I have made fire!
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DavidR8's shop shenanigans
- Thread starter DavidR8
- Start date
Great start I think.I think so? 100mm/min is agonizingly slow. Outlining the letters was a 2'ish minute burn. I had set it to fill the letter but that was going to be a 90 min burn. That's why I made the little square to see what would happen.
FWIW I'm on the verge of buying a 40w CO2 laser
How big are the letters? Show us a 12 point and a 9 point font say Times and Arial? On clean metal? with something in the picture for scale like a pen. ? I know quite demanding I am.
And can you do colours (well just white) like Timm Rosenthal's laser?
The Lightburn software will use any fonts installed on your computer.Great start I think.
How big are the letters? Show us a 12 point and a 9 point font say Times and Arial? On clean metal? with something in the picture for scale like a pen. ? I know quite demanding I am.
The 'H' is .75" tall but the size is entirely controllable. It's not point size but size in mm or in depending how you config the software. I can set the height, and horizontal spacing (kerning) and vertical spacing (line spacing).
For example, if I had a switch panel to label and each switch was in a .75" square I could size the switch name to be exactly .75" long. Choices would have to be made if name were too long to be legible when shrunk down to .75"
Eg. ON would be fine above a .75" square but Flux Capacitor might be illegible when shrunk to .75" so maybe it would have to be on two lines or capacitor changed to Cap
I can make it darker using Cermark (spendy stuff) but if I engrave something anodized or coated it will basically removed the coating and discolour the surface below.
I have read that molybdenum disulfide powder mixed with dish soap into a thinish paste will leave a nice mark on bare steel.
TorontoBuilder
Ultra Member
Loads of potential to engrave anodised aluminum, and if you use a masking film that you laser away you can then use traditional marking methods on all sorts of other metals.
so how about cutting 4 mm plywood ?
I was googling about the Cermark spray.(it’s a coating to enhance and speed up laser engraving) I see it is expensive $100 ish for a small spray can. That got me googling alternatives and this interesting idea of using tape surfaced. Kapton tape. Put it on, laser it, take it off. An idea for you to try David.
Cermark Alternative? Try this and let me know your results...
I've tried the Moly Lube, and the plaster tricks - but I never was happy with the results. Ever willing to experiment, and with a garage filled with odd geek toys, I tried putting some Kapton Tape on a tool and engraving (100W tube 70% Power at 5 mm/sec), and it seems to work pretty well...
sawmillcreek.org
Holy Crap! That ruler looks real! That's amazing! It even looks 3D!
See @Jwest7788 we need more emoji’s so I can do the face plant one on susquatch.
Cool, thanks John!
Yes, more dither would have smoothed the edges.
Here's 3mm ply. First quick attempt at a box. I didn't get the kerf allowance quite right or cut settings dialed in.
I didn't have a honeycomb bed yet hence all the smoke stains. I'll be remaking this.
TorontoBuilder
Ultra Member
Okay I have to get me one before the end of 2023. I can make so good use of one just for model making. And plaque making.
Interested in a paying gig? I have a model I want plywood and balsa parts cut for.
Yes, high speed and low power or the PLA melts and deforms.
It's an amazing tool. I'm definitely getting a CO2!
How big are the parts?
Not hairy enough.