When I was in middle school, I read all about Light Amplification by Stimulated Emissions of Radiation (lasers). I saved up almost $100 for a crappy laser pointer (now they are practically giveaways). One book, the Laser Cookbook, was all about projects you could do with lasers. One, which every middle-schooler would love, is making a laser gun (a harmless one, but cool nonetheless). But it required a Helium Neon laser tube, and some fancy circuitry for a power supply and a big-ole hip holstered battery pack. But after spending all my lawn mowing money on that crappy laser pointer I couldn’t afford to build the laser gun. Thus the interest slowly faded away…

Many years later, I found a Desktop Helium Neon Laser Lamp Build tutorial on Hack N Mod, and BAM! I got so excited! I new where to get most of the parts, but not the laser. After searching the webs, I found Meredith Instruments which had good information and the parts I needed. But the everything there new, and more money than I wanted to spend. Searching the internets some more, I kept seeings “Sam’s Laser FAQ.” So I read that to learn how to actually put a laser and power supply together. Then I found his HeNe Laser Kit 2 and saw the price! It was just what I needed, and it had those brackets I could not find anywhere.

So I bought one of those kits, went to Hastings Plastics Co. and got my acrylic mirror sheets cut so I could mount the laser. I also got acyclic solvent from them to glue the pieces together. I lined up the laser on the acrylic and drilled some holes to mount the brackets. Glued the pieces together. Soldered the switch to the power supply. Connected the project box base to the mirrored stand. Done.

I made a complete parts list of all the parts I used and where I got them. I pretty much copied the Hank N Mod tutorial. Though my wall power adapter came already connected to the power supply. Finally, here is the pic of my HeNe Laser Lamp:

Now where the heck do I put it?

So a friend sent me a link to a NY Time article about working with your hands and how sweet it is. And I totally agree.  Growing up I used to build model cars, planes, robots, X-Wings, TIE fighter’s, etc.  Lego’s too.  We had nice garage full of tools, and I would play back there.  During college I managed to rewire a 1966 Ford Mustang.  Got it running.  That was so awesome.

After I got my engineering degree, I got a job and sit in front of a computer and program all day.  Its almost, but not quite, entirely unlike working with your hands.  You type out code with your hands to create a virtual machine.  I miss making real machines.  Though, after I make the models or robot kits, I never did anything with it.  Usually just threw it away, because the process of putting real physical objects together to form another physical object was the most fun.  So over the weekend I went to Fry’s and got a Tamiya Bull Dozer kit.  Its a very easy, basic kit.  There is a wired remote control that sends power to three little motors. Moves the arm up and down and the tracks forward or backward.  Here’s a little video of it in action for my Pop.