I decided to add this to my shop

[plasmanewbie]

It turns out the pan head screws were not stripped. It was just the incredibly cheap Allen wrenches they sent along. My "good" Allen wrenches were able to bite the head to rotate it without an issue.

Joe

.

Haha, go figure. Chinese crap. And Red Loctite! Geez that's the polar opposite of my experience with chinese junk, typically the bolts are half backed out before I get the unit out of the box!

[Joe Jones]

X-Tool has just announced that there is a new 1064 nm Infrared Laser Module being released in six days that claims it will etch METAL.

This opens up so many possibilities!

Joe

[Joe Jones]

This is the 30 watt galvo fiber laser. Not the X-Tool laser. These are my first experiments with it. Learning ... learning ...

Joe

[acourtjester]

Learning results in finished projects

[plasmanewbie]

This is the 30 watt galvo fiber laser. Not the X-Tool laser. These are my first experiments with it. Learning ... learning ...

Joe

That's pretty rad Joe! So is the laser marking bare steel in this video? Nothing sprayed onto the steel or anything?

[Joe Jones]

This is the 30 watt galvo fiber laser. Not the X-Tool laser. These are my first experiments with it. Learning ... learning ...

Joe

That's pretty rad Joe! So is the laser marking bare steel in this video? Nothing sprayed onto the steel or anything?

It is 14 gauge hot roll steel. I used a sander to remove the mill scale and get down to bare metal. Then an orbital sander to give it a finish. Nothing was applied to the surface. That is burning bare steel at 60% power. I did another piece at 100% power with slower passes. this thing actually ENGRAVES metal!

Joe

[plasmanewbie]

Wow, I am very impressed! Seriously interested now.

[Joe Jones]

Wow, I am very impressed! Seriously interested now.

Remember, this is a FIBER laser, not a CO2. The CO2 will not engrave steel. It is a different wavelength of light. Science. Who knew?

Fiber lasers etch and cut metal and certain materials better than CO2. you have to do a bit of research to determine which type of laser will work best for you. I am very NEW to all of this. If I get deeper into it, I might just sell off some of my unused items and put the money toward a REAL laser.

Joe

[acourtjester]

You can etch stainless steel with a Diode laser and mustard.

DSCN5107.JPG

[Joe Jones]

You can etch stainless steel with a Diode laser and mustard.
DSCN5107.JPG

REALLY? I wonder if it is a property in the mustard, or simply the yellow color? Would catsup work better, being dark red? What about maple syrup, or a dark liquor like Kahlua? Burgundy wine? Chocolate syrup? Egg white? Eggs turn black when they are burned, and we all know how well they stick to frying pans when cooked too hot. I have to imagine that a laser would do SOMETHING interesting with egg white.

I like to think outside of the box, so I will be experimenting with a lot of different things that people may not have thought of. For instance, there is a spray metallic coating that have tiny particles of an electrically conductive material. There are sprays that contain carbon fibers, copper particles, and then there is Colloidal Silver, the liquid people add to their drinks that contains microscopic particles of pure silver. I have to wonder what a laser would do to that, at the ideal setting. Would it vaporize the water and leave a thin silver coating behind? Who knows. There is transmission fluid, brake fluid, India Ink, SALT, pepper and other spices ... One can only TRY. I am sure most of them would fail miserably, but I seriously doubt that anyone has even TRIED such experiments.

The only thing that bothers me, is when some pompous egotistical dimwit royally declares, "That will never work!" without ANY first hand knowledge on the subject, but only his inflated ego and personal opinion to support his claim.

Joe

[plasmanewbie]

You can etch stainless steel with a Diode laser and mustard.

No kidding! I wonder if Grey Poupon would deliver superior results?

[Joe Jones]

You can etch stainless steel with a Diode laser and mustard.

No kidding! I wonder if Grey Poupon would deliver superior results?

You know ... different mustards have different ingredients. I don't think it is a stretch, to assume different results depending on the brand. Or MAYBE the mustard is just a generic thick substance that allows the laser heat to focus on the surface? I wonder what a strip of a black trash bag would do, when burning through it with a laser?

Joe

[cstroke]

I'm assuming it's the vinegar that is reacting..
That's my guess anyhow..
I've done some engraving with a battery charger, gauze pad and salt water. It's amazing how deep that engraves..
I'll see if I can find a picture of the results.

