Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Laser Cutters  (Read 17039 times)

derekwarner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,463
  • Location: Wollongong Australia
Laser Cutters
« on: April 29, 2013, 03:00:55 am »

dmw_boatboy or mermod ....why not open a new thread on home use style laser cutters ....could be appreciated by many...... :-))     Derek
Logged
Derek Warner

Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op
Australia
www.ils.org.au

Tug-Kenny RIP

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7,625
  • Location: Newport. S Wales
Laser Cutting machines and How to use
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2013, 03:24:39 pm »


This new thread has been started up on general request, to inform us all about Laser Cutters and their use in Model boat construction.

Various posts sprinkled around the site have been collated over to here, so as to keep them all under one subject title and easy to reference.


Logged
Despite the high cost of living   .......... It remains popular

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
dmw_boatboys laser machine
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2013, 07:54:09 pm »

Hi all
Right just a picture and small amount of details to start with but any questions ask away.

 
My machine is a Lotus LL10060 Bench top Co2 laser.It has a bed size of 100cm X 60cm which can be raised and lowered to suit the material your cutting.It is most suited to cutting but will also engrave very well. To remove the harmful fumes from the machine during cutting it is linked to a large 4 stage filter unit

It will cut any natural material and will notcut metals.

One demonstration i was show was it engraving on a lasagnia sheet!

Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

RAAArtyGunner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,816
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2013, 09:12:57 pm »

Where does the cutting take place and what does it look like.
 
What are the  maximum material sizes that can be handled, surface size and thickness.
 
Does the CO2 relate to gas feeding to the laser rather than it beng the Ruby Red light lasers.
Logged
Gunna build those other boats one day.

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2013, 09:37:03 pm »

Hi if you mean where is it set up that would be my converted garage but i think you mean the cutting bed
it is the blue flap with the handle in previouse picture. i will attach a picture of inside the lid.

Thicknesses can vary depending on what laser tube you have idea thickness is up to 3mm.
 As i have the 30watt  6mm is really its limit where as the 80watt version can cut thicker.

One downside with cutting thicker material on a laser is when you set the laser it is set about 7mm from the material being cut where the laser beam is at its smallest point. once it hits the material the beam starts to widen and can become very unstrait.

The Co2 refers to the gas in the laser tube casing. The red light you see on laser cutters is not actualy the laser it is just a guide light the laser gives of a very bright white light which should not be looked at
ideally.
Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

RAAArtyGunner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,816
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2013, 10:11:35 pm »

Thank you that clarifies and answers my questions.
 
If you are familiar with 'old' measurements, the max thickness is about 1/4inch plywood, or similar.
 
At maximum depth, is the cutting line under cut from the top, or does the cutting 'beam'  just get wider the deeper the cut.
 
Am thinking of a cone shaped beam, if I am understanding how it works.
 
Is there a lot of cleaning up of residue required in comparison, such as when cutting wood, sawdust, dust etc has to be cleaned up afterwards.
Logged
Gunna build those other boats one day.

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2013, 10:14:13 pm »

This was a small creation i cut and engraved on the machine last summer.

It was used in a documentary to explain how a canal lock works.

It was all cut from clear 2mm and 3mm acrylic fitted with working gates and winding gear and took 80 litres
of water to fill it.

Some people might recognize the man next to me.
Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

essex2visuvesi

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,148
  • Location: Finland, England, Finland!
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2013, 10:18:45 pm »


Some people might recognize the man next to me.


The guy on the right looks like Dick Van Dyke  :}
Logged
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity
Proud member of the OAM  (Order of the Armchair Modeller)
Junior member of the OGG  (Order of the Grumpy Git)

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2013, 10:28:38 pm »

RAAArtyGunnerYes 1/4 inch is probably the max for good quality.


