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CO2 Lasers.
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Csütörtök, 2012-01-19, 16:40 | Üzenet/Post # 1 |
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As we all know, mirrors are incredibly difficult to photograph but after several attempts I managed to get this shot of the Aztec calendar which I cut into the rear of a mirror tile and then sprayed the surface with black paint to increase the contrast.
Tweakie.
 
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Dátum/Date: Csütörtök, 2012-01-19, 17:58 | Üzenet/Post # 2 |
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tweakie, nice work!
What size is this calendar? How long time was it to laser?
When You laser the mirror isn't it a problem that the beam can reflect back to laser tube? Or is it danderous only for laser diodes?
H1i.hu |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Csütörtök, 2012-01-19, 18:41 | Üzenet/Post # 3 |
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Hi Amator,
The tile is about 100mm x 100mm and took approx 20 minutes to complete.
The question of the back reflection is interesting but something I do not have to worry about too much because the focal distance of my lens is 40mm and the minimum beam path from the lens back to my tube is some 700mm - so, because of divergence, the total energy reaching back as far as the tube is negligible (assuming any does reflect from the back of the mirror tile). Glass, for example, will not reflect a CO2 laser beam but most metals (copper being about the best) will reflect the beam.
It is something you will have to consider with a diode laser because of the short return path between the lens and the diode but, I think, you will also have to establish what materials actually cause a reflection at 808nm.
Tweakie.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-01-31, 13:15 | Üzenet/Post # 4 |
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This little owl was etched using my CO2 laser with the Mach plugin and the pane has now been fitted into a small side window of my house.
The image would, I think work well with DotG so for any who wish to try, it is available here owl.bmp
Tweakie.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. |
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| KisKZ |
Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-01-31, 13:58 | Üzenet/Post # 5 |
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Quote (tweakie) This little owl was etched using my CO2 laser
Beautifull wokr!!!
I like it!!! |
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| KisKZ |
Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-01-31, 14:03 | Üzenet/Post # 6 |
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Quote (tweakie) Aztec calendar which I cut into the rear of a mirror tile and then sprayed the surface with black paint to increase the contrast.
This is my first goal! To make it myself.
I hope my small CNC machine will finished at end of this week.
Then I will try to make something like your work. But only with 1W laser diode.
At previours weekend I tried make it on my old machine, but I'm made lot of mistakes. The result was wrong.
I hope next time everything will properly. |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-01-31, 14:53 | Üzenet/Post # 7 |
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Hi KisKZ,
I think the Aztec Calendar is difficult to engrave because it contains so much fine detail but with a laser which could (theoretically) be focussed down to a spot size of 0.03mm that is a very fine engraving tool so it must be possible to make a really nice job with your 1W diode laser.
You will have to make the calendar soon because it runs out on the 21st December 2012 
Tweakie.
(I am struggling to make one that is any smaller than 25mm diameter but I will be changing from a ZnSe to a GaAs lens soon and hope this will enable me to get better focus).
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Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-01-31, 17:12 | Üzenet/Post # 8 |
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tweakie, that's incredible! I wish I'd have a CO laser when I see something like this.
Congratulations!
H1i.hu |
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| Bogo |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-02-04, 10:18 | Üzenet/Post # 9 |
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tweakie, the mirrors are incredible! |
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| KisKZ |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-02-04, 10:34 | Üzenet/Post # 10 |
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tweakie,
What is this coin???
I like it! 
I'm collect coins from all around the world. When I'm or my colleges on business trips I always put some new coins into my collection.
Famatyi can scan coins in very good quality. If is it interesting for anybody just need ask he for scan.
I got idea.... Maybe I will scan all of my collecton and put it like relief for download.....
Only time is problematic as usual. I will ask famatyi about this. |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-02-04, 14:34 | Üzenet/Post # 11 |
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Hi Bogo,
Thank you sir.
Hi KisKZ,
The coin is an old American (Buffalo) 5 cents.
Most of my postings go to American forums and they have no idea about the size of UK coins so I have a few Nickels and Dimes which I put in my photos to give a idea of scale.
