Chinese Lasers-Rodney Gold And George M. Perzel please help!!!!

[Ross Moshinsky]

For the vacuum table, would it be possible to build my own. I'm extremely good with tools and pneumatics is one of my specialties.

Visit the ShopBot forum. There are a few very reasonably priced vacuum table setups available.

If you're serious about going the CNC route, I'd suggest you possibly look into DIY kits. They'd probably be very suitable for your need. CNCRouterParts and Joe's CNC have the two most popular kits. Both are more than capable of doing what you want and you could probably get the whole job done for around $10,000 including a vacuum table and software.

If I were in your shoes, I'd contact someone in the US with a 130-150W Chinese machine and ask them to cut some samples for you. I'd also contact someone with a CNC Router willing to cut you some samples. See if anyone is able to achieve the quality you want. One thing is certain, the CNC Router will be MUCH faster. You should be able to achieve cuts at over 150 ipm easily while a laser I can't imagine cutting at more than 25ipm.

EDIT: I may be inaccurate with my 150ipm statement. Based on a bit more research the speed probably will be much lower than this.

[Rodne Gold]

I think your problem will be heat , using our 80w , we cut up to 2mm HIPS (the clear one) , but mainly 1mm (we use it as a cheap but stiff backing for some of our domed products) and it warps a lot , no use using magnets as you can only hold the edges really and not where it cuts. The only reason it melts using a panel saw is that the wrong blade was used , had the same problem slicing up sheets of plastic on our table saw and buying the right blade made it go away.

[Brian Martin Pennsylvania]

Thank you Ross. For the CNC router what size bit do you recommend to use. We actually had the prototype strip made on a cnc router. The only set back was the router used a 1/2" bit will almost doubles the prices of the strips.

[Brian Martin Pennsylvania]

Thanks Rodne. May I ask what tooth blade you were using. We were using a 10 inch 200 tooth blade. I believe it said specifically for laminate floor.

[Brian Martin Pennsylvania]

Visit the ShopBot forum. There are a few very reasonably priced vacuum table setups available.

If you're serious about going the CNC route, I'd suggest you possibly look into DIY kits. They'd probably be very suitable for your need. CNCRouterParts and Joe's CNC have the two most popular kits. Both are more than capable of doing what you want and you could probably get the whole job done for around $10,000 including a vacuum table and software.

If I were in your shoes, I'd contact someone in the US with a 130-150W Chinese machine and ask them to cut some samples for you. I'd also contact someone with a CNC Router willing to cut you some samples. See if anyone is able to achieve the quality you want. One thing is certain, the CNC Router will be MUCH faster. You should be able to achieve cuts at over 150 ipm easily while a laser I can't imagine cutting at more than 25ipm.

EDIT: I may be inaccurate with my 150ipm statement. Based on a bit more research the speed probably will be much lower than this.

WoWWWW!!!!! Thanks for the website Ross. I did some quick pricing and it looks like I can get everything I need for under 7,000$. http://www.cncrouterparts.com/crp489...kit-p-139.html Right now I'm ordering some more of my HIPS material and sending it out to be cut. Thanks a lot for this info.

[Rodne Gold]

I don't know the exact specs of the blade , but it was one that is specifically for plastics. That link I posted a few posts ago has the specs for a blade specifically for HIPS.
A rule of thumb re router bits is that the max depth of cut in softer stuff = the radius of the bit , however we take real deep cuts in plastic using a 1/2 round D type carbide bit (like an engraving cutter) but with no tapering tip
The secret to cutting plastics with any bit is a HUGE amount of back clearance to aid swarf removal which serves to stop the bit clogging and thus no friction melting the material and , if possible , cooling which has the added benefit of making for really nice and smooth cut edges (you can either use a water system , or soapy water , or better still one of those venturi type coolers)
We cut right through 1/4" plastic type material with a solid carbide 1/8" diameter bit in a single pass..we pay almost nothing for these as we collect broken carbide drill bits from the local PCB manufacturer and use a cutter grinder to make them. Key to taking such deep cuts is to have VERY LITTLE of the shank protruding out the spindle collett , as the longer the bit , the more flex and this gives a bad cut. If you go with a router , get a nice potent spindle , 3-5hp will work well.

[George D Gabert]

If you got a machine with pass thru you would only need a very short machine that was the width of your sheet. you would but your material in and use a bump stop to locate the sheet. Make your cross cut which would be at the edge of your table. When the part cut thru it would drop down into a hopper. The edge of the sheet would be held down by the feed rolleror above sheet guide. This could be automated so the only manual operation would be to load the sheets and clean the hoppers.

[Brad Scoggins]

Hello Everyone,

I'm not trying to hijack a thread here, but I saw some comments about upgrading optics. I have a Gweike on order and was about to start looking at options on lenses. I'm about 4 months into older threads and still going, but I haven't seen much on this. Can someone point me in the right direction? Is Edmond the big player or is there some middle ground?

Thanks to everyone in advance. The friendliness of the folks on this forum is amazing!

Best regards,
Brad

[Dan Hintz]

What are you trying to upgrade?

Edmund's is one of the most expensive places to get optics...

[Brad Scoggins]

Hi Dan,

The focal length of the final lens for starters...

Thanks,
Brad

[Dan Hintz]

Speak to Gweike and order extra lenses from them... it's a lot cheaper to just have them throw it in the package before it ships.

[Brad Scoggins]

Thanks Dan!