594.1nm HeNe laser head GB

[ultimatekaiser]

running final tests now. one of them I had to do some realignment on, but you'd never notice it.

there are two 250Ms and two 050Ms.

1. REO-LHYR-0250M
Power rating: 2.5mW
Output after warmup: 3.8mW with 3 satellites
Mode: Multimode
Polarization: Random
Wavelengths: 594.1nm
Health: Excellent

2. REO-LHYR-0250M
Power rating: 2.5mW
Output after warmup: 1.8 initially re-aligned to 2.34mW with 2 satellites (alignment problem, but after some tweaking I got it nearly back up to rating, walking them further would be difficult without removal from the laser head and I'm not fiddling with it further for tonight, though I may try again later. I'm sure it can do more.)
Mode: Multimode
Polarization: Random
Wavelengths: 594.1nm
Health: Very Good

3. REO-LHYR-0050M OEM
Power rating: 0.5mW
Output after warmup: 1.7mW
Mode: Multimode
Polarization: Random
Wavelengths: 594.1nm
Health: Excellent NOS

4. REO-LHYR-0050M OEM (rattles, but not a functional problem, probably loose epoxy, as I got a small piece that fell out of the front of its cousin)
Power rating: 0.5mW
Output after warmup: 1.5mW
Mode: Multimode but mostly TEM00
Polarization: Random
Wavelengths: 594.1nm
Health: Excellent NOS

None of the tubes were multi-line after warmup, but they may exude other lines during warmup. I didn't check. the tubes are all the same size, and were tested on a Voltex Lab S-28-00 (2400-3200VDC @ 6.5mA). The original specs as far as I'm aware are quoted to be 2475VDC but current is unknown. A lot of older ones are quoted to run at 5.5mA, but I've seen most of this size are now rated at 6mA. 6.5 should still be a very safe value however for a tube this size and will not likely cause any excessive heating, but I'd not go any higher than that.

That first tube is truly head and shoulders above the rest, but I'm hesitant on what to do with it. I kinda don't want to include it, not because I want to be selfish (though I did make this possible), but because I want this to be fair. The others are quite close together and comparable, even the other 250M is still stronger and typical power for a yellow. This would level the playing field, as well as well as allow me to drop the price of the tubes some. I'm thinking either way though, what i'll have a third party (like my mom) assign them all a random number and do what hak suggested and "draw straws" blindly for them, and what you get is what you get.

If it comes down to first dibs though, I'd much rather give a/the stronger tube to umbrella since he was not only first to pay and help out and has been chomping at my ankles for these, but actually requested the strongest tube no conditions.

I'm don't want to be viewed as the bad guy, I'm just trying to think of ways to make this fair and give you all a similar experience, hopefully happy and satisfying. I already have enough yellow, so I've little to gain by grabbing up the large tube. Doing that levels the playing field for everyone mostly, but I'd like all your thoughts on the matter before we proceed further. I've been a part of LPF for a long time, and I'm glad to be happy to be around to support and share with you all, and I've no reason to change that now.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

sorry for the DP but updated the prior post

 

[Sigurthr]

That first tube is truly head and shoulders above the rest, but I'm hesitant on what to do with it. I kinda don't want to include it, not because I want to be selfish (though I did make this possible), but because I want this to be fair. The others are quite close together and comparable, even the other 250M is still stronger and typical power for a yellow. This would level the playing field, as well as well as allow me to drop the price of the tubes some. I'm thinking either way though, what i'll have a third party (like my mom) assign them all a random number and do what hak suggested and "draw straws" blindly for them, and what you get is what you get.

If it comes down to first dibs though, I'd much rather give a/the stronger tube to umbrella since he was not only first to pay and help out and has been chomping at my ankles for these, but actually requested the strongest tube no conditions.

I'm don't want to be viewed as the bad guy, I'm just trying to think of ways to make this fair and give you all a similar experience, hopefully happy and satisfying. I already have enough yellow, so I've little to gain by grabbing up the large tube. Doing that levels the playing field for everyone mostly, but I'd like all your thoughts on the matter before we proceed further. I've been a part of LPF for a long time, and I'm glad to be happy to be around to support and share with you all, and I've no reason to change that now.

FWIW as a neutral outside observer I would have no issue with Umbrella getting the big boy tube. First to pay and politely request gets the prize in my book, especially if it is an upstanding member looking at a significant improvement.

Also it's nice to see none of these "cheap" tubes are surpassing my investment from Dr. Sam, heh. =P

 

[ultimatekaiser]

FWIW as a neutral outside observer I would have no issue with Umbrella getting the big boy tube. First to pay and politely request gets the prize in my book, especially if it is an upstanding member looking at a significant improvement.

Also it's nice to see none of these "cheap" tubes are surpassing my investment from Dr. Sam, heh. =P

mine does a whopping 4+mW so it doesnt bug me much. tho I do know I have the strongest orange. i'm pretty sure of that. I've got over 5mW at 3 lines from my 612 all tem00.

 

[GR3EN]

I don't mind a lower powered one and if you do drop the price for any of the tubes even better haha. I finally got to measure my current 594.1nm tube and it is outputting a nice 3.4mw so someone else should definitely get the chance to experience a tube of a decent power.

 

[Mattronium]

If we get to know which one we get then it would make sense to me to have a slightly graduated pricing so the person who gets the "best/better" tube pays a slightly higher price and the persons who get the lower power tubes get compensated for with a lower price. I'd be fine with giving the stronger tube to umbrella, but would that be tube 1. or 2. ?
I would like to have a higher power tube, but since the visual difference between 1.5mW and, say, 3mW isn't massively noticeable I'd really be fine with a lower power tube instead.

