Oldseadog Posted March 1, 2015 #1 Posted March 1, 2015 Last week I had a chance to play with the Lazer at work. This is the result of an idea I have been kicking around awhile. This is my (practice set?) I still have to polish them out t home, as I was told it was too fine to do at work. I'm still working on placement of the bends so the image is centered. I'm also still trying to decide on a design for the radiator grill guard.
Flyinfool Posted March 1, 2015 #3 Posted March 1, 2015 COOL I'm jealous. I wish I had a laser to play with.
Brenner Posted March 1, 2015 #4 Posted March 1, 2015 COOL I'm jealous. I wish I had a laser to play with. Flyinfool has it right, just another thing for us to be jealous of....
midnightventure Posted March 2, 2015 #6 Posted March 2, 2015 I ran one of those for 18 years. As I was on days I couldn't do things like that even though I saw the evidence of it being done on 2nd and third. One morning I came in and was told the guy on third shift (an old friend) wouldn't be in for a few days. A couple of days later I found out they were thinking about firing him because he had made some stainless steel mud flaps for his truck and got caught. The plant super came out and asked me what I thought would have happened if I had gotten caught doing that. I said I though I would have gotten written up and put on a step. He asked the guy on second the same question and he said he thought he would have gotten fired. They ended up firing him and as far as I know that was the last extra work that ever got done.
cowpuc Posted March 2, 2015 #7 Posted March 2, 2015 Last week I had a chance to play with the Lazer at work. This is the result of an idea I have been kicking around awhile. This is my (practice set?) I still have to polish them out t home, as I was told it was too fine to do at work. I'm still working on placement of the bends so the image is centered. I'm also still trying to decide on a design for the radiator grill guard. [ATTACH=CONFIG]97865[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]97866[/ATTACH] OUTSTANDING YOU OL SEA PUPPY YOU!! COOL I'm jealous. I wish I had a laser to play with. We could probably take up a collection and buy you one Fool if you PROMISED to cut that White Washer into pieces with it:big-grin-emoticon:
cowpuc Posted March 2, 2015 #9 Posted March 2, 2015 They don't make one big enough for that...... Oh,, stop being so modest,, you KNOW you could even make the one that SeaDog was using to get the job done,,,,, IF you wanted to,, why I bet you could even do it with the jet wash off a super modified jet engine turbine and some oxy/acetylene if you REALLY wanted to!!! I dont believe I have ever seen one of those Laser's actually function - I always thought stuff like that was stamp/cut by press or something,, hey @Oldseadog , does that involve heat, sparks, ragged edges to clean up and stuff or does the metal just disappear..... That is really gorgeous!!
tz89 Posted March 2, 2015 #10 Posted March 2, 2015 I'm making something for my Venture at the same time!
Flyinfool Posted March 2, 2015 #11 Posted March 2, 2015 Don't tempt me, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlF_oXvbu4s
Carbon_One Posted March 2, 2015 #12 Posted March 2, 2015 Lasers for the hobbyists or tinkers? Costs? I bet a lot of us could come up with a whole bunch of stuff to make. Larry
cowpuc Posted March 2, 2015 #13 Posted March 2, 2015 Lasers for the hobbyists or tinkers? Costs? I bet a lot of us could come up with a whole bunch of stuff to make. Larry NO DOUBT ABOUT IT LAR!!!! but I bet that Fool would be the only one of us cutting out stainless snowflakes for use during the off season
Oldseadog Posted March 2, 2015 Author #14 Posted March 2, 2015 I dont believe I have ever seen one of those Laser's actually function - I always thought stuff like that was stamp/cut by press or something,, hey @Oldseadog , does that involve heat, sparks, ragged edges to clean up and stuff or does the metal just disappear..... That is really gorgeous!! Once the image is uploaded to the later cutter, using nitrogen to create a super fine plasma cutter, the cutting head then follows a set path to cut out the pieces. There are sparks created, but not enough heat to warp the 24 gauge stainless sheet, and you can touch it with bare hands right away. I'm not sure how thick our later will cut, I've seen it cut material 1/16" thick. we only work with material up to 11 gauge mild steel, which is just under 1/8" thick.
Freebird Posted March 2, 2015 #15 Posted March 2, 2015 Lasers for the hobbyists or tinkers? Costs? I bet a lot of us could come up with a whole bunch of stuff to make. Larry Price comes down to table size and power among other things. About 12 years ago, before I took my current job, I bought a small laser for some ideas I had in mind. The one that I bought would handle material up to 18" x 24" and was 40 watts. I bought it new and paid around $12,000.00 for it. I did very little research though and quickly learned that it was very inadequate for what I had hoped to do with it. My plan was to etch chrome clutch covers and etc. among other things. I had no doubt that it would NOT cut metal but thought that it would etch chrome. I was wrong, I put my first chrome cover on it one night and ran it on the very highest power and the lowest speed. Not only did it take almost an entire night to complete the operation but when I got up the next morning and looked at it, there was not even a slightly visible mark on the chrome. 40 watts is simply not enough power to mark hard chrome. About all 40 watts is good for it cutting plastics or engraving on double sided engraving material, rubber stamp production, etc. I sold it after taking my job with Gemini. Now Gemini is the company that I still work for now. We manufacture dimensional letters and plaques that we wholesale to the sign industry. We have many manufacturing methods including water jets, CNC machines, injection molders, plastic sheet extruders, vacuum molders and yes, lasers. We have a number of 5,000 watt lasers that handles 4' x 8' sheets of aluminum, stainless, mild steel and etc. We regularly cut Aluminum from 1/4" to 1" and SS I think up to 1/2". It makes quick work of these jobs. Not exactly in the range of a hobbyist though. At least not this hobbyist. I don't have an exact price but I know that these 5,000 watt machines were in the $750,000.00 and up range. I realize that for what most of you here would want to do, a 5,000 watt machine would not be necessary nor would a 4' x 8' table but I think that any machine that will actually cut metal is going to run in the $250,000 and up range. Even used. Also, you have to be aware that there is some learning, a lot of learning, to using one of these things. You need to know something about graphics as you will need to create a vector file to cut or engrave a part. I used Photoshop and I can tell you that there was a steep learning curve for a person who had never used such software. To tell the laser if it should cut, etch, whatever is done with the line types that you use in the drawing. Then you have to know the power settings for various materials, thicknesses, etc. Don't think you are just going to drop a laser into your basement or garage and start making things unless you have some graphics software experience already. All that being said, it sure was fun.
Carbon_One Posted March 2, 2015 #17 Posted March 2, 2015 Yea Don I hear you loud and clear. I did some researching right after posting and found out right quick this wouldn't be no easy nor cheap task for us garage tinkerers. Wishful thinking of course but reality set in real quick. LOL Your 40 watt unit today runs 3-5 K depending on size so like most electronics equipment they have come down in price but still not a cheap endeavor. Larry
Flyinfool Posted March 2, 2015 #18 Posted March 2, 2015 AND Most metals will laugh at a 40W laser. It looks like to cut metal you are starting around 500W. The mere fact that there is no way I can afford it, has nothing at all to do with me wanting one. Although I will probably end up with a 3D printer long before a laser......
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted March 2, 2015 #19 Posted March 2, 2015 I wish I had a laser to play with. OK I gotta say it...... Canadian tax dollars at work. Back to that age old question..... why did the government pay $4,200 for a toilet seat.... they bought one of these to make the toilet seat.
Oldseadog Posted March 2, 2015 Author #20 Posted March 2, 2015 OK I gotta say it...... Canadian tax dollars at work. Back to that age old question..... why did the government pay $4,200 for a toilet seat.... they bought one of these to make the toilet seat. Sorry Kevin, this machine only cuts metal, not plastic! Wrong shop!
midnightventure Posted March 3, 2015 #21 Posted March 3, 2015 I used the 1800 watt laser I used to run to cut 1/4" plexiglas a few times. It did an excellent job.
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