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RE: [OM] OT Magicube flash bulbs

Subject: RE: [OM] OT Magicube flash bulbs
From: Andrew L Wendelborn <andrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:55:01 +0930
I do apologize for my confusing attempt, earlier today, at a reply to the
question on the operation of Magicubes. In replying too hastily I managed to
completely miss the point.

So I attempted to atone by doing a more diligent search for information.
Nothing in my books, but found this gem on the web:

 |                          Magicubes:                                          
 |                                                                              
 |      The light comes from a chemical combustion within the cube's            
 | bulbs.   Each  of the four bulbs contains several inches of  wire            
 | made  of zirconium,  a flammable metal used in nuclear  reactors.            
 | This  wire  floats unattached in an atmosphere  of  pure  oxygen.            
 | When  the  shutter clicks,  it raises a small plastic stick  that            
 | relases  a  spring inside the magicube.   The  spring,  in  turn,            
 | strikes  a metal anvil in the cube's base.   Friction  from  this            
 | impact  ignites the phosphorous coating on the anvil and sets the            
 | zirconium on fire.  Oxygen fuels the flame immediately, producing            
 | a flash of white light.   Within only 25-thousandths of a second,            
 | the  flash  is over.   The blue coating on the cube  filters  the            
 | flash's light so that it simulates normal daylight.                          
 |                                                                              
 |      Zirconium  has a melting point of 1750`C.   NEVER touch  the            
 | cube as the flash is being set off.

at this (slightly weird) site: http://www.csonline.net/bpaddock/mra/mra4wk.htm


Interesting.


Andrew             


At 2:12 PM +1000 2003.07.16, John Wheeler wrote:
>Interesting stuff, Andrew but nothing specific on Magicubes. We had a bunch
>of them sent to a charity where I spend a day a week renovating donated
>computers and were puzzled about their operation. Seems that it's simply a
>piezo firing method. Your links seem to indicate an interest in caving. Have
>you posted any shots? Are you using flash bulbs for lighting?
>
>John.
>
>Andrew L Wendelborn wrote:
>
>Try this (from my bookmarks file):
>
>  http://www.darklightimagery.net/flashbulbs.html
>
>And this for nice pictures of ... flashbulbs
>
>  http://www.flashbulbs.com/Pics.html
>

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