The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page*

Re: The big argons from the college...

have fun on those roads..... we got iced again n we had to drive on the highway.... i saw about 5 people slide into the guard rails n dividers...

Re: The big argons from the college...

I dont have time to make a full post... here is a quick photo, though. More details soon  

Re: The big argons from the college *pics added*

I have to go change my shorts now :-[

Re: The big argons from the college *pics added*

Holy cow, I hope that system came with a manual!

Way too many knobs!

Re: The big argons from the college...

HumanSymphony said:

[quote author=jamilm9 link=1229910555/0#10 date=1229976479][highlight]-18C feels like -28C[/highlight] because of wind. Has to be a (very) good 45cm here

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what?!!? lol where are you?[/quote]
4 hour drive north of Toronto

Re: The big argons from the college *pics added*

umm can i please see a beam shot por favor

Re: The big argons from the college *pics added*

Nope... No beam shots unfortunately.

SOOOO here's the story. I really have bad luck with large-frame ion lasers.

As most of you may know I've been trying to get these lasers for months and months. While I was talking to the college I made it very clear that the water needed to be drained from the tubes PRIOR TO SHIPMENT. Well... no one drained the tubes.

Long story short, the water FROZE while in transit and broke the glass on BOTH of the tubes.

One of the tubes is completely useless... done deal... garbage. There is ice all the way down the bore of the laser. The OTHER laser appears to still be gas intact, but the 'outer' glass which the water flows through broke. SO, it broke into two big pieces. I'm going to try to epoxy the pieces back on and see if she'll hold water before I even dream of trying to start the laser. Again the good news is that it looks like none of the 'gas bearing' glass has been breached, but the tube will still likely never run again unless I run it without cooling just to kill the thing. There is a very very tiny chance that I will be able to repair the tube, so we'll see.

ANYWAY... I cant complain. In total all this equipment only cost me $265. The power supply alone is worth around $500 minimum, and this one appears to be freshly refurbished. Everything inside looks new and there is even a sticker that says 'new'.

On to the pictures!!!

This is the more badly broken of the two. Completely trashed, up to air, full of water.



This is the one that I'm hoping is still gas intact:



A whole bunch more pictures:

(notice the brewster stem... full of ice)


(clear brewster stem... no ice in the gasseous areas)


(this little piece is broken, but not critical)




Totally busted and full of ice:


Yeah... look at these stickers... they bring a tear to your eye, eh?











And the innards of the power supply... Immaculate!!!







Thats all... bring on the questions/comments/sympathy  ;D ;D ;D

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

You know that I feel your pain.

On the other hand, you have a good 265 Exciter now. Affordable tubes pop up from time to time.

Peace,
dave

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

wow, absolutely terrible luck with these things....

Re: The big argons from the college *pics added*

Poor luck indeed I've have this luck with CO2 tubes. The cat broke one, USPS broke one, and UPS broke three.

GooeyGus said:

there is even a sticker that says 'new'.

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Alright! That's proof right there! As the sticker ages, the letters slowly morph into "old" so there's no mistaking it. ;D

So... Are you going to find out if ice lases?

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

All that because some idiot didn't drain the tubes
Will insurance pay for the damage or will you need to get a refund from the seller?

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

If it wasn't winter time you would probably have been ok.

but its still hard to ship something that big an fragile and have it arrive in the same condition as when it was shipped.

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

Hopefully you can get most of all of your money back - then at least you'd be getting the still-useful stuff free!

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

I was sure looking forward to lighting up the shop with these guys, a terrible-shame :'( .

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

Dark_Horse said:

I was sure looking forward to lighting up the shop with these guys, a terrible-shame :'( .

Click to expand...

Oh we will!!! I'm working on the new plasma tube right now... if all goes well I should have it in a few weeks. I guess installing the tube only takes about a half hour, and hour if you're really being careful. SOOO at least one of these heads WILL come to life by the end of... well... lets say February just to be safe, but I think it will be much before then!

Re: The big argons *All pics/story added. 2nd page

You said you shipped UPS, didn't you?

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0c8_1230214171

I found video of your delivery.