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Post by sawdustmaker on May 7, 2019 17:42:01 GMT -5
The J Tech laser has plenty of power and anyone who has tried to "burn" something small has probably set the material ablaze. I'd like to create a small (1" - 2") logo for branding my work. Has anyone successfully tried experimenting with turning the laser output power down by removing the appropriate board jumpers on the laser control? I've tried increasing the feed speed of the x-y, but in a small intricate design, the machine can only go so fast. Thanks, John
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Post by uzumati on May 10, 2019 6:57:00 GMT -5
I haven’t had to play with the jumpers yet my logo is 2.25” and it lasers fine, I’ll have to get on the computer when I get back to check speeds I used.
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loren
New Member
Posts: 67
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Post by loren on May 10, 2019 7:42:53 GMT -5
Also, depending on what you're doing, you could raise the laser further from the work to decrease it's power. (inverse square law)
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Post by redwood on May 10, 2019 15:21:58 GMT -5
Doesn't raising the laser, affect the focus, thus the detail?
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Post by gerry on May 10, 2019 16:07:15 GMT -5
Doesn't raising the laser, affect the focus, thus the detail? Quite right. I was thinking of wiring up a conversion a molex connector to dip switch conversion. The access to the potentiometer and dip switches are from the back. Wiring up a little converter via extension cable would be easy, and provide acccess to the dip switches from the front. On the other hand, I engrave on wood @ 100 inch/min and cut 2mm felt @ 25 inch/min, so I'm not sure why I'd have to slow it down. Cutting paper? This box lib was engraved with 100% stepover @ 100 inch/min focused @ 1/8" from bottom of shield.
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johnb
Full Member
New owner @ March 2019, AR16 Elite, Aspire, 4th Axis & Laser
Posts: 326
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Post by johnb on May 11, 2019 5:42:27 GMT -5
Nice, gerry
I haven't gotten mine up & running quite yet, but, just out of curiosity what was the cut (uh..."burn") time on that piece?
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Post by gerry on May 11, 2019 11:35:55 GMT -5
That was 8 minutes with 100% stepover. I've since changed it to 70% for a little bit better coverage, but haven't used it at 70 much.
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Post by sawdustmaker on May 11, 2019 11:41:23 GMT -5
Thanx Gerry. I'll try your settings on my small logo. I forgot to change the stepover and that may be a part of the "overheating". I like your Molex/remote DIP switch idea. Hopefully I can find settings that won't necessitate that.
BTW...if anyone is looking for a way to eliminate the smell and smoke of laser burning in a closed environment, I am using a commercial filtration unit designed for soldering operations. It's a Weller Zero Smog EL fume extraction unit that has a charcoal filter and works great in the shop. Check pricing as there are a lot of different prices from different vendors. I paid about $545 and it certainly is worth it if you are working in a closed environment (especially in winter). No need to vent outside or have to contend with added makeup air.
John
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johnb
Full Member
New owner @ March 2019, AR16 Elite, Aspire, 4th Axis & Laser
Posts: 326
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Post by johnb on May 12, 2019 9:39:08 GMT -5
I'm planning to experiment with the results of shading by changing the properties of the same "target" piece of wood. Maybe burning an "outline" followed by wiping the wood with a damp rag before doing the "cross hatch" would change things up a bit...or sealing it before burning with sanding sealer (unwaxed shellac)...or a wiped on oil, wax, or poly...maybe "in between steps". You could do this "in place" on the spoilboard provided that you anchored your work piece or provided a jig to get it back into the same spot. All of that might produce no noticeable difference...or make a mess...or, for that matter, create a small fire. You sure wouldn't want to use anything with a volatile solvent in it until it dried completely. I'm guessing that, depending on the wood, a concentrated air stream (like from an air pistol on the compressor hose) during the burn might either make the line "darker" or extinguish the "after burn" that occurs after the laser moves on away from a specific spot. This is gonna be fun.
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