Post your random videos!

[DashApple]

Holy... Never seen this before! So the tube is hooked up to software that pulses it at different frequencies, but is the sound being generated from the wood burning and the gasses that escape are producing the frequency? Or is the tube itself vibrating?

Kinda , Its a Arduino driving the Co2 PSU with Sqaure wave notes , The sound can actually be heard from the PSU , Tube and the Spot its self ,

The burn spot is loudest source of the sound ,

I'm wondering about this too, is it current flowing which sets the music to play, or an optical sensor seeing the light? I'm disappointed they didn't show the laser tube itself.

Its my video and channel ,

Tube can be seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42gJZ07qcTU

 

[Gabe]

Kinda , Its a Arduino driving the Co2 PSU with Sqaure wave notes , The sound can actually be heard from the PSU , Tube and the Spot its self ,

The burn spot is loudest source of the sound ,

Very nice! You said it's a 60W tube, but it was underpowered in the video. Since the spot is the loudest source, that must mean that the wood is getting burnt so fast that in the fractions of a second the dot is on during a note, every time it pulses on the wood puffs out a little smoke/gas at the same frequency as the arduino ran the tube? Very cool stuff

 

[DashApple]

Very nice! You said it's a 60W tube, but it was underpowered in the video. Since the spot is the loudest source, that must mean that the wood is getting burnt so fast that in the fractions of a second the dot is on during a note, every time it pulses on the wood puffs out a little smoke/gas at the same frequency as the arduino ran the tube? Very cool stuff

Thanks : D , Actually that video the co2 laser was my 15W tube , But there is a video of a 60W tube doing it unfocused that I did before hand , I didn't word that comment reply very well : P ,

There is a link to the video of the 15W tube in the post above yours ^^

I believe that's what's happening

 

[Alaskan]

You taped your stuff together kinda like I do too

What is the divergence of the output beam at what diameter beam output?

 

[DashApple]

You taped your stuff together kinda like I do too

What is the divergence of the output beam at what diameter beam output?

I do have a habit of using tape to hold most things together : P ,

Not to sure , id say around 4-5mm , divergence it fairly large but I haven't measured it .

With my 60W tube the spot was about 1 1/2 inches wide at 22 feet

 

[Alaskan]

Wow, I'm calculating about 5 mRad, that seems fairly low for a CO2 laser, but maybe I just thought their divergence was far more than they really are all this time.

Laser Optics Calculators

Edit: Well, I'll be, did some googling and these lasers can have fairly low divergence, here's some example for some higher power ones:

http://www.convergent-photonics.com/co2-laser-cutting/cx-series-laser/

 

[DashApple]

Wow, I'm calculating about 5 mRad, that seems fairly low for a CO2 laser, but maybe I just thought their divergence was far more than they really are all this time.

Laser Optics Calculators

I believe they are around 2.2 - 5 ish mRad , their not as bad as you think considering when they are used on medium size CNC beds the beam dose have a long ish path to follow .

 

[Alaskan]

Googling I found they are fairly low divergence, wow, I had no clue, I'm glad to know this, now I want one

 

[RedCowboy]

Nice, I'm want to put a 40-60 watt in a 4 inch PVC pipe, I will saw it length ways and hinge it for service access and use a small handmade copper tube radiator with a pc fan at the back and ZVS to make the high voltage, so far I have the ZVS and other misc parts but I have not selected a tube yet, what is a really robust tube brand?

 

[Alaskan]

Now I'm interested in one too, but more powwwwer.... So, we are both seeking information on who makes the most robust tubes

 

[DashApple]

RECI from what I know are rather good tubes , they range from 40W to 150W


They are a good way to trim PC fans : P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L8PdpJycNw

 

[Alaskan]

A quick look online shows anything more than 40-60 watts are both far more expensive as well as long tubes. Here's a video of someone with a very long CO2 tube burning some things:

https://youtu.be/BDks2e438hs

 

[DashApple]

Yup , 40-60W Are common , Co2 lasers aren't know for been short : P

Your only other option is cheap tubes off ebay or similar

 

[Pi R Squared]

Death Ray Tubes : United Nuclear , Scientific Equipment & Supplies

40W tube is 27", 60W 47", 80W 62", 100W 70", they sure aren't small.

Death Ray Power Supplies : United Nuclear , Scientific Equipment & Supplies

Coolant Pump Set : United Nuclear , Scientific Equipment & Supplies

Looks like they go up in price and size real fast as the power increases.

Alan

 

[RedCowboy]

So....big sob near Ir diodes then?
Actually I knew the tubes got longer but beam quality is good.
I am curious what wavelength of diode is the most efficient?
808nm range seems the be the least expensive per watt, I know full on face seal goggles will be needed, and FAC lens or cylindrical shaping again.

If money weren't an issue a true bragg grated fiber laser would be fun.

 

[Alaskan]

Two 40-50 watt surplus Coherent FAP800 units combined with a fiber-Y harness ought to do it, but the divergence with a common 12mm collimator is high at about 18 mRad. However, put a big lens in front you can fix that and even focus to a point a few feet away to burn your leaves and tree branches

You would need to run them directly off something like a Cyclon lead acid battery pack for the needed current at about 45-50+ amps each for the 2 VDC they each need.

Edit, I don't use a driver on mine and so far, no over current problems, a Cyclon 25 AH 2 VDC battery is a perfect match for each of these but drain down in only 15 minutes to half power output when using a single 40W FAP800. With adequate heat sinking and a limited battery capacity, this is probably why I can get away with doing so without a driver.