Newbie with a 3020

[Spooky]

Hiya Leon,

Chris is quite good for an old fart isn't he

Smoke wise, if your cutting B&Q type MDF please be careful, the resins it holds together with are formaldehyde based and aren't too good for your lungs (they also smoke like hell) medite MDF from Hindleys / hobarts etc are the real deal and cut a LOT easier and with a nice golden brown edge.

good to hear your all near sorted now

best wishes

Dave

[PhillyDee]

2 things with the extractor,
1. remove the plastic hinged door part, I found that helped a lot, sometimes it gets suck.
2. Tape it to the back of the machine to ensure it only sucks the air from inside the machine and not around the edges!

[blinky465]

I've been looking at getting my own laser cutter and after reading forum horror stories, have decided on the LS3020.
I'm a member of BuildBrighton who recently bought their laser cutter from the US (despite my pleading with them to stick with a UK supplier!) and while it was exciting and interesting to begin with, is already suffering from problems.
As I'm moving away, I want to get my own laser cutter, and the LS3020 is the only one realistically within my personal budget.

To begin with, I want to cut shapes from 3mm acrylic sheets.
The laser cutter I've used has to be run at 25% speed, 15mA and originally took two passes - but now it takes three passes - to get a complete cut through 3mm acrylic. It takes ages to cut out even simple shapes!

If I get an LS3020 can I expect to be able to cut 3mm acrylic sheets in a single pass? Or perhaps, in two passes, at a high(er) speed? I've read a few conflicting stories on these forums: some people say they can easily cut 3mm, some say they can't cut more than 1mm. What can I expect my LS3020 to be able to do (after I've stretched the plastic to buy one!)
Can't wait to get my own machine and start making cool stuff to enclose my electronics projects!

[Daven]

I cut 3mm Acrylic in one pass but use a slow speed (as time is not a problem at the moment) and at about 2-3 turns of the pot (given up using the ammeter, 10 turns = full power!). Most of the time I use two passes to cut, as I engrave as well, so it saves messing about. I'm looking at some mirror acylic that I cut earlier that was cut with two passes at speed 10mm/s and 1 full turn of the pot.

On that basis there is plenty of power left for turning the speed up. If I get a chance I'll give it a try and post back
I did post the other day that I cut 10mm acrylic in two passes at about 4 turns of the pot at 8mm/s so if anyone is having problems cutting 1mm they have some problems with the machine IMO.

I saw the BuildBrighton posts when I had just bought my LS3020 and thought it would turn out a bit of a disapointment - yes you can save money buying the machines but in the long run you're better of buying from someone like HPC who have sorted out the quality issues at source and can give you the support you need.

Cheers

Dave

[blinky465]

In the end I think the final price for the BB machine was nearer £1800. It has a slightly larger cutting bed than A4 but not as big as A3. I wanted us to use a UK supplier but I think the lure of a bigger bed was too great for some of the other members!
Since I'm planning on using A4 sheets when I get my own machine, I think the LS3020 looks like the model to go for!

I don't mind cutting in two passes - so long as it doesn't take an age. Here's the BB machine cutting out boxes - this is as fast as it will run and it just about makes the cut in two passes; move it any faster and it takes three goes http://www.youtube.com/user/blinky465#p ... ZQ2L76Cq3E. I've seen a 40w laser cutter move at this rate and achieve a clean cut in one pass - I'm hoping it was one of these LS3020 models!

[PhillyDee]

Well, I have had an LS2030 from Chris for about 2 months now.

3mm acrylic for me is 75% power and 11mm/s. It engraves (Scans) at 200mm/s, which gives a deep engrave. One pass.

[blinky465]

3mm acrylic for me is 75% power and 11mm/s.... One pass.

This is what I was hoping to hear! Great news. LS2030 = LS3020?

[PhillyDee]

Yup, typo! It is an LS3020

[Spooky]

Blinky,

Quality of the machines varies a LOT from overseas suppliers, yes many of the machines are made in the same factory but to different specs. (tubes vary a lot depending on supplier as well) the downside of buying either overseas or direct from china is who helps when things go wrong.....

There are a huge number of things Chris does and insists on that don't get publicised but make a huge difference to quality

best wishes

Dave

[blinky465]

I've just got back from a session at BuildBrighton, using my CNC machine (http://nerdclub-uk.blogspot.com/2011/06 ... chine.html) but was quite disappointed at the results. I'd hoped to use a router to cut shapes out of 6mm (and hopefully in future 9mm) MDF but the CNC machine didn't like it at all. I ended up cutting about 2mm at a time, over multiple passes.

All in all, I reckon it'd probably be quicker/easier to cut using a laser cutter and wondered if anyone here has experience (and hopefully success) cutting MDF (or plywood) to 6mm or 9mm thickness - maybe over two or three passes - using the LS3020?

Basically, I making miniature guitar shapes - with 3mm acrylic on the top and bottom, and I need to separate them with about 9mm, with a space inside for all the electronic trickery that makes them work. The inner material in the sandwich doesn't necessarily have to be MDF - just something that either has a nice edge or can be covered/painted



I know - after the replies here - that I can expect to be able to cut the face and back in 3mm acrylic in a single pass with an LS 3020. Would I be able to cut through 9mm material (mdf, plywood, plastic, or some other magic material) if I go for two or three passes? They're pretty simple shapes so shouldn't take long to cut out....?