This is my NEC Argon-Ion hobby laser and power supply. The tube is rated at 150mw but currently it only does aproximately 30-40 milliwatts depending on power mode. The power supply is a simple linear setup using a large torroidal transformer with a 30 amp bridge rectifier supplying 90 volts DC to the tube. The capacitor bank is for the large current required on tube ignition. There are three resistors at the front right hand side behind the fan that control tube current. One of these can be shorted via a switch on the front for extra power. There is also two ferrite inductors set up in the middle of the resistor bay to tweek the tube voltage.

	Laser head and DIY linear power supply built in an old 386 computer case.
	Laser and open PS. The corrotion in the top right corner around the capacitor bank shielding and tube fan is from condenced smoke machine fluid.
	Inside the linear power supply. Resistor bank in bottom left and capacitor bank in bottom right. The small transformer in the top left is for the fans as I only had 110v ones at the time.
	Argon laser with cover removed and cathode glowing with no tube current. As yet I have not found a suitable connector for the power lead so it is hard wired.
	Another angle of laser head without tube current. The orange ignition coil and control circuit are above the glowing cathode. The green strip next to the cooling fins is the tubes own ballast resistor.
	Pic of purple glow from the plasma while the tube is lasing. The head acts like a small blow heater when the tube is operational dumping most of the current as heat.
	Another angle of cathode/plasma through the fan on top.
	UV Plasma at the end of the tube.
	Tube and Beam.
	Beam striking a compact disk and defracting. My camera isnt very good so you cant see the green and blue breakup. The beam is a mix of 488nm and 511nm wavelegnths but just looks green here.
	Mirror block at back end of tube.

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