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Posted
12 hours ago, Gulrok said:

For example our laser is cutting at 26% power and 10mm/s for 12/14oz leather. You'd likely be able to hit 50-60% power on your laser by slowing it down. Definitely possible. The only reason we have the powerful laser is because of the bed size. We could easily downgrade the tube and still cut everything at the same speed but more power. Just keep your mind open to the possibilities.

So that means you are using only around 40Watts? The 4" lens gives you that sort of improvement? I was thinking awhile back on one of these 50watt fibre lasers that I think are getting better on price. One fella over here said he only paid about $7000 for one and another said he got one out of China for under $4000. I know they can cut metal to some degree (they make stamps) so now I am really starting to wonder if they could do leather as well as you can with yours.

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Posted

Could you not replace one of these double diode 10W output to shorten your cutting time, in the UK they are around £250 now which would enable you to check out over your 3 W model

Mi omputer is ot ood at speeling , it's not me

Posted
7 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

So that means you are using only around 40Watts? The 4" lens gives you that sort of improvement? I was thinking awhile back on one of these 50watt fibre lasers that I think are getting better on price. One fella over here said he only paid about $7000 for one and another said he got one out of China for under $4000. I know they can cut metal to some degree (they make stamps) so now I am really starting to wonder if they could do leather as well as you can with yours.

In theory yes. I don't know if 100% power is the peak or working rating of the laser. My tube has a 150W tube has a 150W working rating and 180W peak rating. Is 100% power peak rating or working rating - honestly no idea.That is something I could measure - with that being said, I haven't since I never go that high to begin with.

The 4" lens absolutely makes that much difference. 

Remember the you get bad charing and cutting when your laser is out of focus. 

Posted
16 hours ago, chrisash said:

Could you not replace one of these double diode 10W output to shorten your cutting time, in the UK they are around £250 now which would enable you to check out over your 3 W model

I could do that but I am thinking of setting up another laser for cutting the leather. I do a lot of product box cutting and the fine beam of the 2.5 watt is excellent for cutting the fine lines into the cardboard for folding and it does that better than the 5 watt diode one does. The 5 watt cuts twice as quick but does not do it quite as fine. the beam does not go down that small. Same with the engraving a bit. I was surprised awhile back that when I started making stamps out of black acrylic that on the finest setting it cut through 3mm no problem at all and I had to speed it up quite a bit to get the cutting to only go 2 or 2.5mm deep.I now only do the stamps on 10mm thick.

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Posted

Thats impressive on the acrylic is it with the 3 or 5W laser

Mi omputer is ot ood at speeling , it's not me

Posted
1 hour ago, chrisash said:

Thats impressive on the acrylic is it with the 3 or 5W laser

No the 2.5 watt laser. I am not sure if the 5 watt would do it that neat but I have not tried it yet. If I get the time I will give it a go and let you know.

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Posted

OK guys . . . I'm impressed as I can be . . . and about equally confused.

Honestly I'm looking to laser engrave the back of billfolds . . . some belts . . . purses . . . etc.

Would like also to be able to do some on metal . . . like initials on a belt buckle . . . etc .

I'm thinkng looking at some of the models offered on Ebay . . . they do 400 by 500 mm or so . . . was thinking of doing the first 400 mm of the belt . . . move the leather and have the laser pick up where it left off by some imaginative designs.

Thinking of deer hunting scenes . . . deer . .  trees . . . meadow . . . etc.

How powerful a machine would I need to only do stuff like this?

AND . . . will I have to buy special software . . . or can they take my "picture" or drawing and do it from there???

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

If you can breathe, . . . thank God.

If you can read, . . . thank a teacher.

If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran.

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Posted

A 60 watt co2 laser will do all you want and more and do it much faster then a diode laser. You should be able to find a decent 60 watt for under 5k maybe a lot less then that even. It won't engrave bare metal but will mark bare metal with cermark. It will engrave most coated metals, painted, powder coated, anodized ect ect.

Posted
20 hours ago, Dwight said:

OK guys . . . I'm impressed as I can be . . . and about equally confused.

Honestly I'm looking to laser engrave the back of billfolds . . . some belts . . . purses . . . etc.

Would like also to be able to do some on metal . . . like initials on a belt buckle . . . etc .

I'm thinkng looking at some of the models offered on Ebay . . . they do 400 by 500 mm or so . . . was thinking of doing the first 400 mm of the belt . . . move the leather and have the laser pick up where it left off by some imaginative designs.

Thinking of deer hunting scenes . . . deer . .  trees . . . meadow . . . etc.

How powerful a machine would I need to only do stuff like this?

AND . . . will I have to buy special software . . . or can they take my "picture" or drawing and do it from there???

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

 

13 hours ago, Bert03241 said:

A 60 watt co2 laser will do all you want and more and do it much faster then a diode laser. You should be able to find a decent 60 watt for under 5k maybe a lot less then that even. It won't engrave bare metal but will mark bare metal with cermark. It will engrave most coated metals, painted, powder coated, anodized ect ect.


I completely agree. A 60w CO2 laser is definitely a strong starting point. Its a good balance between power and speed.
 

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Posted (edited)
22 hours ago, Dwight said:

OK guys . . . I'm impressed as I can be . . . and about equally confused.

Honestly I'm looking to laser engrave the back of billfolds . . . some belts . . . purses . . . etc.

Would like also to be able to do some on metal . . . like initials on a belt buckle . . . etc .

I'm thinkng looking at some of the models offered on Ebay . . . they do 400 by 500 mm or so . . . was thinking of doing the first 400 mm of the belt . . . move the leather and have the laser pick up where it left off by some imaginative designs.

Thinking of deer hunting scenes . . . deer . .  trees . . . meadow . . . etc.

How powerful a machine would I need to only do stuff like this?

AND . . . will I have to buy special software . . . or can they take my "picture" or drawing and do it from there???

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

FYI... a CO2 laser cannot engrave metal -- you will need a fiber laser for that. The CO2 laser can remove powder coating and anodization to reveal the silver base color. You can also using a marking spray to get a black mark on various, uncoated metals.

Edit: just noticed this answered above.

As for software, it depends on which machine you purchase and most will be compatible with Lightburn. There are tons of videos on Youtube that will show you how to prep your image for engraving.

Edited by Nikos69

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