🚀 go-pugleaf

mlevin@husc8.harvard.edu (Michael Levin) writes:

> 
>      Are there any lasers available which will actually cut things?
> The ones I see for sale in catalogs (like Edmund Scientific) seem only
> to be for demonstration purposes. Is it possible to obtain a laser
> that will cut metal, or are they only industrial ones that weigh tons
> and cost millions? If anyone has any info on this (company names,
> etc.) please reply to mlevin@husc8.harvard.edu.
> 
> Mike Levin


Michael,

        Pulse dye lasers and CO2 gas lasers can be columated to 
cut metals.  Argon gas lasers are CW (continuous wave) lasers that 
can cut (make that vaporize/burn) human flesh.  Most air cooled 
argons and HeNe lasers are visual only devices- they do not burn.  
There is optical lasers (Krypton/Argon) such as the Coherent 
"Purelight" series lasers which can be dialed up to burn flesh 
right out of the tube- without columation!  I have burns on my 
thumb to prove this.  Never let your body fall in the path of a 
beam while adjusting mirrors.  If you are too busy watching the 
mirrors alignment, you may see smoke BEFORE you feel burning 
flesh.  Laser burns are quite painful...........sq

(The purelight laser at work draws a maximum of 25,000 watts of 
3 phase electric power to produce 8,000 milliwatts- that's eight 
watts of optical laser power.  Eight watts is a VERY powerful beam 
tho- ignites paper instantly.  Burns flesh almost as fast.....)