Hi Everybody, Just thought I could make a post to get this topic up and rolling. I have found, much to my surprise, that low power diode lasers of 150mW can be useful for cutting and marking certain materials. They do have their limitations, of course, but cutting new gaskets for my ageing OS61 was a breeze. I scanned the crankcase flange and converted the bitmap image to a vector which was then converted to GCode. http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/files/18.htm It must be emphasized that there are dangers associated with lasers and adequate safety precautions, especially eye protection, are essential – even when using the low powered ones. Tweakie.
Tweakie, very cool stuff you have made...not that i like gas, or nitro stuff...i love the gasket you cut with your set-up....randy.
I know what you mean about gas - all my flying stuff smells of castor, still it lets the steering wheel glide through your hands driving home from the field. Tweakie.
Tweakie, just looked over your site...very nice cnc machine you built...like the linear Rod, and slides you used...looks like you didn't skimp on your hardware...the board you milled is the most impressive work to me, as being only a .0025 deep cut, your mill must be as flat as a surface plate....i don't know your background, but ill bet you have practical machine shop experience??. anyhow, the laser is cool, but to me your work on your cnc machine build is outstanding!!. also welcome to the phlatboyz, tweakman..peace, randy.
I remember running across your website some time back and this low powered laser was one of the things that stuck out at me. How fast have you been able to get the laser to cut though the 4mm foam?
Hey Kwok I found some on ebay that were a little more powerful a while back. You got the blueray one and the red ones. Do a search for diode laser and you will find a bunch.
Yea, but those aren't necessaily able to operated continuously. Especailly, if they are those outragiouly powerful ones. They don't tell you that, of course, becasue they are just novalties. -Kwok
There was one I can't find now on Ebay that a US seller was selling. He had it ready to go with a lens, case and everything ready to go. It was very similar to the one Tweakie has on his site.
Sorry guys I don't have a link for the laser. The original was purchased more than 12 months ago from Virtual Village but I understand that the 150mW version is no longer available from them. Randy - My table was trued by skimming the surface of a plastic sheet (bonded to the table). Nowhere near as flat as a surface plate but acceptable My usual depth for PCB isolation routing is 0.2mm but going into the glass fiber soon dulls the edge of carbide engraving points so reducing the depth to the minimum (just piercing the copper) has it's advantages. Shaun - Didn't carry out any speed tests with this foam but the laser did cut into it during the rapid movements between characters which led me to fit the shutter mechanism. (it would not cut all types of foam, just this black stuff). I don't recommend buying a diode laser for serious use with a CNC machine, my project was just experimental but produced surprising results with such low power. Tweakie.
The intentional cuts started at 20mm/min which I increased to 30mm/min which cut through so easily (but not the sticky tape backing). Because of my acceleration/deceleration settings I suspect the rapids over that distance were probably no more than 60mm/min (but I am only guessing here) but they cut right through as well but with a much finer kerf. Tweakie.
Yes, I did try different colors and white foam was not even marked. It was the same with Solartrim and other vinyl - blue and black were very successful but white, red and green was not. I think that the wavelength of the laser being used is as much a determining factor as is the surface reflectivity of the material intended to be cut with regard to success or failure. Balsa sheet 2mm thick cut approx half way through then the black carbon produced in the kerf prevented any further penetration on a second pass. Air or gas assist would, i think, overcome this problem but I have yet to try this. Tweakie.
