# I knew Dish was inherently evil!



## tcusta00

:lol:


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## matt

MUST BUILD!

The line at the end cracked me up. OH **** I FORGOT TO CLOSE THE BLINDS! sorry dad...


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## tcusta00

The comments on YouTube are calling it fake but there's a bunch of similar videos from other people with different designs. 

I seem to remember an episode of Mythbusters where they tried to build an Archimedes Death ray and failed...


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## Davenlr

Awesome. Thats one way to find the correct focal point tho. I see no reason why it would be fake. You can so the same thing with a mag. glass, so the surface area of the parabola would really amplify that. Wonder what would happen if you put the mag. glass at the focal point (besides melting it). More amplification?


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## tcusta00

Davenlr said:


> Wonder what would happen if you put the mag. glass at the focal point (besides melting it). More amplification?


Wormhole opens. :lol:


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## James Long

tcusta00 said:


> I see to remember an episode of Mythbusters where they tried to build an Archimedes Death ray and failed...


The THREE episodes that they attempted it. It would be nice to see this on a grand scale ... and a focal point much further away from the dish. Not many people are going to put themselves at a focal point of a dish.

Design an offset focal point 100ft (or better yet, 1000ft) away from the dish and it might become a weapon.


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## matt

Let's build an 8 footer!

No more LOS issues. :lol:


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## tcusta00

So what happens if you try to re-direct that focal point with another mirror? Would the mirror just melt?


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## James Long

tcusta00 said:


> So what happens if you try to re-direct that focal point with another mirror? Would the mirror just melt?


A flat mirror probably would melt due to the heat at the focal point ... but until it did it would just disperse the light the way it disperses beyond the focal point when nothing is absorbing the energy. A flat mirror closer than the focal distance could redirect the focus.

The magnifying glass is an interesting thought. At the right distance could it redirect the beam into a single or longer focus? That might turn this in to more of an aimable weapon (scientifically speaking). It would be fun to build it then send the video to the Mythbusters to show them the power of the sun.


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## yosoyellobo

Kept waiting for his hand to be burn off.


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## audiomaster

The magnifying glass is an interesting thought. At the right distance could it redirect the beam into a single or longer focus? That might turn this in to more of an aimable weapon (scientifically speaking). It would be fun to build it then send the video to the Mythbusters to show them the power of the sun.[/QUOTE]

What if terrorists hijacked that big solar installation at Barstow on a sunny day, and re aimed all the mirrors to focus on a sat in orbit? Could they blind it? Bet Homeland Security hasn't thought of that one!


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## Davenlr

audiomaster said:


> What if terrorists hijacked that big solar installation at Barstow on a sunny day, and re aimed all the mirrors to focus on a sat in orbit? Could they blind it? Bet Homeland Security hasn't thought of that one!


Wont work without retooling all the mirrors so the focal length would be 22,500 miles in space. At that distance, the mirror would be almost flat, and the tolerance would be to fine to focus the sunbeam on a specific object. They would have better luck using the power generated from them to power a giant laser.


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## James Long

Davenlr said:


> Wont work without retooling all the mirrors so the focal length would be 22,500 miles in space. At that distance, the mirror would be almost flat, and the tolerance would be to fine to focus the sunbeam on a specific object. They would have better luck using the power generated from them to power a giant laser.


But find the focal point and put a magnifying glass there that keeps the beam tightly focused. A solar laser beam?

22,500 miles is a long shot.


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## Drucifer

tcusta00 said:


> . . . .
> I seem to remember an episode of Mythbusters where they tried to build an Archimedes Death ray and failed...


Yeah, if Archimedes had two hundred uncoordinated students, he would have failed too.


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## James Long

Drucifer said:


> Yeah, if Archimedes had two hundred uncoordinated students, he would have failed too.


That was the third try. The first was a large dish mirror ... the second involved MIT (IIRC).


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## Laxguy

Drucifer said:


> Yeah, if Archimedes had two hundred uncoordinated students, he would have failed too.


IIRC, the target (the sail) was flapping in the wind. The boat wasn't steady either.

Where this conceivably might work is the 1.) ships are at anchor 2.) calm wind and no sea running. 3) start the hull on fire, not the bloody sails. 4.) Determined warriors (or hand maidens!) not students. Hours, not minutes.

Overall, mirrors could be quite annoying even if no conflagration ensues.

Ooops! Grammar rule 42:

"Never use a big word when diminutive one will suffice."


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## audiomaster

Davenlr said:


> Wont work without retooling all the mirrors so the focal length would be 22,500 miles in space. At that distance, the mirror would be almost flat, and the tolerance would be to fine to focus the sunbeam on a specific object. They would have better luck using the power generated from them to power a giant laser.


But not all sats are that high. Neither is Hubbell or the Int Space Station!
Admittedly they would be aiming at a moving target or have to let the orbit carry it past the beam. And since this thing has the computers to tract the sun then they could track the beam.


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## fluffybear

tcusta00 said:


> I seem to remember an episode of Mythbusters where they tried to build an Archimedes Death ray and failed...


I believe not just once either! I seem to recall they revisited the death ray idea on at least 2 separate occasions including once at the request of the White House.


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## Drucifer

The Archimedes method is use, I believe in Spain, to heat water to run a turbine.


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## mystic7

tcusta00 said:


> The comments on YouTube are calling it fake but there's a bunch of similar videos from other people with different designs.
> 
> I seem to remember an episode of Mythbusters where they tried to build an Archimedes Death ray and failed...


It IS fake. There are literally thousands of Adobe After Effects super genius 14 year old nerds out there making amazing special effects videos on youtube. Even my sorry 56 year old over the hill ass has created some pretty cool videos using after effects.


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## Bradical

interesting, very interesting hehe


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## Drucifer

It's only dangerous at the focal point of where the LNB was located. Now if it then can be focus into a beam like a laser, then you have a nice weapon, but as of now it's pretty big campfire lighter.


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## bigtexas

just like a less precise fresnel lens


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