I decided to add this to my shop

[plasmanewbie]

Joe! I am super impressed with how your custom case foam turned out...WOW! That is awesome, nice work, looks 100% pro

[Joe Jones]

Joe! I am super impressed with how your custom case foam turned out...WOW! That is awesome, nice work, looks 100% pro

Thanks. I bought Gorilla Glue clear construction adhesive in the caulking gun tubes yesterday. I am going to TRY to glue this stuff together using the adhesive and disposable plastic putty knives, to get complete edge to edge adhesion. The goal is to create blocks of various shapes that can be lifted out, such as the "tray" for the six tripods, which would have a thin ribbon on each side to grab, and probably would wrap underneath from side to side. lift out the tripod tray to access the cable cubbies beneath it.

All experimentation at this point. The next case will be for my daily carry Glock pistol.

Joe

[djreiswig]

Try 3m super 77 spray adhesive. Spray both pieces & let it tack up. Then stick together. You only get one chance, so make sure it's lined up.

[Joe Jones]

Try 3m super 77 spray adhesive. Spray both pieces & let it tack up. Then stick together. You only get one chance, so make sure it's lined up.

I have several cans of 3M Super 77. I want the ability to adjust the edges before it locks, and so a slightly slower adhesive is desirable.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I am sorry to say I have fallen in LOVE with this laser! This is just TOO EASY!

Joe

GLOCK 27 FOAM 1.JPG

GLOCK 27 FOAM 2.JPG

GLOCK 27 FOAM 3.JPG

[Joe Jones]

Ut-Oh!

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09L ... th=1&psc=1

[djreiswig]

Lots of other places. First one I found. I think these are the same. 40pcs.

edited_Screenshot_20220915-225908.png.jpg

[Joe Jones]

Lots of other places. First one I found. I think these are the same. 40pcs.
edited_Screenshot_20220915-225908.png.jpg

Ah, I misunderstood the website. They are in fact 24"x24" tiles. That is a good price!

At the D2P show today, I found a vendor that will sell me a 48X96 sheet for $80.00 = $2.50/sq.ft., but it is a much higher grade of foam, something called CROSS LINK POLYETHYLENE.

Joe

[djreiswig]

24x24. Free shipping over $100.
https://www.wesellmats.com/products/24x ... rpose-mats

[acourtjester]

OK now I need to find some mats to try $^%#$^*()&^%.
here is another supplier
https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-a ... 94635.html neoprene rubber may not be good for laer cutting "El Stinko"
https://www.lowes.com/pd/24-in-x-72-in- ... 1003137932
https://www.homedepot.com/p/KC-CUBS-Mul ... /317453169 case lots only

[Joe Jones]

24x24. Free shipping over $100.
https://www.wesellmats.com/products/24x ... rpose-mats

Oh, I see now. The 6x8 is the ROOM SIZE, used to calculate the number of 24" tiles needed. I thought that was the size of the tiles.

16 colors = 64 sq.ft. x $1.50 = $96.00 x Qty. (10) per color = $960.00

Joe

[Joe Jones]

One thing is certain. The prices are all over the map!

I have to break everything down into price per square foot, and even then, you have different thicknesses. It doesn't matter for arsy-fartsy stuff, but if you are going to STACK the foam for an equipment case, then the number of layers matters.

I really wish the foam industry would adopt a STANDARD for pricing, such as "36/1.50/.02" which would mean $36.00 per cubic foot, $1.50 per square foot of 1/2" thick material, and $0.02 per cubic inch.

If all foams had this universal designation, you could compare foams side-by-side and shop for the best deal. Some are priced per sheet, others per square foot, while others are per pound of volume ... it is maddening

Joe

[Joe Jones]

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-a ... 94635.html neoprene rubber may not be good for laer cutting "El Stinko"

There is almost no smell when cutting it, but there IS a very thick yellowish white smoke that comes off of it while cutting that would be the envy of any high dollar Hollywood horror flick It is mesmerizing to watch it, as it is almost alive as it moves. It leaves a heavy yellowish-brown film behind.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/24-in-x-72-in- ... 1003137932

These mats would be great for the TOP LAYER in a rifle case, so there are no seams showing. I would have to buy another X-Tool laser, and create an extended frame capable of cutting such a large piece, using 8020 extrusion and such. That is probably in my future anyway.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/KC-CUBS-Mul ... /317453169 case lots only

12"x12" tiles are too small for these projects. I wouldn't buy anything less than 24" square.

Joe

[djreiswig]

If all foams had this universal designation, you could compare foams side-by-side and shop for the best deal. Some are priced per sheet, others per square foot, while others are per pound of volume ... it is maddening

Joe

That's not how marketing works. If everything was explicitly and clearly priced, only the lowest price would win. If they confuse people they might just get you to pay more for the same thing.

[Joe Jones]

If all foams had this universal designation, you could compare foams side-by-side and shop for the best deal. Some are priced per sheet, others per square foot, while others are per pound of volume ... it is maddening

Joe

That's not how marketing works. If everything was explicitly and clearly priced, only the lowest price would win. If they confuse people they might just get you to pay more for the same thing.

That is somewhat true. However, the lowest price supplier cannot supply the entire world. so then it becomes, will a bit more cost get the product to me quicker? Will the company that sold the more expensive product provide better customer support and after-the-sale service?

