Precious Metals? 1985 Spectra Physics Model 125 Gas Laser.

[fredtest]

I couldn't resist a $35 old school gas laser. Intending to scrap. 100 pounds of mostly aluminum.

I have no interest to get it running as I enjoy my eyesight.

Any hazardous things I should be aware of such as Beryllium oxide.

Any precious metals in the tube?

Thanks.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I couldn't resist a $35 old school gas laser. Intending to scrap. 100 pounds of mostly aluminum.

I have no interest to get it running as I enjoy my eyesight.

Any hazardous things I should be aware of such as Beryllium oxide.

Any precious metals in the tube?

Thanks.

I don't know much of these.
But many of the components from that time had PMs in it and the mirrors might have a relatively substantial Gold plating.
What was it used for?

 

[fredtest]

Hello, It was used by a local university in the bio labs. For exactly what I do not know.
Thanks for the reply and I'll look over the mirrors on the ends. I'll be dismantling it today.

 

[the leprechaun]

I would keep that as a collectors item it will be worth more than the gold you will recover from it.

 

[Harry63]

I couldn't resist a $35 old school gas laser. Intending to scrap. 100 pounds of mostly aluminum.

I have no interest to get it running as I enjoy my eyesight.

Any hazardous things I should be aware of such as Beryllium oxide.

Any precious metals in the tube?

Thanks.

Hi, i did work with this laser. It is a red HeNe laser with about 0.1 Watt. Sorry there is no PM in the lasertube. The mirrors are gold sputtered but it is so less that you cant give a weight on it.
Best regards
Harry

 

[Yggdrasil]

Hi, i did work with this laser. It is a red HeNe laser with about 0.1 Watt. Sorry there is no PM in the lasertube. The mirrors are gold sputtered but it is so less that you cant give a weight on it.
Best regards
Harry

There may be more values in these electronic parts due to its age.
Modern components usually have much less.

Edit for clarity

 

[FrugalRefiner]

Hi, i did work with this laser. It is a red HeNe laser with about 0.1 Watt. Sorry there is no PM in the lasertube. The mirrors are gold sputtered but it is so less that you cant give a weight on it.
Best regards
Harry

This is what makes this forum great. The breadth of knowledge among our members is amazing. Thank you for sharing your personal experience Harry.

Dave

 

[fredtest]

Thanks for the replies. Here's some pictures.

The second picture looks like its glowing red. Just reflection on my trash can...

I liked the heavily engineered aluminum tubing for super structure with foam insulation for thermal stability. Sound thinking. The art deco stainless feet supports with levels is also to cool to just scrap. (on table saw in lower right)
Harry63, that must have been a interesting to product to work on. Myself I worked in automotive electronics for GM and Delco for 37 years and saw may products get created and rust away. The Oldsmobile Aurora instrument cluster I saw go from cradle to grave.

A buddy of mine says I should hang the tube on my wall lite with a red super bright LED's. My wife would certainly object to this.

 

[fredtest]

Scrap ticket. Just the 74 pounds of aluminum at 0.55 $/ lbs. $40.71.

Another adventure from the university salvage store open and closed.

No precious metals found. Electronics mostly remote from the laser head.

 

[fredtest]

I would keep that as a collectors item it will be worth more than the gold you will recover from it.

I considered that however space is becoming a premium. No interest on Ebay. The tube is cool looking. I may just put it on the wall and light it (LED) for fun. Thanks.

 

[anarxi]

there were 2 boxes with boards and a power supply, what was there?
in theory, the main money is in them...

 

[Yggdrasil]

Scrap ticket. Just the 74 pounds of aluminum at 0.55 $/ lbs. $40.71.

Another adventure from the university salvage store open and closed.

No precious metals found. Electronics mostly remote from the laser head.

Most of the precious metals will be in the chips and components that control the laser.
As Anarxi says, in the two boxes.

But the tubes are cool though.

 

[anarxi]

By the way, why are the mirrors gold-plated?
After all, silver and rhodium have the best reflective qualities.

 

[Yggdrasil]

By the way, why are the mirrors gold-plated?
After all, silver and rhodium have the best reflective qualities.

I really do not know about these.
But in the heavy duty lazers for cutting steel and so on it is heavily used.
Maybe because of the metal glass interface or even prize.

 

[fredtest]

there were 2 boxes with boards and a power supply, what was there?
in theory, the main money is in them...

The two other boxes in the truck were some other equipment not related to the laser. Unfortunately.

 

[Yggdrasil]

The two other boxes in the truck were some other equipment not related to the laser. Unfortunately.

Too bad, those can contain values.

 

[Harry63]

Thanks for the replies. Here's some pictures.

The second picture looks like its glowing red. Just reflection on my trash can...

I liked the heavily engineered aluminum tubing for super structure with foam insulation for thermal stability. Sound thinking. The art deco stainless feet supports with levels is also to cool to just scrap. (on table saw in lower right)
Harry63, that must have been a interesting to product to work on. Myself I worked in automotive electronics for GM and Delco for 37 years and saw may products get created and rust away. The Oldsmobile Aurora instrument cluster I saw go from cradle to grave.

A buddy of mine says I should hang the tube on my wall lite with a red super bright LED's. My wife would certainly object to this.

Yes, verry cool star Treck Design. Laser did produce red light with 632 nm. I made Hologramms with it. List price of the laser around 1985 was about 50000 USD.
The rods you did thake appart are the stabilisation of the resonator. As i remember there was no ICs in the power supply. It did run with 18000 VDC and 30 mA.

Best regards
Harry