powered from the business end... :crackup:

My only concern will be the PCB, I have a light sensitive etch kit, but my attempts at preparing a circuit board with that kit a few years back has been a dismal failure (I saw the varnish just lift off the board as I was trying to etch it with FeCL3... FAIL!). :yabbem:

So I was contemplating either doing the kit on a point to point PCB or just saying "the hell with it" and getting one of them brick PS'...

The previous threads on the HeNe table lamp have intrigued me to the extreme... Just a quick question about this... Does such a tube exposed in a transparent enclosure emit any IR from the sides? Is it okay to run that tube for long periods? That last question must be yes because if I recall, that's exactly the kind of tube used in shopping center scanners until recently, isn't it?

Anyway... parts are on the table. Soldering iron is fired up... more to come when I get close to a "build".

Robert

Click to expand...

Good luck with the build!

The tube WILL emit IR from the sides, but it would be non-coherent ( not laser light ), much like a light bulb.

you can run the tube for as long as you want ( until it reaches the end of it's life ) so long as you run it at it's rated voltage and current or less than those values.

Thanks Diachi, i'll probably be looking into one of those compact brick power supplies at first if they're not too expensive, I want to keep my build compact so that it looks cool and fits in a 2" dia. transparent plexiglas tube... Ah... another part to locate! don't think i'll find that at the plumming store.
Robert

I have several 12V (in) 1250V (out) bricks here that need leads soldered on. Since you have a bare tube, these would work fine. It looks like you already have the needed resistors for the lead there.

Since you are going to have to solder the leads, how does $10 plus shipping sound?

Peace,
dave

First -- Do we need to post full page quotes with pictures on here? Seems a waste of time and space.
As I know them, HeNe tubes have a shelf life and long storage allows for gas migration through the glass. I think if you use them or not, they are on a downhill path -- even with hardseal lenses. Different than ArIon but similar results.

Mike

As a matter of fact the Full Page Pictures an quotes don't bother me at all...
I was going to Quote the OP but for respect for you I did not...

@ roddenberry..

I have quite a few high voltage Laser PS Xfos from Meridith with a Laser Power
Supply schematic to build a PS for a HeNe Laser up to 3mw...

Contact me via PM if you're interested...


Jerry

Jerry --
No offence but it seems that too many replies contain the info from the previous 1, 2, 3 posts which I already read.
I do agree that he needs a more modern BRICK PS and I hope it lights up. HeNe is where I started 40 years ago. I still like the old school lasers. Damn, what fun we had......

Mike

No offence taken Mike... I see what you mean...
I guess a simple @XXXX would suffice...

Yeah I started with a 5mW HeNe back in 1980 (when I designed a Thread
Break Detector for the Pulp and Paper industry) that a company lent me
for thr development...way after you got into Lasers...
I have been Impressed by that narrow coherent beam ever since...


Jerry

If you're missing the transformer, a brick PS would prob be easiest. Finding the exact transformer somewhere else will likely be difficult.

I remember doing a similar build in the early 90s - came as a kit powered by 12 volts and turned out to be very nice... though the output isn't impressive at all compared to modern diode lasers, the build itself is fun.

Thank you all for your answers! Looking forward to try-out this project.

Dave & Jerry, a million thanks for your generous help! i'll certainly take one of you up on your offer... I think it will be simpler if I go with the brick-type PS.

Robert

Roddenberry - Whereabouts in Canada are you?

A Montrealer from head to toe. Lived all my life in Montreal. As a matter of fact, I am one of the organizers of the Montreal prog fest, that was held last weekend, and we had Saga, Le Orme... and Three Friends! (The celebrated Gentle Giant reunion of three of the original band members) It was awesome: FMPM.NET - Le Festival des Musiques Progressives de Montréal ! I'll post pictures of the show soon on th website.

i'll be in Ottawa October 24 for the ProgtoberFest... Do drop in, you'll love the show!
- Robert

If you ever get a chance to stop by in Toronto, there's a surplus place downtown that sells HeNe tubes for pretty cheap($30 IIRC).

Noted my friend. Thanks! Sources for cool electronic and scientific stuff are sometimes hard to find north of the border... And when you do, it's way more expensive than in the US. I wish we had something similar to United Nuclear in Canada.
- Robert