Interesting idea about scanning some of your coins - I look forward to seeing the result.
Tweakie.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. |
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| KisKZ |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-02-04, 18:41 | Üzenet/Post # 12 |
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Quote (tweakie) Most of my postings go to American forums and they have no idea about the size of UK coins so I have a few Nickels and Dimes which I put in my photos to give a idea of scale.
Knowed scale meter for everybody.
What do you think about Ruler. ? (Just a joke sorry!!) |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-02-04, 22:53 | Üzenet/Post # 13 |
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Hi KisKZ,
I don't think they will understand millimeters.
Tweakie.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. |
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| KisKZ |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-02-04, 23:54 | Üzenet/Post # 14 |
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Quote (tweakie)
I don't think they will understand millimeters. biggrin biggrin
Then you need two rulers, or duble marked:) |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Kedd, 2012-02-07, 12:43 | Üzenet/Post # 15 |
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This is an interesting website of mathematical figures and designs with .dxf and .stl downloads for the brave. http://www.bathsheba.com/
I have laser cut one of the simplest forms but I think it will take me some time to work out just how to fit the three final pieces.
Tweakie.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Péntek, 2012-08-24, 13:28 | Üzenet/Post # 16 |
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Eventually my laser has started to show some erratic behaviour by failing to trigger properly at low current settings and it is now evident that it is time to replace the tube.
The original has done some sterling service over the last few years (imported from the USA in March 2007) but they don’t last forever and must always be regarded as expendable components.
As always, nothing is ever simple and I have not been able to easily obtain a ‘size for size’ replacement so some modifications are going to be required to the machine to accommodate a longer length of tube.
The standard 30/40 Watt Chinese laser tube is approx. 700mm overall length and offering one up to the existing enclosure shows that I will need to construct bit of an extension to enclose the high voltage end.
Something I learnt a few years back – no CNC project is ever finished it always remains an ongoing adventure.
Tweakie.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. |
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Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-08-25, 07:40 | Üzenet/Post # 17 |
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tweakie, is this tube fix-filled with CO2 or must be circulate the gas?
How many hours can it work without quality problems?
I don't know so much about laser tubes, but always was interested, so what about he quality/power against work hours?
Is the power cotinously going linearly down during useage, or just comes a point when it drastically falls?
H1i.hu |
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-08-25, 10:40 | Üzenet/Post # 18 |
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Hi Amator,
The glass tubes, like mine, are filled with a mixture of gasses (basically 9.5% CO2, 13.5 % N2, and 77 % HE) which is below standard atmospheric pressure then it is sealed for life. It is only the cooling water which is circulated through the tube and the little jackets attached to the rear mirror and output coupler.
These tubes can be re-filled but it is a bit like having a milling cutter sharpened you have to weigh up the cost against buying new. The Chinese tubes are so cheap (providing you can get them delivered without breakage) it is, I think, much easier to just fit a new tube.
The expected lifetime depends on how it is used and the CO2 tube manufacturers usually specify a lifetime in excess of 5,000 hours at <90% of the maximum current rating but I doubt anyone has actually proved this to be true.
As for power output, yes, it does reduce with usage although not really in a linear manner but increasing the drive current compensates for this reduction until there comes a point when it no longer produces reliable results. My existing tube is not actually dead, it just does not trigger properly at low current settings which is a good indication that it is now in need of replacement. (A good comparison would perhaps be a vehicle battery – this looses power with age but it appears to work just fine until one day it struggles to do it’s intended job). 
Tweakie.
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| tweakie |
Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-08-25, 16:48 | Üzenet/Post # 19 |
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A bit of progress, the extension to the tube enclosure has now been completed.
Tweakie.
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Dátum/Date: Szombat, 2012-08-25, 19:58 | Üzenet/Post # 20 |
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tweakie, thank You for the descriptive info about the tubes! It seems to me this kind of power loss is worse for engravers than who uses the laser for only cutting. The example with the car battery is very understandable.
Quote (tweakie) the extension to the tube enclosure has now been completed.
Nice work, no one can say it's not the original size. The show must go on
H1i.hu |
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