[ML-General] Big Laser

Thu Dec 19 15:47:11 CST 2019

Ahh ok I'll be there after 530

On Thu, Dec 19, 2019, 3:37 PM Hunter Quinn <hunterq93 at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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.
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>>>>>> general-leave at lists.makerslocal.org.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> This is the general mailing list.
>>>>>> This list is for public discussion about Makers Local and related
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>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Nicholas Kopp
>>>>> 630-536-6231
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> 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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>
> _______________________________________________
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> activities.
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