Hello from Colorado

[Jim H]

Hello all. I was directed to this forum for help with a dye laser, which I have already gotten. I am not into lasers as much as I once was. I started out way back, with some HeNe lasers, then red pointers when they came out. Not long after I bought an X60 argon with both single and multimode optics. Then the green pointer came when they became affordable, with a couple 405's after that. Then I saw a ring dye laser for a good price on Ebay and bought it, as well as a 5w argon head. Unfortunately this head was not one of the better ones(research before you buy) and had high gas pressure, and I had no power supply for it either. So the dye sat and sat as my little argon didn't have the power to pump it. I bought a 3D printer, and maybe a year ago bought a 3W 405nm laser to some day mount on it. And that's where I am today. I really have too many other hobbies, and am married, so don't have much time for my lasers. At one time, I had also considered trying to make holograms, but that never progressed past the thinking part, and a few chemicals. I had also thought about making a copper vapor laser, but never did.
Anyway, thanks for the help I have so far received!
Jim near Denver

 

[Jim H]

Almost forgot I also have 2 of those NdYAG range finder lasers, although i blew up the flashlamp on one when I upped the capacitor for more power

 

[hakzaw1]

Big Texas Welcome Jim.
You should find a good venue and host a COLOLEM--
Lots of work but well worth the effort--we may be small in number but make up for that many ways.

DO NOT miss LEM any if you can.

search 'SELEM Laser' lots of YTube vids and links to the forum where many LEMs are organized.. so join to stay on top of any new LEMs going on..or how to host one.

hak

 

[paul1598419]

Welcome, Jim. I also used to live in Lakewood and also Aurora back in the 1980s and 1990s, Did some post graduate work at CU Denver in virology, so I am familiar with the area. I used to make holograms too starting in 1980 with a 632.8 nm HeNe and have several books on making them. Good luck on your dye laser.

 

[Jim H]

Welcome, Jim. I also used to live in Lakewood and also Aurora back in the 1980s and 1990s, Did some post graduate work at CU Denver in virology, so I am familiar with the area. I used to make holograms too starting in 1980 with a 632.5 nm HeNe and have several books on making them. Good luck on your dye laser.

Thanks Paul. I used to go down to Lakewood in that time frame, bars, cruising Colfax on weekends, malls, movies.

 

[paul1598419]

Yeah, Colfax is the longest street running through Denver and its suburbs. CU is actually on that street. I was in my 40s then, so not any bar hopping then.

 

[Jim H]

BTW, my profile photo is ionized air at the focal point of my NdYAG, 1064nm, so invisible beam.

 

[hakzaw1]

Unique profile pic-- I wondered about it too.

BTW
MYB next time
if you want to add to the post above..
use edit- and copy then del
Go to the other post- use edit and then copy to make two posts into one.

also if you put your general location into your profile members can look there and find out.
as the post with your location is very hard to find.

hope you and yours are safe and healthy'
hak (Len) hunkered down and ready.

 

[lasersbee]

Welcome to the Forum.. Jim
You should show us some of your Lasers.
Enjoy the Forum and stay Laser Safe.

Jerry

 

[Jim H]

Welcome to the Forum.. Jim
You should show us some of your Lasers.
Enjoy the Forum and stay Laser Safe.

Jerry

Thanks! Many are hiding, buried in my storage building, but I have a few I could take photos of that are fairly easy to get at.

 

[Encap]

Welcome. Enjoy the forums.

 

[Jim H]

Here are some photos of my 60X
I have both TEM00 and multi line multi mode optics for it. I got it maybe 20-25 years ago and it mostly sits neglected, but it will still put out 8 lines Not sure of the power. On these, should there be a visible beam coming out the back as well? It isn't nearly as powerful, but I put duct tape to somewhat block it.

 

[paul1598419]

Yeah, I've got a single line argon that outputs 488nm at about 100 mW. Yours is likely about that much power too.

 

[Jim H]

Ok, I dug a few more out.
2 SSY-1 YAG heads, 4 capacitors, which gives a lot of power, but eventually the flashlamp explodes . Also, a .5 mw Melles Griot 05-LHR-640 tube. I have 1 or 2 more HeNe's, I don't remember how many, but not sure where they are at the moment. The cat food can lid I had to save because I punched a hole through it with the YAG
Small, but hole all the way through.

 

[Jim H]

Then to round out my collection, minus the dye which is posted under dye help, and the missing HeNe's, here are all my others.

Newest to oldest, left to right, 2 watt I think, 405nm, 200 mw 405 nm, 5 mw 405 nm, 5 mw 532 nm, and 5 mw red of unknown wavelength as the sticker says 400 nm - 800 nm.