# 2005 style death ray **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 23, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959 "2005-03-23T23:00:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959/1 "2005-03-23T23:00:57Z")
[Check this out](http://www.solardeathray.com/index.html) Similar to a segment done by the Mythbusters. Pretty, uh, cool. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959/2 "2005-03-23T23:05:01Z")
This is the perfect gift to get that friend who has really annoying neighbors. Just think, aim the Solar Death Ray on their patio furniture and show em you mean bidness! I predict swift sales. I recommend getting in on the ground floor of this sure to be popular item. You’ll make millions! ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959/3 "2005-03-24T04:00:36Z")
:cackle: Can anyone guess what my spring project in the garage will be this year? I _must_ have one of these. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959/4 "2005-03-24T13:20:26Z")
The geometry of this project looks like it would make a great challenge for 7th- or 8th-graders to teach them trigonometry. Lots of angles to figure. Put one or two of them on disco-ball-disassembly duty, and then see how many “rings” you can afford to add to your array. Go down to shop class (or just set up a box saw over a large trash can) and cut the wooden mirror mounts out of wall molding or something similar. As you assemble it, have the target clamp already in place, and use a plumb-levelled laser pointer as a test beam. Move the mirror (on its mount) in a small puddle of wood glue until the laser dot lines up with an agreed-to mark on the calibration target. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959/5 "2005-03-24T13:59:26Z")
It looks like the mirror from Mythbusters with which they tried to burn a boat. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959/6 "2005-03-24T14:10:23Z")
Kinda neat, but obviously the guy [doesn’t have a clue](http://www.solardeathray.com/clue.html). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2005-style-death-ray/295959/7 "2005-03-24T14:19:56Z")
“Death ray, fiddlesticks. It doesn’t even slow them up.”