Acrylic embossing plates from Russia or Ukraine

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, BDAZ said:

The beam doesn't significantly increase with power. Wouldn't be noticeable for cutting. I also engrave all my stitch lines and no longer use a groover. I engrave glue pads for belt loops using a crosshatch fill and holes for my snaps and other decorations all at the same time. Magic! The only leather I would like to have more power with, is heavy bison. It takes multiple passes. I also apply water directly to the edge after cutting and run the cocobolo burnisher, which seems to solidify the carbon and produces a hard, glaze.

I did a test with the remains of my 2mm chip and made a tiny Celtic knot and it worked a champ on the black Perspex. I have a few sheets arriving tomorrow.

Bob

Hey bob, I am interested to know what sort of module and set up you have running at the moment if you would care to share. These pics below in case you have not seen them before show how I modified the unit I have at the moment. To get better cooling I used a 50mm fan on top of a shroud to allow cooling all around and over the module as well as giving me an easy way to get Z adjustments.

[BDAZ]

6 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Hey bob, I am interested to know what sort of module and set up you have running at the moment if you would care to share. These pics below in case you have not seen them before show how I modified the unit I have at the moment. To get better cooling I used a 50mm fan on top of a shroud to allow cooling all around and over the module as well as giving me an easy way to get Z adjustments.

 

I'm on my 5th laser in 2 years so I don't waste time on building cabinmates, etc. The critical thing I have done on all my lasers is to design and print a low profile, high output air assist nozzle. I use heavy magnets on my honeycomb bed to hold my work and the stock nozzles don't have enough clearance. This is my previous 10W. I am currently using an Azter 24 watt as shown in stock pic and I had to design a new nozzle which vastly improved performance.

I have never found cooling to be an issue. My laser is situated next to a window with a bank of exhaust fans installed and I have another blowing air under the bed which is raised 8mm and another blowing across the top. I can swap lasers in 2 minutes for another I use for roller work.

Bob

6 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

 

 

[RockyAussie]

13 hours ago, BDAZ said:

I use heavy magnets on my honeycomb bed to hold my work and the stock nozzles don't have enough clearance.

Thanks for the info Bob. I found that getting the magnets on and off a pita so I 3d printed up something that makes them way quicker and easier to deal with. The top is wider which allows me to just lift at the side and attach them all together for storage. Also to expedite the lay down process I run a light cut into some cardboard to give me a pattern for magnet placements as shown below.

[BDAZ]

My magnets are 7mm thick and very powerful. I often just have room for maybe 1.5mm of the magnet overhanging the edge which is enough to keep my leather from shifting. If I have a really warped piece of ply, I can double them up. I looked at 3D printing some cutsie magnet holders but I simply use one magnet to pick up another..easy peasey. Just designing a belt for a very old and expensive Navaho belt which i could never have done freehand. When I am cutting tops an bottoms of items that then have to be wet formed, the registration is perfect and I no longer have to do any trimming of the edges ..just turn on the burnisher! I just noticed the kentok pic shows the original bed. Shortly after making the extension, I purchased a full sized bed. The other thing i find critical is the registration of the bed with the laser. I am <mm So I can repeat cuts or add to already cut items with perfect registration.

Better hit the rack. I have an irish gig tomorrow from 2-4 and an Appalachian gig from 6-8, both on restaurant patios. Weather is perfect! 

Cheers!

Bob