[ML-General] Big Laser

Thu Dec 19 15:37:14 CST 2019

Probably around 4:30.

Hunter Quinn
Structural Designer - International Paper

On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 3:33 PM Tony Moore <somacoupon at gmail.com> wrote:

> Wat time are you going? I need to cut 2 planks but I'll hop off if I'm in
> the way.
>
> On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 3:17 PM Hunter Quinn <hunterq93 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Thanks for the info and help!
>>
>> I need to cut a smallish project today (17x10")
>> Will the laser be able to do this?
>> Thanks
>>
>> Hunter Quinn
>> Structural Designer - International Paper
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 2:28 PM <smeeon at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Next time I’m there I’ll put a sign warning people to not let cuts flame
>>> up. But yea... Fire is bad. But I guess that’s signs like these are
>>> important.
>>>
>>> - Dianna Valdez
>>>
>>> On Dec 19, 2019, at 2:25 PM, Ryan Coons <ryancoonsyhg at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> 
>>> 1) Fire.
>>>
>>> Actually, that's true off all shop equipment,  excluding the forge...
>>>
>>> On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 2:23 PM Nick Kopp <nkopp2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Can someone tape a checklist to the machine of the things we should be
>>>> watching for and stop use if seen?
>>>>
>>>> Nick
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Dec 19, 2019 at 1:54 PM <smeeon at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thank you for the correction Ryan, I typed out the wrong thing.
>>>>> Diluting it should be safer too from what I’ve read on the forums.
>>>>>
>>>>> - Dianna Valdez
>>>>>
>>>>> On Dec 19, 2019, at 1:18 PM, Ryan Coons <ryancoonsyhg at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> 
>>>>>
>>>>> Methanol is the go-to for cleaning optics. We should keep some on
>>>>> hand.
>>>>>
>>>>> Placing a crosshairs T alignment point will expedite the process,
>>>>> since an aligned beam will make a cloverleaf pattern, and a wonked up beam
>>>>> will signal which direction is needed.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tube lifetime seems good because the discharge is still purple, but
>>>>> tube replacement will become a thing someday, and we should start saving up.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 1:04 PM <smeeon at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> FYI I met with Norm the other night and we installed the new mirrors
>>>>>> and adjusted alignment some.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It cuts okay-ish in the bottom right corner. However this big cut
>>>>>> from Norm has proven that most of the bed alignment is bad right now.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What this means: the alignment is off, really off, when I got into
>>>>>> the mirrors I noticed that they had all been previously adjusted and the
>>>>>> locking nuts not screwed in tightly, so pretty much everything was loose.
>>>>>> This is bad. It means the alignment had likely drifted pretty far and we’re
>>>>>> just getting it “sorta right” in that one corner.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It’s going to require a full 2-3 hours of alignment to really dial
>>>>>> her back in to cutting well. This isn’t an easy job, I’ve done it a few
>>>>>> times even with other laser techs and it’s tedious at best. I’ll try to
>>>>>> find some time this weekend to tinker with it and get it closer. If anyone
>>>>>> wants to drop $500 on a laser alignment sensor system that works too *nudge
>>>>>> wink nudge*
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The new mirrors are not *as good* as the ones that came with the
>>>>>> laser. That means they won’t last as long as the ones we tore through in
>>>>>> about a year? The old mirrors had been cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and
>>>>>> the protective coating had been mostly worn off. This diminishes the
>>>>>> cutting capabilities quite a bit. We really need a bottle of pure ethanol
>>>>>> alcohol to mix with some distilled water to dilute down enough to not be
>>>>>> harsh on the mirrors and focusing lens. For clarification, all parts of
>>>>>> laser optic chain (tube, mirrors, focusing lens, power supply) all wear out
>>>>>> at an almost uniform rate. Even the flyback transformers in the power
>>>>>> supply wear out even if you “dial the power back” some. This is just normal
>>>>>> for 100+watt Co2 laser systems with such heavy use.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Heat is a problem for all of the the optics. Running the laser
>>>>>> without the air assist or with a damaged air assist caused quite a bit of
>>>>>> damage, the aluminum nozzle heated up, that heat transfers to the focusing
>>>>>> lens and the lens actually cracked from the heat. This is really not okay,
>>>>>> please if you see fire from your project, there is a problem, stop it and
>>>>>> get help to address the issue. the flame ups have damaged several proximity
>>>>>> sensors and now destroyed the factory tube for the air assist.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The aluminum nozzle is already providing heat sink for the lens
>>>>>> itself as it naturally heats up from the focused infrared light passing
>>>>>> through it. It simply can’t handle all of that additional heat.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So in closing, please take care with this very valuable shop asset
>>>>>> and help everyone to keep it functioning well after we patch her back
>>>>>> together. If these problems persist through these extensive repairs We need
>>>>>> to investigate a system for approving members to use the machine or a
>>>>>> lockout/user log system.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> - Dianna Valdez
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Dec 19, 2019, at 9:09 AM, Joseph Absher <
>>>>>> joseph.ryan.absher at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Will do. Thanks.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 09:07 Norm Marshall <normcooks at gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Go ahead and move it
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Norm Marshall
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 9:05 AM Joseph Absher <
>>>>>>> joseph.ryan.absher at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> When I got to the shop this morning there was what looked to be a
>>>>>>>> completed job on the laser. However, it looked like some of the pieces
>>>>>>>> didn't cut all the way through, so I didn't move it in case the owner
>>>>>>>> wanted to cut it again.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Does anyone know when that job will be finished?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>> Ryan Absher
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>>>>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>>>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
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>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
>>>>>> activities.
>>>>>> To stop receiving mail from this list, write to
>>>>>> general-leave at lists.makerslocal.org.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
>>>>>> activities.
>>>>>> To stop receiving mail from this list, write to
>>>>>> general-leave at lists.makerslocal.org.
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
>>>>> activities.
>>>>> To stop receiving mail from this list, write to
>>>>> general-leave at lists.makerslocal.org.
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
>>>>> activities.
>>>>> To stop receiving mail from this list, write to
>>>>> general-leave at lists.makerslocal.org.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Nicholas Kopp
>>>> 630-536-6231
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
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>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
>>> activities.
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>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
>>> activities.
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>>> general-leave at lists.makerslocal.org.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
>> activities.
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>> general-leave at lists.makerslocal.org.
>
> _______________________________________________
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> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
> activities.
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