Looking at lasers. Got a bonus over the holiday. Want to save most of it as things have been crazy. I saw THIS laser on amazon. Looks like it has everything but glasses (which I like because like y’all I don’t trust some of these companies for glasses). I though I saw someone had this one and liked it but of course can’t find it. I don’t really want to use the laser to cut through material just burn/etch images in. Do I need to back off this until I can get the Recommended laser by Ryan?
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I have one on my JL-1 at the moment. It works fine. What cnc machine are you thinking of using it with? From the forum post it looks like a LowRider3.
Will you be using a Jackpot or other controller?
Mike
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I have the LR3 with SKR right now but due to my Pi alternative dying I ordered a Jackpot and would probably plan on using that instead of adding it before the jackpot
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Andrew,
MakerJim is using the Jackpot on one of his machines. I’m in the process of building a larger laser machine and will use the Jackpot on it, but I have the JL-1 with a Dring TMS2209 FluidCNC Pen/laser board which also uses yaml files for configuration. Either one of us can help (as can many others) when you get to that stage.
Mike
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I have the 80w version of this (10w of output). It cuts wells, engraves well. I don’t have it on my LR but on a different machine.
Some things to note, you WILL want air assist and you WILL want a honeycomb backer if you plan on doing any cutting.
The laser has been great to me so far, I might slap I onto my LW for larger engraving I might want to do, but to be honest, it really should go on a standalone machine. Lasers can use a bit more speed and nimbleness that you can’t get from cnc machines, it ends up being a dreadfully slow process, and not one you want to walk away from.
Happy to answer more questions if you have them!
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I definitely don’t at the moment, but I’m curious about the appeal on why some use laser vs router on cutting. I know on machines like Doug has it could be faster but I don’t see the major advantage on the LR3
The main advantage is the burning yes? Does a normal air hose work or do you need one of these laser air assist machines?
No dreams of it. I have a running joke that I’m going to work in my shop while the cnc runs. Currently my cnc takes up the entire shop (needs cleaned) and I am far too fascinated in watching it go. With laser engraving I’m a bit cautious because of the rays but I’m looking at glasses. Curious to know if a welding helmet will protect from the rays, will have to google as I know it isn’t bright light you are worried about.
Edit: They are not
Laser cutting is much faster than routing and has a much thinner kerf with really clean cut lines. I find it works really well for smaller intricate details. But the downside of it I’ve found is the absolute requirement of having a honeycomb bed underneath with another metal sheet below that. I’ve tried cutting through wood with a wood backer (out of laziness) and started a few fires haha. Super easy to do, but has never happened with proper air assist and honeycomb backing. I can’t imagine what it would cost me to get a 4’x8’ honeycomb backer.
Air assist helps in two ways, prevents scorch marks around your cuts (discoloration) and also pushing the fine dust out of the way so the full power of the laser makes it to your workpiece. When cutting, it makes a tremendous difference in the penetration you get and how clean of a cut you will get. For engraving with a lower power, it helps give you really crisp sharp lines. But on top of both of these things, just having air assist on slightly will keep positive air flow at the laser preventing build up on your lens (which is a typical way of causing laser failure).
I have no idea if a welding helmet is helpful, I think probably not but I’m not a pro at any of this. But I know you won’t be comfortable in the welding helmet for hours like you would a pair of glasses. I’m right there with you though, I love watching the machines work!
Something else to consider with the laser, you will want a really powerful active carbon and hepa filtration, or extracting the fumes outside (preferred). It’s not just sawdust you have to worry about with laser but the fumes.
I only got my laser a few weeks ago so I’m no pro, but these are the things I learned very quickly with it! I’ll send some pics of what I was able to do within a week of having it. It’s a lot of fun, but there’s a lot to consider outside of slapping it onto a CNC. Mine was fastened to my desktop CNC and I’ve already found that I’ve outgrown it. The laser just works too quickly when it comes to engraving and really deserves kinematics that can sling it around much faster so I’m not having to stand out in the garage for hours babysitting it.
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I’m curious, have I not paid close enough attention to my laser and others while browsing?
Are the diode laser spots now normally 4 times as long as it is high?
