Review of my laser upgrades

[Joachim Rappold]

Hello,

I just made a small video of all my changes an upgrades on the 100W chinese laser.

Here ist the link to YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDGbAE8 ... e=youtu.be

Many thanks at all who placed their expeeriences here in forum.


Joachim

[Gene Uselman]

Wow- very comprehensive video- thank you for providing us with an English script. Was the combination Mirror #1 and combiner lens a commercial unit or of your own manufacture? I have a larger machine built with separate steppers for the left and right pairs of Acme screws with timing belts and find it troublesome, I finally installed a relay to be able to stop one side so as to level the bed. You rebuilt a majority of the machine. Thanks Gene

[Joachim Rappold]

Hi Gene

About Mirror #1

I bought a beam combiner from AliExpress and modified it a little bit (other base plate from 3D printer).
You can look it in the attached files.

But be careful with the combiner-mirror. About 2% of laser energy goes in the other direction.
Therefore I made a plastic protection... and it burned through in a short time.
In combination with an aluminum tape it works now.

So you interrupt the Motors with relays?

I also thought about using relays, but the solution with four small stepper driver was more elegant for me.

Joachim

[Fernando Moreira]

What a great job, what a great video.

Thank you for sharing.
Congrats

[Gene Uselman]

Nice 3D bracket design, you are very professional/elegant. I did most of these modifications 4+ years ago before many of these aftermarket parts were available and before I could design and print my own parts. Lots of fun learning all this . I have not heard of the combiner reflection, all of my parts are metal so I never noticed it. I will do a FAQ section article pointing that out as more and more people are printing their own parts with 3D printers. Thanks Gene

[Alberto Nardoni]

Hi Gene

Awesome video and mods, I am trying to upgrade my z-axis from the sprocket and chain mechanism to the belt stepper motor. Do you have the specs for the rods and the belt modification you made? could you share it?

Thanks

[Alberto Nardoni]

I am thinking of doing the laser combiner but recently watch a Russ video where he is not very fond of the concept and thinks you lose some power. Have you measured the power before and after the combiner conversion?

[Gene Uselman]

Russ has not bonded with the combiner lens it is true. I am sold on the feature personally, on my original machine I used a mount from LightObject which mounts the red laser in the base pointing up so I never noticed the second reflection that the OP mentions. I am setting up a twin tube machine now with the style combiner mount that is more common and I definitely prefer the LO mount- the other should work as well. As far as the power loss, I don't feel it is problematic for the larger 80-100w machines.


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LO combiner mount.jpg

[Alberto Nardoni]

Thanks, Gene I like the combiner you share below, I think I am going to try it.

[David Law]

Following Russ' lead about getting more airflow into the machine cabinet here's what I did.

20210202_094612.jpg

I have a friend with a louver press and he louvered the pass through panel for more airflow.