[adbuch]

I'm assuming it's the vinegar that is reacting..
That's my guess anyhow..
I've done some engraving with a battery charger, gauze pad and salt water. It's amazing how deep that engraves..
I'll see if I can find a picture of the results.

I'd be interested to see your results. Great stuff!
David

[cstroke]

Benner table etch 2.jpg

Benner table etch.jpg

Stainless steel counter tops, friends butcher shop..
Process was
Cricut vinyl lettering and art work.
Gauze pad, salt water solution, battery charger..
Just keep wiping metal part, it sizzles and smokes a bit.. 5 mins or so and clean..
I think it's DC- but a quick google search with the salt amt. and water along with the correct polarity will guide you in the right direction.
Waiting for more files to upload and I'll post them..
I've tried it on stainless and Aluminum.. and it's worked on both.

[cstroke]

Echo glen bottle opener ferric .jpg

Echo glen bottle opener ferric 2.jpg

Echo glen bottle opener ferric 3.jpg

Same idea but different.
This is taping off with cricut vinyl and then dipping in a ferric chloride solution.. Masking what I don't want eaten away..
Same process just a little different..
I think they use this solution to make etch computer boards.

[cstroke]

aluminum egf.jpg

Alum egf 2.jpg

Salt water/battery charger etching on Aluminum...
Hopefully this stuff inspires you guys enough to not get the work done you need to like it did me...

Joe, how long does it take to etch that item with a 30 watt laser??
I keep thinking I need a fiber laser.... Uggghhhh I'm so happy I'm not young anymore or I'd find a way to justify everything I want.

[Joe Jones]

aluminum egf.jpgAlum egf 2.jpg
Salt water/battery charger etching on Aluminum...
Hopefully this stuff inspires you guys enough to not get the work done you need to like it did me...

Joe, how long does it take to etch that item with a 30 watt laser??
I keep thinking I need a fiber laser.... Uggghhhh I'm so happy I'm not young anymore or I'd find a way to justify everything I want.

That is awesome! Using salt water and the age old tradition of CORROSION to etch the surface.

I am still experimenting with this laser, so I cannot give it a fair review. However, the guitar plate in the video etched fine in the first pass, and I ws running the laser at only 60% power. I just did a second pass to see IF it would make any noticeable changes. The second pass did almost nothing, however, I later learned that if I lowered the laser (000?") to lower the focal point of the laser, it would have engraved deeper. IOW, it already cut at the focal point once, so it cannot change the focal point by itself, to carve deeper. I am told that with enough passes, each at the optimal focal point, this laser could cut this plate into two pieces. They told me that multiple passes without changing the focal length is like sawing wood with a length of sheet metal with no teeth. Once it cuts to a depth, another pass will only cut at the same depth, unless the laser is physically lowered. As I said, I am still learning.

Joe

[plasmanewbie]

I'm assuming it's the vinegar that is reacting..
That's my guess anyhow..
I've done some engraving with a battery charger, gauze pad and salt water. It's amazing how deep that engraves..
I'll see if I can find a picture of the results.

Wow! I had no idea. Looks like it does an excellent job also

[Joe Jones]

I have begun to add drag chain to the X-Tool laser. Honestly, the company should have done this, or at least offered it as an option. I will add the 10mmx15mm drag chain to the long axis in a few days.

Joe

DRAG CHAIN 1.jpg

[acourtjester]

One step at a time, anything worth having take time.

[adbuch]

One step at a time, anything worth having take time.

Agreed. Baby steps first. Like the saying says.
David

[Joe Jones]

One step at a time, anything worth having take time.

"God, grant me patience. And I want it NOW!"

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I finished installing the drag chains on the X-Tool machine. This is really something that X-Tool should have done from the start. It makes cable and air hose management so much nicer.

I will be adding larger versions of these drag chains to my Samson 510 and DHC2 (4x4) plasma tables so I can finally get rid of that %^#^&* swinging BOOM ARM!

Joe

DRAG CHAINS INSTALLED.jpg

[acourtjester]

Looks like you are ready to turn the laser on, and have fun. You still have Mods to do if you want to use the rotary attachment, either a drop out in the middle or taller legs.