Right then, I've had a good play around with it today.
From the tube to Mirror 1 was fine, completely central to the mirror.
Mirror 1 to Mirror 2 was out quite badly, top left of the mirror. I've straightened this one out, and it looks pretty central to me now. I cleaned both the mirrors after checking them as well.
Mirror 2 to the laser head is looking better as well, but it still won't align perfectly at both top right and top left? Each time I bring it into line, it's pulling the other side out again. I'll have another play with it on Saturday and see if I can get it closer.
The first sheet of test cuts I put through hadn't changed at all, still odd sizes. Just for interests sake, I drew out the same exact pattern from scratch and put that through, and that one only had a couple of wrong pieces on it. Has anyone else had software issues with files not being cut as shown on screen?
Finally, on the bubble front, pinching the tube gets rid of most of them, but I've always got one left, about finger nail size, which sits in the right hand end of the tube, before the water inlet, so it's not getting pulled out. This is the one I'm having to tilt the machine to shift.
Thanks for all the help so far, I think it's heading in the right direction now!
Newbie with a 3020
Re: Newbie with a 3020
Sounds like you are getting there 
On the bubble front, I wonder why the bubbles build up? I know I don't use my machine as much as you do but I don't get many bubbles. The one on the right I got rid of by lifting the left side of the machine with the pump running - so far it has not come back!
Dave
On the bubble front, I wonder why the bubbles build up? I know I don't use my machine as much as you do but I don't get many bubbles. The one on the right I got rid of by lifting the left side of the machine with the pump running - so far it has not come back!
Dave
Using two LS3060's and an ex 3020 user
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Re: Newbie with a 3020
I wonder that as well. At the moment, I'm only using it for about 5 hours a week, in 2 sessions, but as soon as I turn it on, there they are, despite the whole water circuit being enclosed, and the pump always under water.Daven wrote:On the bubble front, I wonder why the bubbles build up? I know I don't use my machine as much as you do but I don't get many bubbles. The one on the right I got rid of by lifting the left side of the machine with the pump running - so far it has not come back!
Until I get a 3-pin fitted on the pump, I'm gonna have to keep tilting it!
Re: Newbie with a 3020
Hiya guys,
It's called cavitation and is the bane of the maritime industry. A ships propeller is underwater all the time and yet if you look at a video of it running you will see bubbles forming around it. These bubbles are extremely high pressure (the same as an ultrasonic cleaner) and eat away at the Bronze of the props quite quickly. If you take a look at a prop that has been on say a cross channel ferry you will notice it looks like the surface of the moon, that's cavitation
There is no cure for it, you can reduce it buy keeping pumps running at a reasonable rate or by making sure your water is pure but you cannot actually stop it all together.
Rotating the tube will help Leon, try to ensure the tubes inlet and outlet are as close to vertical as possible (quite awkward as they exit the tube at different angles) so that the big bubble has a means of escape.
Bubbles are never good in a laser tube but the main ones to deal with are the ones in the mirror chambers (the ends of the tube) as these are the ones that will cause the mirror to crack quickly. Bubbles in the main body tend to move around so aren't so much of a problem as a hot spot cannot develop too quickly but a bubble in the mirror chamber can kill a tube in 5 minutes of use.
Be very careful when lifting the machine as metal does flex, only tiny amounts but flex all the same, the tube won't, the crystal it's made of won't tolerate any kind of bending and will shatter at worst or go out of alignment at best.
just some things to look out for.
best wishes
Dave
It's called cavitation and is the bane of the maritime industry. A ships propeller is underwater all the time and yet if you look at a video of it running you will see bubbles forming around it. These bubbles are extremely high pressure (the same as an ultrasonic cleaner) and eat away at the Bronze of the props quite quickly. If you take a look at a prop that has been on say a cross channel ferry you will notice it looks like the surface of the moon, that's cavitation
There is no cure for it, you can reduce it buy keeping pumps running at a reasonable rate or by making sure your water is pure but you cannot actually stop it all together.
Rotating the tube will help Leon, try to ensure the tubes inlet and outlet are as close to vertical as possible (quite awkward as they exit the tube at different angles) so that the big bubble has a means of escape.
