"GanjaTron" wrote in message
...
Okay, I've uploaded pix to my webspace, if anyone cares to take a
look:

http://www.ganjatron.net/misc/oip/dsci0975a.jpg
http://www.ganjatron.net/misc/oip/dsci0976a.jpg
http://www.ganjatron.net/misc/oip/dsci0981a.jpg
http://www.ganjatron.net/misc/oip/dsci0987a.jpg
http://www.ganjatron.net/misc/oip/dsci0989a.jpg

It looks like it would suck in operation (if it's not completely
dead). :^D

Regards,

--Roland
It's a helium neon laser for certain, Brewster window type with external
mirrors. If it runs a discharge then you may find you have to tweak the
mirrors to get it to lase. The active bore length looks to be about 10 to
12" going by the sheet of paper next to the head so it may have produced as
much as 5mW when new. If you can find a high voltage source to get it to
discharge, e.g. an Oudin coil as Sam suggested, you want to see a nice
salmon pink discharge; if it shows any blue or is tending to white then it
may have gone 'soft', typically on old HeNes the window seals leak unless
they're of the optically contacted type.
One thing that strikes me as odd about that is the wiring, what I would
expect to be the anode has a blue wire with thin insulation whereas the
other electrode has a heavily insulated wire and is connected to the
resistor; normally the cathode (cylinder) would be close to ground potential
and the anode would be elevated and have the resistor in series with it.
Hopefully Sam will step in at this point as he may have come across and
electrode arrangement like this one before.
Martin
--
martindot herewhybrowat herentlworlddot herecom