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Martin Boekers
07-07-2010, 3:19 PM
This was one of those things that happened a week ago.

We had a base wide picnic on base and I had a tent set up with display items. Well...... as the day went on the sun changed positions.
I didn't realize that a crystal globe was now "bathed" in sunlight,
until an Airman came up and asked if I was having a fire sale!

I turned around to see that one of my crystal globe caught the sunlight,
magnifying it and was catched my display on fire!:eek:

mmmmm I wonder if a client set a crystal award on a window ledge to catch the light if a similar thing could happen. Ya just never know.


Marty

Rodne Gold
07-08-2010, 3:39 AM
With litigation so ubiquitous in the USA and some other places , you need to engrave a warning on these products
"Do not expose this product to direct sunlight, spontaneous combustion of surrounding items can occur"
:)

Dan Hintz
07-08-2010, 6:36 AM
I can think of a few people I'd like to give an award to now, Rodney... ;)

Michael Kowalczyk
07-08-2010, 7:10 PM
Sure Dan, You can give out a lot of awards now since you have a new CNC. Congratulations! Way to parlay that 3x investment in FOTC.;)

James Jaragosky
07-08-2010, 8:53 PM
Sure Dan, You can give out a lot of awards now since you have a new CNC. Congratulations! Way to parlay that 3x investment in FOTC.;)

On a serious note, I believe that this type of refraction combustion( I do not know if this is the right term for this) may be less likely once the sunlight passes through a window first. light that passes through a window may not be considered direct sunlight.
Some types of glass and Plexiglas can filter out a lot of things from sunlight.
just a thought to keep things OT.
Jim J

Rodne Gold
07-09-2010, 2:47 AM
You win the CnC machine Dan ? Thats a wonderfully useful prize - congratulations and have fun fiddling with it....went to a good home imho.

Dan Hintz
07-09-2010, 6:31 AM
You win the CnC machine Dan?
Yeah, I'm trying to keep the idea factory workers in my head on minimum wage for the moment until it comes in. I know there will be a few weeks of prep to get the system exactly how I want it, from quality collets to creating a dust boot and vacuum system (we can't have the laser system getting dirty now, can we?).

I have an interesting project I'd like to try, a creation I don't often see with the typical CNC. It would really work the system and give me a chance to write up a thorough review (as well as giving me a fun, possibly giftable toy at the end).

If I can only get a hold of Joey to ask him some questions... having a bit of difficulty with that lately.

John Barton
07-09-2010, 8:54 PM
This was one of those things that happened a week ago.

We had a base wide picnic on base and I had a tent set up with display items. Well...... as the day went on the sun changed positions.
I didn't realize that a crystal globe was now "bathed" in sunlight,
until an Airman came up and asked if I was having a fire sale!

I turned around to see that one of my crystal globe caught the sunlight,
magnifying it and was catched my display on fire!:eek:

mmmmm I wonder if a client set a crystal award on a window ledge to catch the light if a similar thing could happen. Ya just never know.


Marty

Hey you made a natural solar laser. Heat is power. I'd definitely print a little card or maybe even make a sticker for the bottom warning that exposure to direct sunlight could cause the light to focus and burn things.

Sounds like one of those perfect crime scenes. The room fills with gas and the globe focuses the afternoon sunlight and ignites the gas and blows up the house while the owners are "on vacation"

No one figures it out until the CSI tech notices the globe lying on the lawn frying ants. :-)

I wonder if there would be a way to set up a whole bunch of these and convert the heat to electricity stored in a battery. Probably wouldn't be a lot of power and not as efficient as a solar panel but it's interesting for a neophyte like me to think about.

Rodne Gold
07-10-2010, 12:48 AM
I have a lot of crystal globes in my conservatory upstairs , gets serious sun up there -after reading this I went up there and fiddled , mine wont focus sunlight to a focal point any significant distance from the globe or to a strength or small enough focal point to allow anything to catch alight?