It is not ONLY about the lowest price.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

Today's experiment.

The American Miniature Race Car Association

I cut a few test squares to get the settings right, and then cut this logo out of the damaged blank. I drew it in DesignEdge and imported it into the laser program as a DXF file.

Joe

AMRCA TEST CUT 1.JPG

[cstroke]

If you have access to #4 stainless steel it works nicely for a back ground..

[Joe Jones]

I paid $4.00 each for 30 plates through Amazon.

I found a supplier of these plates in Tennessee, and ordered 200 of them for $1.20 each.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I think I have it down now. Just a slight alignment issue, and ...

Joe

amrca plate 1.jpg

[Joe Jones]

There is an EPILOG PRO SERIES laser in my immediate future.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

Okay ... you probably think I am completely NUTS. Maybe I am.

I am enjoying this X-Tool laser I bought. I am staying up at night experimenting with things. I got the extended frame, the AUX IR laser head, the filter machine, the air assist, the honeycomb grates, the rotary attachment, the leg extensions .... I added drag chains to the frame to make the cable behave.

I am beginning to do projects with the X-Tool, and the very first thing that bothered me about it was the glaring lack of SPEED and POWER. Yes, I am etching black anodized license plates right now. I am etching glass tiles, and experimenting with foams, etc. It really is amazing what this little low-powered laser can do.

But I KNOW ME. I know that in a very brief time, I will outgrow this laser, and want to move up to something more serious.

So I am currently looking at the EPILOG PRO Series lasers now. "Are you NUTS, Joe?! you JUST BOUGHT the X-Tool a few WEEKS ago!" Yes, perhaps I am. I will keep the X-Tool and I am sure I will continue to find projects where it will come in handy, but ...

So now I am standing here at this intersection, out in the desert, with a cool breeze making things comfortable ... trying to decide which direction to move next. I have seen the Chinese lasers, the AP Lasers, the BOSS lasers, the TROTEC lasers, etc. etc. They have more powerful Chinese CO2 lasers, and larger work areas, and SOME of the bells and whistles of the EPILOG lasers, but I truly believe You Get What You Pay For.

I can afford to take on a five-year lease on a nice EPILOG with their most powerful laser, and whatever "must-have" features that set it apart from the cheaper Chinese competition. But the price difference is DIFFERENT ENOUGH to pause to seriously consider whether or not to take that Leap of Faith. The very last thing I want to do, is to buy a Chinese laser for some $30K - $40K, only to find myself standing at this same intersection in six months, wondering if I can STILL afford the EPILOG that I should have purchased in the first place. This is the main reason I jumped head first into the 3D printer I purchased. I am fairly certain that it will be a very long time, before I get the urge to move up from THAT machine.

KERN LASER MACHINES claims to be able to cut 14 gauge steel with their CO2 lasers. They say I do not need a fiber laser for "such thin metal." They tell me that their CO2 lasers in the 250W to 650W range are somehow different than the Chinese lasers, both in performance and life expectancy. Of course, I know that I am listening to a SALESMAN! He is not going to tell me anything I do not want to hear.

EPILOG is honest, in telling me that their CO2 lasers WILL NOT cut 14 gauge steel, but they do offer very high quality machines with very fast speeds. Their PRO series moves at 165 inches per second.

I guess I am asking for opinions .... Forget about the price. I know that I should give that more weight, but you only live ONCE, and at age 64, I just don't know how many more years I have left in me. I can take on a monthly lease payment without worrying about where my next meal comes from, and I am ASSUMING that if I dive into a professional level laser, I SHOULD be able to produce products that I will sell, to help pay for the machine.

I am selling these license plates for a good price, but they take THREE HOURS EACH to make, and if I do a second pass, it is closer to SIX HOURS per plate. That is just too %^@#* SLOW!

I would appreciate your thoughts on all of this, both good and bad. I have thick skin. you won't offend me!

Joe


.

[Joe Jones]

The first plate bearing the first design.

Joe

AMRCA PLATE DESIGN 1.JPG

[robertspark]

nice

[cstroke]

Joe, License plates and stuff you are removing paint and powdercoating from can be a cheaper laser..
I have a Boss laser, hp series that is supposed to cut thin metal.. I haven't used that option yet...
If you are on facebook find the boss owners group and from there they have a sellers group.. Some great deals on used machines..
Kern from doing research is probably the best option with cutting metal as opposed to epillog or trotec...(Higher end Co2 lasers)
Boss is a chinese laser with American support..I'm not sure eppilog and trotec aren't imported as well...
Like anything it's tough to get one machine to be good at cutting and engraving.
Lightburn is a program that comes with the Boss and it works very good. I'm using it to export dxf files sometimes now..

[cstroke]

IMG_2802.JPG

IMG_2830.JPG

IMG_2829.JPG

IMG_2828.JPG

1st item is a grave marker for a pet. 12 ga stainless steel powdercoated a black with sparkles.
The rest of the items are bottle openers my powdercoater was experimenting with colors. The really cool colors when slid around scratch up easier as you can see.
These items were before I got machine dialed in, I'm closer now LOL..
Anyhow time wise the bottle openers are engraved in about 100 seconds.
These openers are cheap in bulk.. Opener, powder coat, and engrave for just under $5.00 each.. Bulk you can trim that price down a bit too..