Laserbuilder's homebuilt ruby laser

[Encap]

This is due to economical situation in our country. It is very bad, and Science in Ukraine died first, because it doesn't recieve any financing from both government and private investors. It has a whole chain of consiquences -- without any financing, people that are smart enough travel abroad and stay there. Those who are not -- give up scientific career and start doing something else that gives stable income, but not science. So we lose brain potential. And when comes a moment when a new company or business needs some research for something, or needs improving technology of something -- nobody can do it. So this company has to find someone who can do this research abroad and even on cheaper prices. It is a closed circle -- no financing-->no work for scientists-->no scientists-->scientific instruments become outdated-->no financing... A lot of labs closed down, ENORMOUS amounts of equipment were sold for nothing, scrapped, recycled (this applies to instruments containing precios metals like gold or palladium). And lasers and laser parts are among them. In our University there was a big laser lab with any types of lasers you can concern. 40 to 50 people worked there. It had at least 3 or 4 lab spaces and a personal 2 MVAR substation! You can imagine what lasers they had, that they needed so much electricity. And then it all was gone. Well, not all but 90% of it. When I was a student I was a frequent guest there. And everything that they hadn't time to scrap came into my hands either for free or for simbolic price.

In all Ukrainian scientific establishments situation is the same. It takes a lot of skill, luck and time to find appropriate contacts, to sniff out something interesting in the laser area and then trade it out on a bargain price. The rest of my laser stuff is a result of this "work", I look for old russian lasers throughout the whole Ukraine and abroad. And sometimes when I'm lucky enough I succeed.

Well, probably this post is more suitable for the collection thread.

Once again great job--nice results.

It is amazing what you have been able to do with the resources you have at hand/available. Negotiating the twists and turns needed to make what you want --goes to show what can be done where there is the dedication to task and the will to do.

Your indefatigable efforts and perseverance are inspirational.

Every laser you build is an interesting adventure---looking forward to seeing your future efforts.

 

[Alaskan]

Before the Soviet Union broke up the country had lots of money, but afterwards they lost most of it, most of it funneled back out to Russia. In the past, Ukraine was where it was at for science and industry.

 

[HydroSean]

Before the Soviet Union broke up the country had lots of money, but afterwards they lost most of it, most of it funneled back out to Russia. In the past, Ukraine was where it was at for science and industry.

So why were the rebels blocking the railcars?

 

[Alaskan]

You must mean the western side of Ukraine near the Russian border? There are groups there who are pro-Russian, want Russia to take it over. Go to Odessa and that isn't a popular idea. In the past, Crimea was about 50/50 split on the idea and you know what happened there.

Edit, I should have said eastern Ukraine near the western border of Russia.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Laserbuilder, you sir are a cool member to have on here! I love ruby lasers.
What are you going to show us next? op:
+rep from me, :gj: :beer:

 

[Laserbuilder]

I would like to say VERY SPECIAL THANKS to our colleague, to a TRUE laser hobbiist, JARROD KINSEY.

I am vey grateful to him for his fascinating web site http://www.jarrodkinsey.org/ where he shares his outstanding laser projects. It is he who gave me inspiration to build this ruby laser and some very valuable advice to assure success in building this unit.

 

[HydroSean]

You must mean the western side of Ukraine near the Russian border? There are groups there who are pro-Russian, want Russia to take it over. Go to Odessa and that isn't a popular idea. In the past, Crimea was about 50/50 split on the idea and you know what happened there.

I think you meant Eastern Ukraine, that's the side which borders Russia. What's happening is rebel forces have hijacked coal trains and used them to block the railroad. Now coal and other fuel cannot be traded and Ukraine is losing about 2.5 billion per year because of it. What I want to find out is why the rebel forces are blocking the train tracks

 

[diachi]

I think you meant Eastern Ukraine, that's the side which borders Russia. What's happening is rebel forces have hijacked coal trains and used them to block the railroad. Now coal and other fuel cannot be traded and Ukraine is losing about 2.5 billion per year because of it. What I want to find out is why the rebel forces are blocking the train tracks

Probably so things like coal and other materials can't be transported?

 

[HydroSean]

Probably so things like coal and other materials can't be transported?

Yeah but why do they not want them transported? I can't seem to find an answer, I think it's because they don't want to use Russian currency

 

[Laserbuilder]

I don't like political discussions in this thread, but I'll answer your question.