Bubbles are never good in a laser tube but the main ones to deal with are the ones in the mirror chambers (the ends of the tube) as these are the ones that will cause the mirror to crack quickly. Bubbles in the main body tend to move around so aren't so much of a problem as a hot spot cannot develop too quickly but a bubble in the mirror chamber can kill a tube in 5 minutes of use.
Be very careful when lifting the machine as metal does flex, only tiny amounts but flex all the same, the tube won't, the crystal it's made of won't tolerate any kind of bending and will shatter at worst or go out of alignment at best.
just some things to look out for.
best wishes
Dave
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Re: Newbie with a 3020
And there was I thinking it could be nucleation 
Thanks for that Dave, makes sense
Dave
Thanks for that Dave, makes sense Dave
Using two LS3060's and an ex 3020 user
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Re: Newbie with a 3020
Hi Sounds like alignment on the axis that varies is requiring adjustment as in one direction it is ok,
this will cause angled cuts and a varience in size as the beam moves.
the air assist -look where the air pump hose plugs into the rear of the machine, we had a polystyrene ball from the packing in ours.... made a massive difference
this will cause angled cuts and a varience in size as the beam moves.
the air assist -look where the air pump hose plugs into the rear of the machine, we had a polystyrene ball from the packing in ours.... made a massive difference
Re: Newbie with a 3020
Another update.
I've adjusted the mirrors again slightly, and I'm now getting almost a full sheet out of the machine, it's just the top row which seems to be always out. The squares from this row are smaller at the Mirror side, and get larger towards the right side, where they almost match up with the rest of the sheet.
More playing with mirrors to be done methinks!
The smaller bubbles have gone, but I still have a mahoosive air pocket every time I turn the machine on. I need to get that 3-pin put on the water pump so that I can keep it running.
I've adjusted the mirrors again slightly, and I'm now getting almost a full sheet out of the machine, it's just the top row which seems to be always out. The squares from this row are smaller at the Mirror side, and get larger towards the right side, where they almost match up with the rest of the sheet.
More playing with mirrors to be done methinks!
The smaller bubbles have gone, but I still have a mahoosive air pocket every time I turn the machine on. I need to get that 3-pin put on the water pump so that I can keep it running.
Re: Newbie with a 3020
Sounds like your getting there Leon, a little bit of fine tuning is always good on the machines. I think I've got my 6840 nailed down now to where I'm getting some fantastic results
Running 3mm plywood at 18 speed 65 power with high pressure air assist and a 63.5mm focal lens. Effectively no burning at the edge and zero staining on the material. Sum cost under £350 so thats better performance than another well known make, at less than 20% of the price
best wishes
Dave
ps:If possible Leon, please keep posting updates, it's always useful to have information shared:)
Running 3mm plywood at 18 speed 65 power with high pressure air assist and a 63.5mm focal lens. Effectively no burning at the edge and zero staining on the material. Sum cost under £350 so thats better performance than another well known make, at less than 20% of the price
best wishes
Dave
ps:If possible Leon, please keep posting updates, it's always useful to have information shared:)
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Re: Newbie with a 3020
I will do! I'm gonna have another play with it on Saturday, works been manic this week so no chance to do much with it.
I'm currently cutting 2mm MDF at 12 speed / 45% power, but I'd like to speed it up if possible. I just don't want to burn the tube out too quickly, but I think I'm being overly cautious with it. I do get quite a bit of staining on the edge of the material though.
Quick question, where the MDF sits on the edge of the honeycomb, ie on the metal frame and not the honeycomb itself, it picks up all the gunk from previous cuts, any tips on how to stop that, aside from cleaning the honeycomb frame after every cut?
I'm currently cutting 2mm MDF at 12 speed / 45% power, but I'd like to speed it up if possible. I just don't want to burn the tube out too quickly, but I think I'm being overly cautious with it. I do get quite a bit of staining on the edge of the material though.
Quick question, where the MDF sits on the edge of the honeycomb, ie on the metal frame and not the honeycomb itself, it picks up all the gunk from previous cuts, any tips on how to stop that, aside from cleaning the honeycomb frame after every cut?
-
johnb80
Re: Newbie with a 3020
Are you using laser mdf ? We've found a massive difference in specific laser materials compare to normal eg plywood, mdf etc.
Regards - John
Regards - John
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