The laser passes throught several lenses which get focused to the top of the material
And yes your understanding the gap gets wider at the bottom.
you dont notice it upto about 3mm but as it gets thicker it cabn be noticed more.
With regards to cleaning you dont get must dust but the  filtration system takes any away.
You do get a build up of the burnt glue and resin from the wood on the cutting bars which i just sit in bucket overnight once they get messy wipe off in the morning and off it goes.
You also need to clean the lense once a week with special flued that eats off and build ups.

With the exstraction on machines like this you have got two options 1 being internal filtration like i have

downside being the set of 4 replacement filters is around £800 and can be as often a every 6 months.
or you can have exstract to atmosfear down side being chimney vent has to be above roof hight and in some casses requires planing consent. 
Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

mermod

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 898
  • Location: Devonport Tasmania
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2013, 10:52:47 pm »

having now seen boatboys setup I think I will have a tidy up before posting photos of mine :D
Logged
People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
Isaac Asimov

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2013, 10:57:41 pm »

having now seen boatboys setup I think I will have a tidy up before posting photos of mine :D

I spent most of the day doing that  {-) you should of seen it before.
Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

RAAArtyGunner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,816
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2013, 11:07:43 pm »

having now seen boatboys setup I think I will have a tidy up before posting photos of mine :D

Aha, I see that Neils influence extends far and wide O0 {-) {-) {-)
Logged
Gunna build those other boats one day.

essex2visuvesi

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,148
  • Location: Finland, England, Finland!
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2013, 11:14:35 pm »

I notice many model boaters have embraced the modern WIFIF methodology when organizing their workshops


WIFIF = Where It Falls It's Filed


I believe Neil was one of the founding fathers of this system
Logged
One By One The Penguins Steal My Sanity
Proud member of the OAM  (Order of the Armchair Modeller)
Junior member of the OGG  (Order of the Grumpy Git)

mermod

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 898
  • Location: Devonport Tasmania
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2013, 11:21:27 pm »

My baby is an Epilog Helix 50watt with a 610mm x 457mm bed. being 50 watt I can cut up to 25mm acrylic but can set it fine enough to engrave paper, I do get a tiny ammount of undercut when I go thicker than 15mm but nothing to really worry about.
I don't filter my exhaust I just run th vent over the roof which puts it high enough to not bothr the neighbors.
Logged
People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
Isaac Asimov

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #14 on: April 30, 2013, 02:55:24 pm »

I have cut 10mm acrylic on mine but its not to greatest finish but all the machines have there ups and downs.
i was kindly give a pile of red 6mm perspex yesterday so i will have a play around and see what results i get.
With the filtering i suppose its easyer down there as more space were as my my garage in joined to my
neighbours house so i dont think they would be to happy.
As it is ive sound proofed all the walls so they dont here the machine running.

Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

RAAArtyGunner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,816
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #15 on: April 30, 2013, 09:17:43 pm »

Next question how does it cut,
 
Set up, speed of work, etc
Logged
Gunna build those other boats one day.

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #16 on: April 30, 2013, 09:59:22 pm »

All machines are slightly diffrent but with regards to mine.
1 import my cad files to laser cutting program in my case LL cut
2 arrange conponents to use least amount of material.
3 color cutting or engraving line to diffrent colors which refer to diffrent speeds and power settings
4 set line order to save on machine time
5 Place material required onto cutting bed
6 Move cutting head to centre of material and ajust lense hight to required hight
7 turn of filtration unit
8 the motion, laser, and compressor
9 press the cut but stand back and let it do its thing.
10 turn compressor, laser and motion of then filter.
11 remove cut items from machine bed.

These are the basic set up and close down jobs you do.
every week you have to clean laser lense with optic cleaner and if cutting say plywood
where the glue leaves residue on the machine bars you need to remove and clean.