I knew mine wasn’t round like a CO2, and is square’ish.
I saw where others were less square than mine, and others more square than mine.
The photo showing/talking about the focal spot, kinda surprised me. Guess I’m out of touch with these newer lasers. (Of course I understand how my eyes won’t notice it)
What software does everyone use? I remember Estlcam having some kind of laser support but how is it?
Lightburn is the goto option.
And coming soon they’ll have a version for cnc (millmage I think they’re calling it)
I don’t think I’d be satisfied with a 5W optical output laser for the LR3.
I’ve had a 1.6W laser for a couple years now and, while it’s okay for slow engraving on wood, cutting the occasional paper, foam or thin wood, it’s very limited for cutting purposes.
I don’t think that a 5W optical laser is going to do that much better for wood thicker than 1/2” so I’ve been looking at a 20W or 40W diode laser. However, I’ve added the further difficulty of wanting to be able to use it on my little machine and the LR3.
Something like this maybe?
LASER TREE 20W Optical Power Laser Module for Laser Engraver Cutter, 80W Laser Engraver Module with Air Assistance, High Accuracy Quad-Compression Spot Laser Head, Engraving 340+ Colors On Metal Steel
I’ve a 30w lasertree on my jackpot lowrider. Still learning but so far pretty happy.
I have zero intention of cutting through material at this moment. Maybe something less than 1/4 for some of those trinkets you see people making but my primary use will be engraving text/images.
As I’m reading through this, you might want to consider an IR diode module…
As others have noted, integration of the laser on a Jackpot is pretty easy no matter which module you select.
(edited)
Do you have a 12V or 24V PS for your current LR3?
Are you planning to do the integration after your Jackpot arrives?
Yes. If I ordered the laser today it would be a race on which would show up first. Plus I feel like if I’m going to tear it apart I might as well just do it once vs twice.
Currently 12v but I have a 24v on order. I also have some buck converters I can use too.
OK, this is the first place to be thoughtful. Not all lasers are 24v compatible. Not terrible if you need to keep a 12V supply around for the laser, just need to plan for it and be sure you tie the power returns together when wiring it all up. I don’t think I’d run a buck converter to power the laser, I’d have it on a dedicated power supply if necessary.
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I was pretty happy with my 5W Genmitsu laser for a little bit of marking/engraving. I haven’t really done any cutting, except for a tiny bit of black foamboard with it.
I had high hopes for the NEJE A40640 laser, but aside from rudimentary resting, never did much with it on the LR3, mostly due to never being satisfied with the air assist function, and by the time I got to more advanced testing, I had replaced it with the NEJE E40. Both are 10W optical output lasers, so basically twice what the Genmitsu could put out. I was pretty convinced that I really wanted/needed air assist for them, given the disappointing cutting performance of the Genmitsu.
I finally have a functional air assist setup for the E40, and it seems to be promising for light cutting jobs and faster engraving, but the LR3 mount … needs work.
I believe the NEJE modules I have would be comparable to the laser tree. Both are “40W” (10-11W optical output power)
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Okay the laser has arrived! Now… I had ordered these glasses to protect myself how do make sure that they will protect me?
The laser says 450nm the glasses say 190-540nm
The best color glasses for laser depends on a few things, you don’t have the huge amount of UV that an arc generates (That’s what does the most damage visually) so using a welding helmet would be major overkill let alone uncomfortable. Some lasers will state the wavelength they use, which would determine which color lenses would offer the most protection and the color of the laser itself. if a red laser, green would probably be most effective, for a blue laser, probably deep orange, green would be a deep red. But again, wavelength and power are the keys since you only have a few types of lasers for desktops: Diode, and CO2 (mostly).
then you should be covered since your wavelength is within that range. you notice they have different color choices, which they really should specify why. It’s not just for looks. Whatever the laser is using as the beam element that the excitation voltage makes resonant which straightens and strengthens the light waves going through it determines the color you should choose - as I said the color of the laser itself.
(Over 40 years ago, sigh, I taught Electronic Warfare/Comm/Radar on the F-15 Eagle Fighter aircraft - which included Laser and IR technologies)