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Registered Member #4108
Joined: Sun Sept 25 2011, 11:43PM
Location:
Posts: 149
Hi all I'm torn between 2 things should I buy a гу80 (for a collection) or a 40 watt co2 laser tube (which I will build a laser out of) which one do you think? Because I'm leaning towards the laser :) And a budget for a 15 year old is basically 0 other than old stuff I buy from la seur and sell on eBay :D
Registered Member #1316
Joined: Thu Feb 14 2008, 03:35AM
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 365
Don't bother with the CO2 laser. Not of much use unless you build a laser cutter out of them. And a CO2 laser gets boring fast. Not to mention that any optics are $$ and they require a hv power supply and water cooling.
If you really want to buy a laser get a solid state one at least. The are a lot more entertaining and you even have a shot at blasting holes in razor blades.
Based on google, the ry80 is a tube? Buy it if you intend to make a VTTC with it. Otherwise, don't buy one just to sit it on the shelf.
You would be much better off spending your money on something to further our hobby, like a nice scope or DMM.
Registered Member #96
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4061
I second that, a good 'scope is a must. (looking at my flaky one with jittering traces).. Also a basic 'scope can be easily repurposed as a spectrum analyser using old TV tuner and voltage source. This can extend its range into the high GHz using a satellite LNB (!)
Registered Member #152
Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384
Of course it's a GU-80. Well this really depends on you, everyone has different preferences... I like vacuum tubes and find lasers boring. The GU-80 can make a pretty good VTTC, probably up to 50-60cm sparks and 2 kilowatts. If you're a tube collector, then I would see why you would just put it on a shelf, otherwise that would be silly imo.
Registered Member #4108
Joined: Sun Sept 25 2011, 11:43PM
Location:
Posts: 149
Sorry I should have not used Cyrillic I do plan to build a cutter out of it. And I'm thinking maybe a ham radio of the gu80. But I don't have enough money for both... Obviously I will collect parts for awhile...
Registered Member #152
Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384
For a ham radio, this tube has a pretty big output capacitance, 27pF iirc. The tube has a voltage derating above 6 MHz, and at 30 MHz, which is its maximum rated frequency, will work only with 1.5kV of plate voltage.
Registered Member #4108
Joined: Sun Sept 25 2011, 11:43PM
Location:
Posts: 149
I got slot of tubes that I could build a radio out of. That's why I'm leaning toward the laser. I got a box full of big tubes... Idk I think this thread could be locked. Sorry I wasted the bandwidth
Registered Member #1316
Joined: Thu Feb 14 2008, 03:35AM
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 365
Get a nd:yag laser like the ssy-1. You can use it for everything from splitting marbles to triggering spark gaps. Its close to the same price as a CO2 laser and requires a cheaper power supply too.
Not to mention that it would last for more than a few years if treated properly, unlike the cheep CO2 laser tubes on ebay (they have leaky epoxy seals most of the time).
A full laser cutter would cost many times more than the laser tube itself and is a significant undertaking. I already have accumulated all the optics in addition to the CO2 laser and I have yet to start mine.
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I'm torn...
