Hi from Scotland

[Neil Palmer]

I first ventured into Laser Engravers / Cutters just over a year ag buying a Chinese K40 machine. Within a week I was modifying it as the stock item was pretty limiting. I changed the bed to a bed of nails which was adjustable manually in height. I then added Air Assist , changed the exhaust fan to something a little more effective, replaced the mirrors and lens for some quality ones and then started doing the odd thing.
Within 4 months the K40 had paid for itself and then some.
I wanted a larger more powerful machine but found the prices to be to high to justify.
Luckily I found Further Fabrications YouTube on building a large Laser.
Being an electronic Engineer I took the plunge and started building it, slowly to spread the cost. It is now 90% complete and I am just waiting for the Tube to arrive to complete it.
Looking forward to learning and earning.!

[Pete Cyr]

Welcome Neil. There are several others here building their own laser as well - perhaps you can assist one another.

[Neil Palmer]

I'd be glad to help in any way I can.
Currently I am waiting delivery of the 100 Watt Tube from China .
I am at the stage of calibrating the x and Y axis as a circle comes out sightly oval, and trying to learn RD Works after a year or so of Lightburn and Inkscape.
The instructions provided by Rob Chesney were superb although I ended up customising the outer frame to suit me.

Regards
Neil

[Pete Cyr]

I'd be glad to help in any way I can.
Currently I am waiting delivery of the 100 Watt Tube from China :o .
I am at the stage of calibrating the x and Y axis as a circle comes out sightly oval, and trying to learn RD Works after a year or so of Lightburn and Inkscape.
The instructions provided by Rob Chesney were superb although I ended up customising the outer frame to suit me.

Regards
Neil

viewtopic.php?f=105&t=3528&hilit=100mm

Read this link - it may help with circle cutting (even though it deals with squares)

[Tim Mellor]

Welcome along and



Drop a new thread here viewforum.php?f=159

Behind you by a few months with mine but interested where you changed bits from Rob's design. What 100W tube did you finish up going with and what was your decision on Power Supply (working on that at present).

[Neil Palmer]

The PSU was from Cloudray and was a JMYG-150W which means I can upgrade to a 130 or 150 Watt later if I need to.
As for the Tube, I did a troll on Allibaba and asked for quotes. I got a range of quotes for new machines through to lens as well as tubes.
I would have liked a RECI tube but the pricing was a little steep so went with one from Nantong Sanjing Chemglass Co., Ltd.
Official website: www.sanjingchemglass.com. I dealt with a person called Jessie who was incredibly helpful and did a tube including DHL delivery to Scotland for 479 US $.

As for the changes, I mounted the tube along the rear of the machine which meant adding another mirror. I added a Flow sensor and thermometer at the tube water outlet to monitor the tube water temp and also another Flow Sensor thermometer in the water tank.
Bothe the temp gauges are mounted along with the ammeter and controller on a sloping front panel which extends about three inches at the bottom of the frame. Since taking the pictures I have changed the orientation of Front Panel and now have the controller above the gauges etc.
Where Rob used aluminium sheet for his covering I decided to go with 3mm acrylic and added a shield in front of the Tube and at the second mirror for safety.

[Neil Palmer]

Sorry PSU was MYJG-150W

[Jeffrey Aley]

Where Rob used aluminium sheet for his covering I decided to go with 3mm acrylic and added a shield in front of the Tube and at the second mirror for safety.

I'm of two minds regarding acrylic instead of aluminum for the box. On the one hand, acrylic is flammable, so when the laser catches on fire, there's more fuel, and it'll be harder to put out. On the other hand, if the fire gets THAT involved, is the machine (and the room it's in) a lost cause anyways?

What are your thoughts on this?

[Tim Mellor]

Thanks Neil The RECI's are more expensive than most but 'claimed' hour figures are good and so is the failure guarantee if it actually honored.

@Jeffrey with my version of this at the front of the Laser behind Mirror 1 and then again at the end of Mirror 2 direction I am going to add a bit of Cold Rolled Steel to mine just on the remote chance of a cock up and a hit of full power without a mirror For stray glances the Sign board going into the bulk of mine over straight Acrylic is maybe a better option given the design is generally going to by upward of 80W. For me too less cleaning as the smoke and gunk will be less visible much as I like the Semi Opaque look

[Neil Palmer]

Where Rob used aluminium sheet for his covering I decided to go with 3mm acrylic and added a shield in front of the Tube and at the second mirror for safety.

I'm of two minds regarding acrylic instead of aluminum for the box. On the one hand, acrylic is flammable, so when the laser catches on fire, there's more fuel, and it'll be harder to put out. On the other hand, if the fire gets THAT involved, is the machine (and the room it's in) a lost cause anyways?

What are your thoughts on this?

I went through the same thought process as you, even to the extent of pricing the aluminium. It worked out at about half the cost of Acrylic.
I went with Acrylic because, a) it looks way cooler, b) I never leave the laser powered up and unattended. c) I have been cutting Acrylic on a 40 Watt chinese thing for over a year and (touch wood) have never got even close on having a fire or even the acrylic distorting through heat. d) finally, if the beam is being split somehow and strays onto the acrylic it is easily noticeable whereas Aluminium will reflect a dissipated beam who knows where.
Even with safety glasses there is a risk to skin.

Just my two pence on the subject as I don't think there is a right or wrong answer.