WARNING: I will be very politically incorrect in the following text

Ukraine now participates in the war. War for its financial and ideological independence from Russia. Ukraine doesn't want any russian influence on its domestic and foreign policy.

But there is a bunch of mentally retarded slowpokes who mourn the Soviet Union with its totalitarian regime and dream about it, want it back, with its mass executions of inconsonant citizens, without any human rights and with other worst properties of soviet political system. For already 25 years.

They did not agree with the policy of our new pro-European government and started the armed conflict at the East of Ukraine.
From the other side there is Russia with its president Putin, the new Hitler of the modern world, who also wants to enslave every part of the world he can and will be allowed to reach. And now, the minority of our citizens at the East, who dream about USSR, very luckily found this new Russian dictator, who is willing to help them and to achieve his own goals.
They asked Russia for help. And Russia of course agreed to help and sterted to supply everything needed for a big long war, including heavy weaponry, trained troops and etc.

If ukrainian government buys anything (including fuel resources) from the occupied territories at the East, where russian army supplies weapons and other military stuff to those zombiefied idiots, who started this war, the money from these deals and transactions will finance the war. These people will have more money to buy more weapons etc.

You will never defeat your enemy if you trade with it.

I'd like this political discussion to be separated from the laser thread to somewhere else, for example, HERE: Other - Laser Pointer Forums

 

[HydroSean]

I don't like political discussions in this thread, but I'll answer your question.

WARNING: I will be very politically incorrect in the following text

Ukraine now participates in the war. War for its financial and ideological independence from Russia. Ukraine doesn't want any russian influence on its domestic and foreign policy.

But there is a bunch of mentally retarded slowpokes who mourn the Soviet Union with its totalitarian regime and dream about it, wants it back, with its mass executions of inconsonant citizens, without any human rights and with other worst properties of soviet political system. For already 25 years.

They they did not agree with the policy with our new pro-European government and started the armed conflict at the East of Ukraine.
From the other side there is Russia with its president Putin, the new Hitler of the modern world, who also wants to enslave every part of the world he can and will be allowed to reach. And now, the minority of our citizens at the East who dream about USSR very luckily found this new Russian dictator who is willing to help them and to achieve his own goals.
They asked Russia for help. And Russia of course agreed to help and sterted to supply everything needed for a big war, including heavy weaponry, trained troops and etc.

If ukrainian government buys anithing (including fuel resources) from the occupied territories at the East, where russian army supplies weapons and other military stuff to those zombiefied idiots who started this war, the money from these deals and transactions will finance the war. These people will have more money to buy more weapons etc.

You will never defeat your enemy if you trade with it.

I'would like this political discussion to be separated from the laser thread to somewhere else, for example, HERE: Other - Laser Pointer Forums

Thanks for putting it into perspective:thanks:

 

[Alaskan]

Damn you guys, why quote the post right above yours? Acc.. keeps doing that too. Waste of space.

 

[diachi]

Damn you guys, why quote the post right above yours? Acc.. keeps doing that too. Waste of space.

It's a couple extra paragraphs and it makes it clear what you're responding to. Certainly doesn't bother me.

 

[Laserbuilder]

Okay, let's return to lasers))))

I could not leve that horrible power unit in that awful state. So I packed it into a neat case and added a safety interlock which shuts down the unit when top cover opened. Also, when it is shut down -- a normally closed vacuum relay (red rubber thing in the corner) safely drains the charge from the caps to a big green resistor, it gives iron warranty that everything will be deenergized, when I open cover to mess inside. Unfortunately, there was not enough place for 1000 uF bank and I had to reduce it to 600 uF. Maximum pumping energy is 2.7 kJ now. At this point I can say that this laser project is finished, though the laser head wants water cooling (in order to shoot frequently) and a case around, to protect the insides from dust.

 

[paul1598419]

Of all your lasers, this is the one I hope to build. I get why you installed the interlock and have the capacitor bank discharge through the green wire wound resistor. It only takes one moment of carelessness to end your life with the electronics in this flash-lamp driver circuit.

 

[ArcticDude]

Laserbuilder, you sir are a cool member to have on here! I love ruby lasers.
What are you going to show us next? op:
+rep from me, :gj: :beer:

Definitely!! +rep from mee too!

op: