Game: Guess the mystery object !

[The Lightning Stalker]

It's definitely some type of plasma arc device.

 

[Sigurthr]

Aside from the small chamber it almost looks like a PVD source.

 

[VisibleGreen]

Dr Evil is it a motorcycle helmet?

 

[starlight]

Looks exactly like the aluminium cast engine blocks on original Saturn cars.

 

[BowtieGuy]

I think starlight is on the right track, it looks like something that was cast using the "lost foam process". That's probably why it looks so much like foam.

 

[Dr_Evil]

Looks exactly like the aluminium cast engine blocks on original Saturn cars.

You even got the car brand right.

I think starlight is on the right track, it looks like something that was cast using the "lost foam process". That's probably why it looks so much like foam.

I was going to say why it looked like that once somebody figured out what it was.

Lost-foam casting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[MarioMaster]

@mariomaster I would guess it's a fusor with that nice purplish glow and round thick (maybe borosilicate) window

Nope, this is a sealed device.

It's definitely some type of plasma arc device.

It is, but what purpose does it serve? (hint: not an indicator lamp or spectral source) :tinfoil:

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Dr Evil --- It looks to me like a polishing wheel
for some metals.
HMike

What are we analyzing here?

Air filter ????

 

[douro20]

Here's another one, but this time I have no clue what it is used for. From the circuity inside I believe it's supposed to generate a 5MHz tone.
And before you ask, I don't have an oscilloscope or a working frequency counter.

 

[douro20]

If that's a positive column discharge through argon I'm seeing, then I'll take a guess that this is a cold-cathode regulator tube.

 

[Benm]

Here's another one, but this time I have no clue what it is used for. From the circuity inside I believe it's supposed to generate a 5MHz tone.
And before you ask, I don't have an oscilloscope or a working frequency counter.

It could be just that, though 10 MHz is a fair bit more usual. I suppose there is a power connection somewhere on the other side of the case, but some pics of what's inside could clear it up.

These units have a number of applications. Some have a square wave output so lots of harmonics and are used to create a reference grid of frequencies to help tune radio receivers and such.

 

[trussmonkey25]

A fuzz box for a guitar? Lol

 

[douro20]

Here is a photograph of the inside. It reminds me very much of a simple crystal oscillator with a single transistor, a few passives and a 5MHz crystal. What it's for I don't know.

 

[douro20]

A fuzz box for a guitar? Lol

At 5MHz? Definitely not. And it has no input, only an output...

 

[Benm]

Looks like a 5 MHz marker to me, probably 1980s.

Probably not really a frequency reference or timebase since it's just an uncompensated crystal oscillator, but it will help you find 5/10/15/20/25 Mhz on an anlalog receiver.

Strange that there is no 'on' LED in it, though that would probably use more power that the oscillator for leds of the era.

 

[LaserCo]

That RS battery is going to be worth something somday?!! Thanks for reviving this thread!