BUT!!!!

There is some great stuff in these machines.
I had found a number of these surplus (no my source has dried up).
Some details :

• made by Maxtor, MaxOptics division.
• R/W to optical media.
• intended for workstation use.
• contain 35mW 780nM laser diode
• several detectors
• cool servoing systems
• lots of eproms
• 2 microprocessors
• several first surface mirrors and beam splitter optics

How to get inside
1) rip it open!
or
2) carefully remove the circuit boards
3) remove screws holding inner chassis to outer chassis
4) bend outer chassis metal off
5) remove as many screws as you can find from the chassis
6) remove cover from opto electronic section
7) remove laser diode, cut wires or desolder red & black wires
8) remove flex circuit with detectors
9) unscrew and remove most optics
10) cover pliers with tape and "tooth pull" out the glued in beam splitter and prisms
11) play with the slider!!! Hours and hours of fun!