Other Lasers

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theodoremccoy
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:41 pm

Other Lasers

Post by theodoremccoy »

Anyone using a laser that was not bought through Next Wave? If so haw successful have you been 7watts does not seem so powerful I was looking for a 10-20 watt. Want to cut 1/inch wood and some metals. looking to engrave glass too.

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mcsteve
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 10:03 pm

Re: Other Lasers

Post by mcsteve »

I looked at the shark, and other laser add ons and ultimately purchased a stand alone 15W diode laser. It requires a bit more work for alignment when I am engraving something that came off the Shark but I am able to do much more with it.

Cutting wood with a diode laser will not be possible for thicknesses above 3mm even on the 20W units. Etching glass with a diode laser is also something that may or may not deliver results, depending on what you are trying to do. I know many who have had good success with surface etching on glass but if you want do do things like image creation a diode laser will be very difficult. I do see people doing great things on glass and mirrors with diode lasers and it all comes down to what your expectations are.

Ultimately, if you want to cut wood above 3mm and create fine details in glass you will need to step up to a CO2 laser.
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Kayvon
Posts: 552
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 11:46 pm

Re: Other Lasers

Post by Kayvon »

theodoremccoy wrote:
Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:54 pm
I was looking for a 10-20 watt. Want to cut 1/inch wood and some metals. looking to engrave glass too.
I'm hoping "1/ inch wood" really means "1/4 inch wood", otherwise you're going to be sorely disappointed with most any laser you'll buy.

You'll need a >40W laser to effectively cut through 1/4" wood. And >60W for 1/2" wood. I don't think you're going to have a good time with 1" wood with most any laser you'll get your hands on, even a 120W laser. Even with a long-focus lens, there's too much dispersal over that inch to get a good cut. For something that thick, what you really want is a CNC machine. (And you're in the right place to discuss that!)

I've got even worse news about your hope to cut metal. Neither a diode laser nor a CO2 laser is going to do that. Metal conducts the heat away too quickly to be cut. With some pretreatment, you can make a CO2 laser etch metal, but that's as far as you'll get. Of course, you'll need to worry about reflections when lasing metal. If you really want to cut metal, you need a fiber laser.

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