StarWarz CO2 Power

[Arayan]

BTW I think that a "wise" and safe use of lasers (including high power ones such as CO2) can be independently of a deep knowledge of electronics or laser building. After all, you know how to drive a car without knowing anything about the engine
This is only MHO

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

There's also people out there driving cars who don't know how to drive too :crackup:

As you get into more advanced build projects, knowledge of the basic principals of electronics will help prevent the smoke from getting out of components - especially $200 diodes. Also, some people here don't know that HeNe lasers run on high voltage.

HMike

 

[daguin]

There's also people out there driving cars who don't know how to drive too :crackup:

As you get into more advanced build projects, knowledge of the basic principals of electronics will help prevent the smoke from getting out of components - especially $200 diodes. Also, some people here don't know that HeNe lasers run on high voltage.

HMike

Ahhhh -- But they find out rather quickly once they own one, eh?

Peace,
dave

 

[Arayan]

As you get into more advanced build projects, knowledge of the basic principals of electronics will help prevent the smoke from getting out of components - especially $200 diodes. Also, some people here don't know that HeNe lasers run on high voltage.

I agree, of course, if we talk of building a laser but, essentially, I was talking about the use of high power lasers (and high voltage)...

There's also people out there driving cars who don't know how to drive too

instead, on this, I'm totally agree

 

[photonaholic]

I used to have straight hair

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

And I used to HAVE hair ---:tinfoil:
Hmike

 

[photonaholic]

all that exposure to HV make it fall out mike??

My genetics are such that I will have a full head of curly gray hair when I croak.

Grandpa did, dad will and so shall I. (I hope)

 

[HaloBlu]

Thanks for sharing your build Hmike. I would guess its around 24" long. About how much does it weigh without batteries?

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Halo ---

The assembly measures 20" long without optics. The expanders can add 5 or 7" to that.
With cells, the laser weighs about 6 pounds but the laser tube and power supply account for only about 2 pounds of that.

HMike

 

[Dvorhagen]

That is incredibly cool. And here I am getting a kick out of etching wood at 5" with 405nm. I can see my laser building (and hopefully not my days of being able to see) culminating in something like that.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

This is my RF CO2 project which is on hold because of the 12 x Diodes!!! Someone PM'ed me about building something like this as a labbie. This is the start of it.

HMike

 

[photonaholic]

Looking good as always Mike.

 

[gillza]

The video of this marvelous cannon would be very nice

 

[Aussienitro]

ZnSe Lens --- 100

If you want a beam expander, add another $80. Some of this is dependant on you doing the machine work and assembly.

HMike

Hi Mike, I'm in envy of your machine there

Could you elaborate more on the focusing lenses? How does the expander and lens come into play? I'm a noob but I'm assuming you expand the beam with one lens then focus it down to a point with another.

If one wanted such lenses where would one aquire them?

 

[Cyparagon]

I recommend laser research optics, but they can probably found a little cheaper. They start at $75 for a 0.6"diameter with 5" focal length. Ebay has them from time to time.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Cyp has it right. The beam expander works with a diverging lens followed by a converging lens I typically use a LRO -1.39 FL optic followed by a 5" or 7.5" FL converging lens.
I use PVC and aluminum to make the colluminator like this:

Ebay sometimes has the ZnSe lenses needed for CO2 laser power.
You can use a 5" FL lens for close burning like the local industrial shop uses. If you have a metal working shop in your area which uses ~1KW CO2 lasers, go ask them if they have any "removed from service" lenses. I did that and got a 5"FL ZnSe for free!

HMike