Cutting wood with a beam of light (Mar, 1963)
Filed under: DIY, Origins — @ 12:18 am
Source: Popular Science ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Mar, 1963
| Buy on Ebay
Tags: laser
Source: Popular Science ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Mar, 1963
| Buy on Ebay
Tags: laser
Cutting wood with a beam of light
A new technique in woodworking may be on the way. The University of Michigan has developed a tool that cuts through maple and other hardwoods with bursts of light that act like the science-fiction writers’ disintegrating-ray gun. The experimental drill operates with a laser (light amplification by stimulated electron radiation) head that contains a coiled xenon flash tube and a ruby rod. It builds up intensely hot light pulses, focuses them through a lens to vaporize a hole in a block of wood instantly without leaving char. It’s not ready yet for the home workshop.
Oh man, back when people actually remembered that “laser” is an acronym, and it was new enough that it was always expanded out.
Comment by fluffy — February 18, 2008 @ 11:00 am
I like the fact that they got the definition of L.A.S.E.R. wrong.
The acronym stands for: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. That is Emission not Electron.
Comment by DyeHard — February 18, 2008 @ 1:39 pm