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Thread: 50 Year Old Argon Ion Laser

  1. #1
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    Default 50 Year Old Argon Ion Laser

    I present today the c1969 model 200 argon ion laser from Carson Laboratories of Bristol, CT. The ad and new product introduction below are from Laser Focus of May, 1967.

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    The laser is long and heavy and missing its feet so it will be a while before I get a replacement set made and put it back together, but I wanted to post anyway. The pics below show the cover and bottom pan, the plasma tube mounted on an I-beam resonator on the workbench, and a few close-ups.

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    Notice the passbank that's in the head, nice large Brewster's window, glass way covers, and some kind of optic that's 8" in front of the HR. I'll disassemble more later and take pics of it. There is also a unique mechanical monitor for the position of the mirror adjustments, seen in the pic below. The target is seen through the glass window on the ends of the head. This feature alone is worth a few hundred of the price for the laser.

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    Last edited by Eidetic; 12-16-2018 at 18:26.

  2. #2
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    That little XY grid for mirror adjustments is neat, haven't seen anything like that before!

  3. #3
    mixedgas's Avatar
    mixedgas is offline Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
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    You probably just made Sam Goldwasser's day. He has been wondering for years what a Carson was. I love the grid feature...
    With the huge amount of 3320 Glass in those glass to metal seals, it had plenty of pre-ionization, too...

    Steve
    Qui habet Christos, habet Vitam!
    I should have rented the space under my name for advertising.
    When I still could have...

  4. #4
    mixedgas's Avatar
    mixedgas is offline Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
    Infinitus Excellentia Ion Laser Dominatus
    Join Date
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    Location
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    OK, I just found this using search engine at work. I'll put it up for educational purposes then take it down. See Attached...

    So when you look at 375 Lake AVE you get this:

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/37...!4d-72.9226272

    PS, EDIT, It is official, Dr. G is happy...

    Steve
    Attached Files Attached Files
    Qui habet Christos, habet Vitam!
    I should have rented the space under my name for advertising.
    When I still could have...

  5. #5
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    Sorry for the necropost, but maybe it can be excused for adding to documentation of old lasers posted here. Anyway, I just found this picture of a Carson argon ion laser in the 1976 French book "Les Lasers" by Marc Ferretti. Notice the outrageously extended feet. Whatever THAT designer was smokin' ... pass it over here!

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  6. #6
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    Do you have plans to run it? Not many glass argon lasers can be seen in action now.

  7. #7
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    No plan to try and run it Andrey. Just don't have the time, electrical experience, or a partner.

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