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Big TEA For Thee

Eidetical

Eidetical

Well-known member
Joined
May 14, 2022
Messages
202
Points
63
At 102" long, this 1987 Lumonics model TEA-103-2 carbon dioxide laser just became the largest in my collection (by 10"). I'll need to drain the oil so it doesn't continue to leak, and give it a thorough sponge bath. Think I'll mount the cover on shelf brackets above the head. It was operational when taken out of service by Chad at Meredith Instruments here in the Phoenix area, but it'll probably not run again. Big glass tube, 3" square grating!

Lumonics TEA System.jpg
 





Congrats, I guess. I have never purchased of even saved a failed laser of any kind. But, I suppose it has historical value to you. You must be young as I was already at the end of elementary school when the first laser was made. Maybe you can find uses for some of the parts?
 
Wow, that is a huge laser. Imagine mounting two of those to your Harley, one on each side so it looks like a futuristic space motorcycle.
 
paul1598419 said:
Congrats, I guess. I have never purchased of even saved a failed laser of any kind. But, I suppose it has historical value to you. You must be young as I was already at the end of elementary school when the first laser was made. Maybe you can find uses for some of the parts?
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Thanks, I guess. I'd imagine you throw everything away, as soon as it's no longer useful to you personally. But, I suppose that's your right. I'm old enough to value the craftsmanship and vast resources that went into making these instruments. To each their own.;)
 
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I still get a charge out of Arnold Swhwarzenegger using a hene on that long slide 45 in the original Terminator movie, we have come a long way and still have a long way to go. Just imagine where we ( humanity ) will be in 100 years if we survive.

As much as I love reading about current and projected future laser technology, I also love seeing technology from the past, I remember when I was about 12 years old or so and my father worked as an electronics engineer for AT&T, the company had rented out SixFlags over Georgia for the day so the employees and their families had the park for the day, I rode the scream machine at least 10 times in a row...... It was magic, ole dad drove us there and the sign said closed for the day, then he said don't worry, some friends and myself rented the place for the day, lol.

Anyway the company had set up a big display and they were touting glass fiber as the way of the future as the frequency of the light had more bandwidth and the electronics would multiplex thousands of calls between States on a single fiber, amazing stuff, I remember thinking " How can they make that much perfect glass fiber ? " and now you can buy a 2kw fiber welder/cutter from China for 10k with terrifying beam quality and at 1064nm no less, just amazing and it's only going to get better and better which presents all kinds of ideas and concerns, but learning about the technology new and old is what life is all about, Thanks to Eidetical for sharing his TEA-103. :)
 
That looks like the laser I saw at the Toronto science center that melted brick to lava and set off my love of lasers. I was likely under 8 years old.
 
kecked said:
That looks like the laser I saw at the Toronto science center that melted brick to lava and set off my love of lasers. I was likely under 8 years old.
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Woah, you saw it too. I remember seeing that laser as a kid. Too bad the laser exhibit isn't there anymore. I still have the piece of wood with my name etched into they made during the demo.





sciencecenter-jpg.74940
 
well I guess it was a lot bigger than I remember. I loved that place. The chem lum exhibit, the silence room, the hall of voices. It was truly amazing as a kid. funny to think 100W is a handheld tube now and considered mid sized. Guess it was the magnet rings that caused the memory on this one. Oh remember the pure water fountain made from combining hydrogen and oxygen.
 
kecked said:
well I guess it was a lot bigger than I remember. I loved that place. The chem lum exhibit, the silence room, the hall of voices. It was truly amazing as a kid. funny to think 100W is a handheld tube now and considered mid sized. Guess it was the magnet rings that caused the memory on this one. Oh remember the pure water fountain made from combining hydrogen and oxygen.
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I remember college chemistry class bubbling H2 through a basin of soapy water and then igniting it. That was fun.
 
I have vague memories of a trip to the CN tower in Toronto as a child (sometime in the mid-late 80's), & seeing a laser demonstration with similar apparatus. Seeing that just took me on a trip back in time, LoL. I remember being upset that they didn't sell "Army Ant" toys in the gift shop, instead getting some baking soda & vinegar powered car ...
Great find, friend. That'll make for a very interesting display/conversation piece.
 
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