Hope that answer your question
Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

derekwarner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,463
  • Location: Wollongong Australia
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #17 on: April 30, 2013, 10:27:11 pm »

dmw....when you mention CAD files...are these exclusively .dwg file extensions or are .dfx files acceptable?.....Derek
Logged
Derek Warner

Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op
Australia
www.ils.org.au

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #18 on: April 30, 2013, 10:42:01 pm »

For the software i use they need to be dxf files.
A lot of people use corel draw but I profer auto can as thats what i was trained on when i work
in londan as an architectural model maker.

Advise if any1 is getting laser cutting done.

when doing your drawings erase any duplicate lines to save it double running which can course
burning on that line.

Also try and join as many lines together for example if you have drawn a square in 4 seperate line that will all need cutting join then together as it reduces cutting time which in turn reduces costs.

And example i had when i first got my machine my drawing i had done was all seperate lines put itinto the machine it took 45mins to cut! so i went a join the lines together where i could the same panel
took 6mins to cut the second time!

Thats a instant saving and also the less work a company has to do adjusting the drawings the more you will save as you will get charged for things like that.


Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

CF-FZG

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 230
  • Location: Oxfordshire
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #19 on: April 30, 2013, 10:44:19 pm »

On the laser I use, it will take PLT/DXF/BMP/AI and others, if you have CorelDraw you can export directly from CD to the laser.

We have a 40w LS6840 running with a bloody great extractor.
Logged
Mark.

Tonka Toys - Big boys toys :)

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #20 on: April 30, 2013, 10:49:09 pm »

On the laser I use, it will take PLT/DXF/BMP/AI and others, if you have CorelDraw you can export directly from CD to the laser.

We have a 40w LS6840 running with a 'blinking!' great extractor.

Yes mine will use those files but profer dxf for cutting but when doing engraving jobs i use bmp's
Few months back i engraved a 50cmX50cm sheet of acrylic which with an artists design it looked amazing
Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

CF-FZG

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 230
  • Location: Oxfordshire
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #21 on: April 30, 2013, 11:29:25 pm »

.... but when doing engraving jobs i use bmp's

I haven't tried using bitmaps for engraving yet, just vector, (ai to .dxf via solidworks).  I've thought about using an old 'half-tone' image as a bitmap to see how that comes out though  {:-{

Logged
Mark.

Tonka Toys - Big boys toys :)

dmw_boatboy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Model making is a way of life
  • Location: Northampton
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #22 on: April 30, 2013, 11:38:28 pm »

Ill have a look tomorrow and see if i have anyimages of engraved items ive done also ill try the red perspex i was given.

i have engraved on a slate tile which looked really good to
Logged
Lets see some sunshine i would like to go boating!!

CF-FZG

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 230
  • Location: Oxfordshire
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #23 on: April 30, 2013, 11:41:24 pm »

Do you find that different colour Acrylics require different power/speed settings??

I cut some for a guy at work, in dark(ish) green and red, and a pale blue, all 3mm, and they all used different settings {:-{
Logged
Mark.

Tonka Toys - Big boys toys :)

Kim

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 153
Re: Laser Cutters
« Reply #24 on: May 01, 2013, 12:39:57 am »

RAAArtyGunnerYes 1/4 inch is probably the max for good quality.


The laser passes throught several lenses which get focused to the top of the material
And yes your understanding the gap gets wider at the bottom.
you dont notice it upto about 3mm but as it gets thicker it cabn be noticed more.



downside being the set of 4 replacement filters is around £800 and can be as often a every 6 months.
or you can have exstract to atmosfear down side being chimney vent has to be above roof hight and in some casses requires planing consent.


With regards to Kerf Taper -


On lower powered machines (working within their limits) - if you set focal height to mid point on the material you will get a more parallel Kerf rather that setting focal (Z) height to top. Beam will always take an hour glass pattern just depends on quality of optics, power available and depth of cut ...


Regards the component prices yep ... its an expensive game ... This winter i went through three tubes over two jobs ... and mine is a lot higher powered :(
Regards,
Kim
 
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.088 seconds with 21 queries.