MakerGear Forum

Even thou I own a perfectly good 50 Watt ULS laser I wanted to do something different. I ordered a laser Diode machine - kit off eBay. Vender was Pretty Worth Shop. Machine came in less than 8 days from China and to my surprise the only assembly was mounting the 5 watt blue laser to the carriage with 2 screws.
After doing the required try to figure out Chinese and English mixed instructions the software and driver was installed and the darn thing worked!!
I had to order some amber color protective shielding for the laser as the Blue light is especially dangerous. The kit did come with proper goggles.

Ok where does this relate to MakerGear? I wanted an open frame machine to be highly portable but JTech sells kits to convert your 3D printer into a functioning laser. I also wanted more than the 3.8 watts that so far the JtTech is the highest power kit they sell. http://jtechphotonics.com/

BTW the gCode sender and Image software with my Chinese machine does a pretty good job. This was my first try, too much power being used or it could be ran at a faster speed.

wmgeorge wrote:kits to convert your 3D printer into a functioning laser

Remember, kids: Do not look into laser beam with remaining eye.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_saf ... on_hazards

Visible laser light passes through your cornea / lens / vitreous humor to your retina. Because you naturally look toward shiny / bright things, the focused light will carve a track through the fovea; you will never read another word.

Invisible laser light, like IR and UV, tends to crisp your corneas and lenses. If the tissue carbonizes fast enough to shield your retinas, a cornea / lens transplant may restore some of your vision. Unfortunately, invisible IR / UV light doesn't trigger your blink reflex, so you'll probably just hear a little pop as something inside your eye vaporizes.

Goggles are helpful, but must be rated for the maximum laser power. Note that frequency-doubled lasers require goggles that block both the pump energy and the doubled output.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_saf ... ve_eyewear

I know I'm a bore on the subject, so I'll STFU...

Those blue lasers out in the open scare the crap out of me

I've got a K40 and I'm glad to keep metal and acrylic between me ant the laser.

Now if someone would come up with a cheap fiber laser I might change my mind, those are just fricken cool!

-Tom

Thanks for the warning guys but I have been working on and around lasers for well over 2 years and I can still see!

Maybe I did not mention this is only 5.5 watts and I have the approved goggles and now a amber color acrylic enclosure surrounding the machine. Would I let my 6 year old grandson near, not in a heartbeat.

What I am concerned about is the GlowForge laser being marketed to the consumer market. When little Susie and Jimmy decide some day when mom and day aren't home to make some paper doll cutouts. Jimmy figures out that he can put a magnet on the door switch so he and Susie can watch it work.

Do you think that would happen?? Those of us who have raised kids, and especially curious pre-teen boys know that answer already.

To keep Ed and others from being concerned that I will burn my eyes out I need to post a couple more pictures.
But the Blue light lasers are very dangerous and notice the amber shielding that I have made and used around the machine. I do also have extra safety glasses ordered and coming tomorrow, thanks Amazon Prime on a Sunday no less. These safety glasses are to be used by visitors.

wmgeorge,
which machine did you get? Is it this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/40-50CM-500MW-D ... SwJQdW~NTs

Can it cut acrylic, or just engrave? If so, how thick?

cheers,
c

No that one is only 500 millwatt or .5 watt this is the one and its 5.5 watt.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/All-metal-5-5W- ... SwRH5XLFYV

Since its a Blue light laser I think 445nm wavelength it goes right through clear glass and I assume clear acrylic. I tried coating some glass this afternoon with black magic marker and it made a very slight mark on the glass. Not enough to call engraving. Still learning with it, lots slower than my 50 Watt CO2 laser, but a lot less expensive for sure.

Just want to add the green color glasses shipped with the eBay item listed above, really need to be amber for the blue light. Amazon sells the amber and so does JTech.

Ok a update working on new control system using Arduino board and Gshield. In the mean time my newly purchased and installed Nortons Suite found a Virus in the Chinese software. Needless to say all the Chinese software is deleted and the rest of my computers and USB drives will be scanned. Malwarebytes did not find!!

My last job we had two lasers, cutting covers for circuit various boards, and making the corvette emblems for Chevy and a few other things. They never wore any protective gear, while using the machines, once in a while they would get a little burn on the hands. They also used lots and lots of highly concentrated liquid soap to keep the parts from burning on the edges.

I would like to make something like what you have. Pretty neat.

How was the liquid soap used? What did it do?

c