Cam
01-09-2012, 06:22 PM
So last week we tested one of our proto-type nasty-ass CO2 lasers on an optical bench. We had one of our young interns setup most of the optics. Ooops!! Nobody double checked his setup or noticed he had placed a beamsplitter in place of a mirror on the final 90 degree beam turn! A beamsplitter reflects & transmits a certain percentage of the laser light dependin' on the coatings applied..(now keep in mind, you're wearin' eye protection, plus it's an infra-red laser so you cannot see the laser beam!).....anyways, to make a long story short, the first test-fire at very low power was goin' smoothly until one of our engine-ears suddenly jumped up like something had bit em' in the ass!.....Turns out he was standin' at the end of the table where the beamsplitter was, and yes....right in the path of the accidently transmitted laser beam!....to make matters worse, it was at crotchola level!.....well, needless to say, it burned right thru his jeans and left a pea-sized burn mark on the inside of his leg just about an inch away (now I'm guessin' here!) from his right testicle at about the 7-o'clock position!!!!....Anyways, he came in today wearin' his burnt-thru jeans very proudly........ahh yes....so much fun at work!.....what a bunch of dumb-asses we are!!.......and how the hell was your work day today???:crazy: