Laser Cutter

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

Does anyone have experience of using a modern laser cutter such as https://hpclaser.co.uk/co2-laser-cutters/ls3040/ ?

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

[Dave SParticipant @daves59043]

What do you want to know?
We run 4 at work, and I know a very good laser guy – Dominic @ Smoke and Mirrors

Dave

[Anonymous]

As with most similar machines, the specs seem to lean towards engraving and are rather vague on what you can (usefully) cut.

I would tell them exactly what you want to cut and ask them whether it will adequately do the job.

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

I have its very much cheaper cousin and am surprised at how good it is. There is a ton of youtube videos out there that go quite deep into the ins and outs of them.

Regards.

David.

[Engine BuilderParticipant @enginebuilder]

I am very pleased with my K40. A few simple mods and work size is 230 x 310 and will cut 3mm MDF in one pass, 6mm in 2 passes. Cost round £350.

[Anonymous]

What thickness will the K40 cut in plywood EB?

[Engine BuilderParticipant @enginebuilder]

Peter, I have only cut MDF I don't have any suitable ply to try. I would expect it to perform the same, depending on on the quality of the ply.

What I like about MDF cuts is the clean edge it leaves.

When you cut it with a saw you get a soft edge. A laser cut sort of quarterizes it.

I only have laser power set at 24% for those MDF cuts.

 

 

Edited By Engine Builder on 30/10/2021 17:34:02

[Dave SParticipant @daves59043]

This may be useful:

Using laser cutters

I work at Kitronik

Dave

Edited By Dave S on 30/10/2021 18:23:57 – fix the link

Edited By Dave S on 30/10/2021 18:26:37

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

Thank you everyone who replied to my initial enquiry.

After some consideration the Orion Motor Tech 50W was selected as it has the facility to modulate the laser power under software control, thus being able to minimise burning at corners, for example.

The first cut produced

and the second cut:

Which some of you may recognise as a narrow gauge coach side.

The modelling was conducted on LibreCad running under linux on a laptop computer.

The input to the laser cutter was by Lightburn

Pmm1

[SquarepegParticipant @squarepeg]

Hi,

How are you finding the OMTech? I've just ordered the 60W model and now waiting for it to be delivered. My partner will use it for her work as she's a self employed designer and I get to tinker with it. I'm just hoping it runs more than it needs tinkering with! I've now got to rearrange the garage, waiting on an insulated roller door being fitted and work out where to run the extraction.

Dave

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

Just got a 50w one, it worked straight out of the packing crate, probably had around 20-30 hrs of cutting out of it so far and only had to clean it, have checked the alignment 15 mins work. On line videos show the entire maintenance procedure very straightforward.

Pmm1

[SquarepegParticipant @squarepeg]

That's reassuring to know. I'm going to download the trial version of lightburn and play around with it before it comes and watch some videos etc. I'm in no rush to get going so want to set everything up first, maybe cut some test cards and do a ramp test etc. I think it may be 6" ducting so I need to add a vent in the garage, I'm just hoping it's not 8" as I initially thought they were 4". Looking forward to getting stuck in with it though, hopefully it'll arrive this side of Xmas so I can start in my week off work. Out of interest there's actually a really good OMTech Facebook group full of useful information and posts if you haven't come across it.

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

I bought lightburn, worth the money in my view, trick is to set the minimum power setting (10% on the 50w) so that it does not scorch when it slows to go around corners (improves the quality), also found out that if I set the speed too slow if affected the cut 10mm/s seems to be the minimum otherwise it does not cut through (3mm ply). 20mm magnets to hold your workpiece down to the bed are also useful.

The 50W has a 6″ duct, the one supplied is not long 1.5 m. Currently running mine (extended) out the door as a temp measure. Thanks for the info on the group. Put mine on a mobile homemade trolley, with a computer stand attached to one end to make it easier to use with all the heights where I want them.

Ps setting up the water pump is not obvious!

Pmm1

[SquarepegParticipant @squarepeg]

Yes it seems to be quite highly regarded, I've just downloaded the free trial to have a play with but will purchase it when that runs out. Thanks for the tips, at the minute it's still all a bit baffling to me but hopefully when it arrives and I get going it will all start to make sense. I'd forgot that I wanted magnets too, thanks for the reminder, I'll get them ordered along with some material.

I'd debated running it out the door for now, but I'm about to get a roller door fitted and I'm not even sure if you can have them part way open or not. Sooner or later I'll end up having to add a vent anyway though so I may as well just bite the bullet and get it done. I'm just a bit apprehensive about drilling a 6" hole through the wall of my house as the garage is integral. I plan to build a trolley too, the 60w does come with castors but the machine will be too low to the ground without some sort of trolley and when I rearrange the garage I'll put the workbench next to the laser for my laptop.

I'm thinking I'll run the water pump for a while and then upgrade to a chiller if I find I use it for longer run times, although that's another few hundred quid. I'd also like to upgrade to a decent in line extractor, AC infinity cloudline S6 seems to be the recommended one. Do you get much smoke from yours? With a lot of this I'll just do it as I go, so if it's smokey then I'll upgrade the extraction etc.

Dave

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

Michael Murray

18:36 (15 minutes ago)

to me

I am only running out the door from my living room as I am waiting for a door to my new workshop/office, its currently open to the elements. As the room is well insulated and sealed, I will be putting 2, 6″ vents in to make sure that I have air to expel, its cheaper to reduce the headlosses than increase the power requirements, the current fan is quite effective. The input one will have a shutter so that I can stop drafts, when not using it.

As to smoke, I have only cut up to 3mm ply, it does smoke a bit but is quickly dispersed by the fan and comes out a light haze at the end of my 10 m pipe, but you really have to look to see it. I normally run the fan for a few minutes after cutting to clear the smoke. I do get a light smokey smell after cutting due to the residue in the machine, nothing much, its normally contained within the machine, but I do have a wood burner .

In terms of cooling, the pump is sitting in a plastic crate, i have filled it to just cover the pump (12 litres), so far I have not made it warm even after quite a lot of cutting (a couple of hours). However, i have not exceeded 26% power yet. My perception is that the chillers are probably needed in warmer climates, I shall see. I might just end up using freezer packs or freeze a large lump of metal such as a old sledgehammer head in the summer.

Don’t forget the safety goggles.

Have fun.

Pmm1

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

Addendum

What I really am trying to achieve is consistency and repeatability using the same settings. So far I have been very impressed with the 50W laser and laserburn software. Once a system is set up, it really is consistent and repeatable, with very minimal set up time, its the software that makes that possible. The other thing to consider is wastage, I am working on that and am steadily dropping it, the use of larger sheet sizes really helps.

Pmm1

[SquarepegParticipant @squarepeg]

Part of the reason I've gone for the insulated roller shutter door as an upgrade from my current up and over is to reduce the draught in the garage and hopefully warm it up by helping to retain any heat. To begin with I'll try running the standard extraction I guess but just open the door to the house to supply more air as the garage is integral.

Hopefully my extraction will be no more than 2m, I plan to run it straight up the wall behind the laser and outside as high as I can get it. Where do you buy your material from? I see lots of people saying that you should only by laser specific ply due to some being bad quality, doesn't cut as good or even contains glue that gives off dangerous fumes. I haven't yet even looked where to source any.

Interesting to know about the cooling, I'd just assumed that the heat from the tube was enough to warm the water fairly quickly but it's good to know you can run for a couple of hours at a time with no issues. I'll see how I get on and then maybe add a chiller during summer if it's required.

Did you use the digital ammeter that comes with the machine or have you added an analogue like lots of people seem to do?

In regards to the repeatability and set up, that group I mentioned earlier has lots of free files that help with set up so as test cards to dial in your settings and little adapters to easily and quickly set your focus length (after a ramp test) if you don't already have them.

Thanks for all the information, its really helpful.

Dave

[pmm1Participant @pmm1]

I have been buying supplies from Laserply. Some of the thinner material is slightly warped/twisted, no real surprise, nothing that cannot be sorted with magnets.

I have been using LightBurn which talks to the controller, so its all electronic. I actually have not tried driving the laser in any other way yet.

When i get to run it again I am going to recheck my cooling, just to make sure.

Ps I have only had the laser 3 weeks.

Pmm1

[SquarepegParticipant @squarepeg]

Thanks I'll take a look there.

I've ordered mine through eBay, it's a Chinese seller but says it's UK stock. I have my doubts but we will see. I did check with OMTech though and it is one of their resellers. It says it will turn up this week but if it doesn't I'm in no rush as I won't set it up until the door is done and I can have the space in the garage back

Ah fair enough, lots of learning for us both to be doing then. Pretty excited about it though, I've only got a lathe at the minute so it's a nice addition to the garage.

Dave

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