laser gases that emit in the near infrared frequencies

[Immo1282]

I was mid-way through typing a reply, but Cyp worded it better. You really need to solve this as an engineering problem starting from what you're trying to achieve.

Go through, what you want to do, why you want to do it, alternative methods for doing it, do a cost-benefit analysis of those. Forget about lasers at this point - what are you trying to cut apart - why do you need to do this at distance etc.

Diachi also posted while I was typing so this is repeating him... (sorry dude) you've horrendously underestimated the cost and complexity of your project.

Finally - seeing your comment (comment #15) - How do you expect someone to offer assistance if they don't know the application? If my boss at work turned round to me and told me to design a system that cuts holes in steel at a hundred metres and then left the room how on earth am I supposed to approach the problem?! Engineering does not happen without understanding of the end purpose. Sorry

Last minute insert: On that comment (#16) - I would like to see you try and build a 40kW fibre laser from scratch. This isn't really a feasible project as a gas laser.

 

[diachi]

Wont cost 6 figures unless you start hiring people to do work for you. Materials never cost THAT much, its paying to have stuff done for you is where BIG money comes in. Myself and a buddy are fine tweaking a CNC machine so we can cut the parts we need and design the custom parts around commercially avalible fitting from swagelok and edmond optics. The glass tube, which I may not even need anymore was like $400 to get the flanges melted on.

I plan on building this from SCRATCH. It wont be cheap but it will be FAR from 6 figures. I very much understand the complexity, I have like 12 custom part files and an assembly in solid works, compressors, tooling, etc. This has been my lifes work since I was a kid off and on, it could very well take me another decade or I may even die before I finish it. BUT I would like to not screw up things like I think I just did and loose massive amounts of time and possibly wasted materials.

You're expecting to go through this with no problems. I can tell you now, that won't be the case. You'll cook countless expensive optics, blow up expensive electronics parts and run into unforeseen costs/problems. Even people that have been doing this a long time run into these issues.

If you can do this for far less than 6 figures then you'll have a product that could result in a very profitable business. You'd put some big laser manufacturers out of business if you can produce 10-40kW for "far less than 6 figures".

I'm not trying to put you down, I'm being realistic, talking from the perspective of someone who has spent a fairly large amount of time reading about building solid state lasers from scratch.

 

[Immo1282]

So lets do it, assume cost is no object. How would YOU build a laser to shoot down large size drones.

You don't because it's insanely stupid and illegal. I know you said you were hiding the purpose to avoid politics - but there's ethical and legal standards that as a community we would be remiss to hold ourselves to. From my limited experience in this community - you're not going to get help from people to build a laser to blow up other peoples property for good reason.

I implore you to see sense and abandon this project before you get arrested. Do a damn risk assessment on that goal - What if you miss, and hit a light aircraft, or set fire to a nearby forest - you're likely to injure or kill people with that attitude and in my opinion (which I know you didn't ask for but listen anyway) you need to stop before you do.

 

[paul1598419]

You want to shoot down drones? This is already dome with RPGs or small guided missiles.

 

[akmetal]

You don't because it's insanely stupid and illegal. I know you said you were hiding the purpose to avoid politics - but there's ethical and legal standards that as a community we would be remiss to hold ourselves to. From my limited experience in this community - you're not going to get help from people to build a laser to blow up other peoples property for good reason.

I implore you to see sense and abandon this project before you get arrested. Do a damn risk assessment on that goal - What if you miss, and hit a light aircraft, or set fire to a nearby forest - you're likely to injure or kill people with that attitude and in my opinion (which I know you didn't ask for but listen anyway) you need to stop before you do.

I am sorry you guys feel this way, I will find some place else. Also its not illegal everywhere, airports are struggling to find ways to deal with the drone problem and they have authorization to shoot them down if someone is in the flight path of an airport.

But your right I dont have time to get into a political argument. We have enough people in this country to create sound bites and shout and WAY to few people doing actual technical work anymore.

 

[diachi]

You want to shoot down drones? This is already dome with RPGs of small guided missiles.

Post originally said F-22s.

 

[diachi]

I am sorry you guys feel this way, I will find some place else. Also its not illegal everywhere, airports are struggling to find ways to deal with the drone problem and they have authorization to shoot them down if someone is in the flight path of an airport.

But your right I dont have time to get into a political argument. We have enough people in this country to create sound bites and shout and WAY to few people doing actual technical work anymore.

Give Photonlexicon a try!

https://photonlexicon.com/forums/

Couple of folk over there that'd be better equipped to advise.

 

[akmetal]

You're expecting to go through this with no problems. I can tell you now, that won't be the case. You'll cook countless expensive optics, blow up expensive electronics parts and run into unforeseen costs/problems. Even people that have been doing this a long time run into these issues.

If you can do this for far less than 6 figures then you'll have a product that could result in a very profitable business. You'd put some big laser manufacturers out of business if you can produce 10-40kW for "far less than 6 figures".

I'm not trying to put you down, I'm being realistic, talking from the perspective of someone who has spent a fairly large amount of time reading about building solid state lasers from scratch.

I am not saying I would sell it for less than 6 figure I am saying I could produce one for FAR less.

 

[akmetal]

Post originally said F-22s.

Yea it did but thats even more political, anti air systems fetch BIG money

 

[akmetal]

Give Photonlexicon a try!

https://photonlexicon.com/forums/

Couple of folk over there that'd be better equipped to advise.

Cool thank you, sorry things did not work out

 

[Immo1282]

Yea it did but thats even more political, anti air systems fetch BIG money

I'm gonna put it out there that if you're pitching laser anti-air systems, you need to be doing that to someone in a military boardroom - not a bunch of people on a hobbyist laser forum online.

 

[akmetal]

I am not saying I would sell it for less than 6 figure I am saying I could produce one for FAR less.

Isent this what america is all about, a couple dudes in a garage putting a well funded defense program to shame - ie the sidewinder missile program.

 

[akmetal]

Cool thank you, sorry things did not work out

The conversation has already denigarted into the application of a non existant laser lol.

 

[paul1598419]

Shoot down F-22s? GEES!!! Good luck with that laser project. You are going to need it.

 

[Immo1282]

Isent this what america is all about, a couple dudes in a garage putting a well funded defense program to shame - ie the sidewinder missile program.

So pitch it to the right people, secure the investment you need to see the project through properly and make bank from it.

 

[akmetal]

So pitch it to the right people, secure the investment you need to see the project through properly and make bank from it.

Thats not how things work anymore. Intellectual property rights in the USA are virtually non existent. You need a working proto type to be able to pitch anything. Once you have a functioning system then you can make a youtube video of the systems performance and start collecting 8 figures.

Once you have a working proto type then you actually have something to sell.