A HUGE Tube!

[daguin]

Sometimes I buy things just because they are cool. This is one of those buys. I had been watching this copper vapor laser on eBay for awhile. It had been steadily going down in price. Once it got under $100 I emailed and asked him if he would take $50 for it. He agreed. Now I was NOT planning on ever making it lase. I MIGHT gave tried, but the tube broke in transit, so there is no temptation to spend WAY too much money on a power source only to find it needed 3-phase or worse

Anyway, I bought it to eventually use in a display of interesting laser tubes. It will still work for that AND as one hell of a joke on friends and family. I ask them if they want to see my latest laser. Then I come walking out of my office carrying this

That is my 6year-old grand son and my 10 year old grand daughter holding it

Here are some perspective pics

Someday I may have copper vapor goodness, but today is not that day.

Peace,
dave

 

[Murudai]

That's a fricken laser bazooka

 

[HumanSymphony]

regardless it looks uber badass ;D

 

[GooeyGus]

what happened to it in transit? Do you know if the heater is contained inside the tube??

 

[daguin]

what happened to it in transit? Do you know if the heater is contained inside the tube??

It looks like there was a bolt missing from the "high voltage" end. It probably shifted with enough impact that it broke the tube. All the parts were there so I know it broke in transit. There was a central ceramic tube that had copper "beads" along the "bottom". That tube was surrounded by what looked like some sort of insulating material The glass surrounded that. The "heat" must have been supplied along with the power to excite it through the connection in the "high voltage" end.

Peace,
dave

 

[Murudai]

Could you fit a CO2 tube inside of that thing if you removed the guts? Might make a good host

 

[daguin]

The ID is 90mm (3.5inch) and it is almost a meter long.

If nothing else, it's one heluva heat sink

Peace,
dave

 

[Cyparagon]

Astonishing! That's big enough to fit a 40W CO[sub]2[/sub] tube

 

[thesk8nmidget]

dave you must make this the worlds largest handheld

out do the last!

lol

i would deff put a laser or 2 in there for display purposes of course!

how much was shipping?

 

[daguin]

dave you must make this the worlds largest handheld
out do the last!
lol
i would deff put a laser or 2 in there for display purposes of course!
how much was shipping?

Cool idea. I have some 2mW red pointers. I could mount one inside the front window ;D ;D

Although I think this would have to be the worlds largest ARM held

It shipped for $30

Peace,
dave

 

[rangedunits]

Stick an argon 1st portable argon

 

[thesk8nmidget]

dang i figured it would have cost more to ship than buy

not bad!

 

[Cyparagon]

IF it had cost more to ship than buy, it might have arrived intact

 

[daguin]

IF it had cost more to ship than buy, it might have arrived intact

Granted. This SHOULD have been crated, not boxed.

Peace,
dave

 

[heruursciences]

Be careful if dissasembling it with a broken core, it's got BeO ceramic inside it!

 

[GooeyGus]

Be careful if dissasembling it with a broken core, it's got BeO ceramic inside it!

mmm.... Liquefaction of the lungs.... Thumbs up!