 

[Down with Umbrella]

Thank you all for the kind words. Not to sound sappy or anything but knowing that people here on the forum organized this, put work in, and communicated well adds additional value to this tube.
I'll accept the first tube if ultimatekaiser wants to part with it but if not I'll be happy as well!

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Yes, and there's not a huge jump in brightness between them. Frankly the little oem 050s are the healthiest and best deal, and have the cleanest beams, and have the tubes mounted straight unlike the larger ones, and do triple output. So despite being a bit weaker, they're technically the most above and beyond. They're also only barely multimode TEM00 compared to the larger ones, which I forgot to mention. The 3mW tube, while has a higher output, is quite nasty with a bunch of satellites that flux and wander and is quite messy, And no they're not removable. It seems to be from a flaw in the OC causing internal reflections.

 

[Mattronium]

Ultimatekaiser, if umbrella gets tube 1. would you then get tube 2. ?
Now that you mention the beam quality of the 0250M tubes I'd almost think that even if we did do graduated pricing, the value of all the tubes might be almost the same when all the factors like health, beam quality and power are considered.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Main beams are all fairly similar quality but if you don't like satellites than the top two tubes are definitely not for you the top most one is very multimode and all the stuff that entails. satellites are not necessarily a bad thing, but I know that that does annoy some people. I have a couple HeNes that have satellites, but they're very weak unlike these.

But yes that's why I kinda want to drop number one out of it even though it's more powerful by a mW or so, it's quite ugly in and out, and when factoring all things together the other three tubes are all -very- similar and I don't want anyone walking away from this dissatisfied with their tube

 

[GR3EN]

Main beams are all fairly similar quality but if you don't like satellites than the top two tubes are definitely not for you the top most one is very multimode and all the stuff that entails. satellites are not necessarily a bad thing, but I know that that does annoy some people. I have a couple HeNes that have satellites, but they're very weak unlike these.

But yes that's why I kinda want to drop number one out of it even though it's more powerful by a mW or so, it's quite ugly in and out, and when factoring all things together the other three tubes are all -very- similar and I don't want anyone walking away from this dissatisfied with their tube

I'm laid back. So whatever happens happens I already have a 594nm so I'll just get whatever is last

 

[Down with Umbrella]

the top most one is very multimode and all the stuff that entails. satellites are not necessarily a bad thing, but I know that that does annoy some people. I have a couple HeNes that have satellites, but they're very weak unlike these.

But yes that's why I kinda want to drop number one out of it even though it's more powerful by a mW or so, it's quite ugly in and out, and when factoring all things together the other three tubes are all -very- similar and I don't want anyone walking away from this dissatisfied with their tube

Hmm. I don't mind some mode hopping but how bad are these satellites? Is the beam really dirty? :undecided:

 

[ultimatekaiser]

They're pretty apparent there's three or four of them. The other 250M only has one, which is not terribly unusual.

Satellites usually come from retrograde reflections of the outer surface of the OC, usually from a flaw on the surface, or lack of an AR coating for example. REO tubes have these odd Glass structures affixed to the front of their mirrors, the purpose of which is unclear. I assume they're correctional in some manner, but they have a nasty habit of causing this problem. It's kind of unnecessary as they could just grind the mirror's outer surface as necessary like MG does. Why add another piece of glass glued onto the front? Surely that's got to cost more. But then again why did their stabilized tubes have three mirrors? Silly.

I do have a couple of very powerful Melles Griot tubes that do the same thing. It's usually just 1 spot though.

 

[Sigurthr]

mine does a whopping 4+mW so it doesnt bug me much. tho I do know I have the strongest orange. i'm pretty sure of that. I've got over 5mW at 3 lines from my 612 all tem00.

Yep, your orange is a rare gem for sure. I think I said that back when you first posted it, heh. My Yellow is doing 4.1mW TEM00 w/ no satellites or sprites/splash, couldn't ask for better in a SL, really.

These tubes seem like quite good performers though, most above spec and all healthy.

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Yeah they're quite nice. I don't think I ever posted my orange, just the old one that ended up breaking a long time ago. I think my yellow is about the same, like 4.5mW or something with a single weak satellite. I'd have to check. I haven't re-metered all of my lasers since I re-calibrated my sensor.

 

[Down with Umbrella]

They're pretty apparent there's three or four of them. The other 250M only has one, which is not terribly unusual.

Satellites usually come from retrograde reflections of the outer surface of the OC, usually from a flaw on the surface, or lack of an AR coating for example. REO tubes have these odd Glass structures affixed to the front of their mirrors, the purpose of which is unclear. I assume they're correctional in some manner, but they have a nasty habit of causing this problem. It's kind of unnecessary as they could just grind the mirror's outer surface as necessary like MG does. Why add another piece of glass glued onto the front? Surely that's got to cost more. But then again why did their stabilized tubes have three mirrors? Silly.

I do have a couple of very powerful Melles Griot tubes that do the same thing. It's usually just 1 spot though.

According to REO They lead the world in Unique Optical Assemblies and Thin film coatings. Maybe this extra glass structure is part of their proprietary IBS optics using their "superpolishing techniques". Hm. For the past hour I have been Perusing their site.
Side note, Everclear works great for cleaning optics but it will definitely take the AR coating off a lens. (I'm sure you know this) but is it possible someone tampered with these optics at some point in the lasers lifetime?
I take it an output coupler would be hard to come by :thinking: