Laser aficionados wanted

[patrick398]

Happy new year all!

I was going to post this in the laser etch pictures thread or the lounge but thought i'd get a wider audience on the main page.

I've been researching laser engravers for the past week or so and after being inspired by some of the work people are doing here, i think i'm going to take the plunge.

However i have very limited funds so am wondering whether a 3w diode laser is going to be powerful enough to strip paint off aluminium? This is the one i'm looking at, mainly because the software is compatible with mac:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3000mW-High-Speed-Laser-Engraving-Machine-USB-DIY-Carving-Engraver-Windows-Mac/332913265729?_trkparms=aid%3D555017%26algo%3DPL.CASSINI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D55148%26meid%3D7d89f5f541e34018a532259f76194657%26pid%3D100505%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26%26itm%3D332913265729&_trksid=p2045573.c100505.m3226

It has a 8cmx8cm engraving area which is exactly the size of the faceplates i use for 1590BB. It would also be able to do most of a 1590B which is good enough for me.

I'm not fussed about engraving the enclosure itself...i gather this is basically impossible without a fiber laser but i plan on using aluminium faceplates, spray paint, then laser off text and images.
I'd like to try it on powder coated enclosures too but again, is 3w powerful enough?

If i can remove paint from a metal surface it would be great to start making my own pcbs too.
I might have some kind of ceremony where i throw my printer and toner transfer paper out of the window and dance round the laser engraver wearing nothing but a loin cloth.

[bluebunny]

I might have some kind of ceremony where i throw my printer and toner transfer paper out of the window and dance round the laser engraver wearing nothing but a loin cloth.

[vigilante397]

Laser aficionado here

The answer is, as always, it depends. Different paints go down differently, some thicker than others. It also depends of course upon how many coats of paint you're putting down. But short answer, 3W should absolutely do the trick. Because frankly even if the paint goes down too thick to go all the way through, you're allowed to just do another pass to get the rest of it off.

My first laser was a 2.5W and it did fine for everything I tried it with, but it was a budget laser and it had some quirks, so I got rid of it as soon as my group at work picked up a 65W laser But something to keep in mind, even with high-power lasers, the lasered paint has to go somewhere, and often it will stay right where it is, so it looks like it didn't go all the way through when it in fact just needs a little bit of clean-up. I use an old toothbrush with a little bit of rubbing alcohol, and that will generally get all the burned paint off and get straight down to the aluminum. At that point I usually hit it with a coat or two of lacquer for glossy goodness and call it good.

Another note, be sure to let the paint cure all the way (toaster oven baking does the trick) before engraving, as soft paint leads to messy cutting lines.

Hope this helps, good luck, and I look forward to your printer sacrifice ceremony

[patrick398]

Laser aficionado here

I hope those are certified laser protection glasses

Thanks for the reply man, i was hoping you'd come along ha. I've been admiring your laser work a lot recently!
That's encouraging to hear, i think i'll take a punt on it, it's only £99 at the end of the day and i'm sure i can make it work somehow.

I'm only really painting with hammertone at the moment so it will be interesting to see how it works with that as it tends to go on pretty thick. It will also test my patience as it take forever to cure and as you say, lasering half cured paint is going to be messy.

I think one thing to bare in mind will be colour choice as the exposed aluminium will potentially dull over time there might be a risk of losing contrast with the hammertone colour. Perhaps i could try using a white primer and just laser off the hammer coat. Might take some fiddling with the depth and speed controls.

I think initially i'll just stick to faceplates anyway as i like how they look over hammered finishes.

Thanks again for the tips

[bean]

I think Forrest (culturejam) has one of those Kmoon and likes it. I don't think he comes around here much, though.

edit: Here's his thread. Not Kmoon but probably similar (2.5W)
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=28072.msg271875#msg271875

[patrick398]

Amazing, thanks Brian.
Looks like he's using a 1.5w there and his results are excellent

[bean]

Amazing, thanks Brian.
Looks like he's using a 1.5w there and his results are excellent

NP. I have an Eleks laser but I still have not used it yet. I plan to remedy that situation very soon!

[vigilante397]

I have an Eleks laser

That's what I had, Eleks 2.5W on the biggest frame. I wanted something as cheap as possible that was big enough to fit a whole guitar body, so the big Eleks fit the bill. It was great for the money, but the results weren't as consistent as I would have liked. So I kept it for 2 years then sold it to a guy at work that now uses it to cut foam for model planes

[patrick398]

I've been looking at the Eleksmakers but wanted something a little more compact. I suspect at some point i'll find the KKMoon too small but it seems to be the only Mac compatible laser which i find very surprising