Who said old TVs were useless? Analogue televisions can be transformed into solar-powered DEATH RAYS that will burn anything in its path at 2,000F
Inventor publishes YouTube videos showing how to build the contraption
- It uses a lens from a rear-projection TV to harvest the power of the Sun
- Using it he is able to burn through coins, bottles and wood in seconds
By DAMIEN GAYLE
A back garden inventor has published details on how an old-style big screen television can be converted into a solar-powered death ray that burns at 2,000F.
Grant Thompson, the self-styled King of Random, has made two YouTube videos which show how the screens of old rear-projection TVs can be used to condense sunlight into point capable of melting coins.
The incredible films show him using such a screen mounted on to a wooden frame to burns holes through concrete, boil water in seconds and incinerate planks of wood.
Solar powered death ray: This image shows how coins can easily be melted with a lens harvested from an old television and used to focus the Sun's rays
Hot: The beam of concentrated solar power is so strong it can not only boil water in seconds but also burn its way through the glass bottle in which the liquid is contained
Mr Thompson scoured the 'free' section of local classified ads to find an old rear-projection television with the right kind of screen to hack out for his project.
Prior to the roll out of large LED and plasma displays, cathode ray tube rear-projection TVs were the first to exceed 40in screen size.
They used three CRTs - one red, one green and one blue - aligned so the colours mix correctly on to a screen incorporating a Fresnel lens - the same type of lens used in lighthouses.
Although they once commanded retail prices of many thousands of pounds, such ageing television sets are now easy to get hold of because they cost more to fix than they can be sold for.
Hack job: Grant Thompson harvested the lens from an old-style rear-projection television set...
... and mounted it in this homemade frame
Having got hold of such a television, Mr Thompson dismantled the set to separate the four foot-wide acrylic lens, then mounted it into a wooden frame built for the purpose.
'These lenses are found in "rear-projection" televisions and not all are the same,' Mr Thompson said. 'Some are discolored, and some concentrate to a beam rather than a point.
'The particular screen I found was a crystal clear acrylic lens that focused to a point.
'It may have been luck that I found it on my first try, because 3 TV's after that all had lesser grade lenses, but still produced enough heat to melt zinc.'
In his YouTube films, Mr Thompson shows how the lens is powerful to melt or burn a range of different objects, including U.S. pennies, glass beer bottles and even concrete.
Sounding a note of caution, he added: 'This project should not be attempted without adult supervision and adequate training. Misuse, or careless use, of tools or projects may result in serious injury or death.
'Heat generated from a Fresnel lens can exceed 2000ºF and cause serious damage to persons or property.'
0 komentar:
Post a Comment