Glowforge release

[Lee DeRaud]

The original photo looks like maple, though.

Yeah, and if it's the same size as the walnut one in the video, it's more than 1/4" thick too.

I'm still having trouble with the idea of cutting 1/2" hard maple in anything less than a half-dozen passes. It tends to take significantly more power than the same thickness of walnut or cherry.

[Bill George]

Yeah, and if it's the same size as the walnut one in the video, it's more than 1/4" thick too.

I'm still having trouble with the idea of cutting 1/2" hard maple in anything less than a half-dozen passes. It tends to take significantly more power than the same thickness of walnut or cherry.

Don't forget this was suppose to be a 40 watt glass tube machine, even cutting 6 mm thick walnut as they say its still going to take a lot of passes. So its a lot bigger Lee than the 1 inch diameter you guessed when you replied to me.

[Lee DeRaud]

Don't forget this was suppose to be a 40 watt glass tube machine, even cutting 6 mm thick walnut as they say its still going to take a lot of passes. So its a lot bigger Lee than the 1 inch diameter you guessed when you replied to me.

Certainly looks that way, although we now have (at least) two different instances, where we don't know which still picture goes with which video and which text description. I would hope whatever software they're using can resize that bitmap without hurting itself. Given that the main point of a laser is its precision, smaller should be better when it comes to marketing...maybe they think otherwise.

Cutting 6mm/0.25" walnut in one pass with a 25W* RF tube is not a problem, so if what I'm told is the typical 25%-30% power de-rating is factored in, a 40W glass machine should be able to do it. I've never tried anything thick enough to require multiple passes, mostly because I have a garage full of tools better suited to that job. But I'd expect three passes should get through 1/2" walnut with my machine and maple in four.

(*Nominal rating, I've never put a meter on it.)

[Dave Sheldrake]

1/2 inch anything on a 40 watt DC tube is going to take ages. Figure on a 35 watt (as thats the width of the GF) peak power (nominal 32) when used on 1/4 inch MDF running about 2 to 3mm per second and giving a charred cut...double the thickness = half the speed so at 1/2 inch it's going to take all sorts of silly time and look terrible.

A 25 watt decent RF is going to out perform a 60 watt DC in 99% of cases unless you are dealing with a good DC tube like EFR/GSI or Coherant. The edge on that sample looks to have been cut in one pass (no tell tale signs of multiple passes with a DC like there usually is)

To agree that that engraving / cutting was done on a GF I'd have to see it actually do it, either first hand or on film.

[Matt McCoy]

1/2 inch anything...

It's 1/4" (6mm).

To agree that that engraving / cutting was done on a GF I'd have to see it actually do it, either first hand or on film.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...17#post2634217

[Bill George]

I have no doubt Lee's 25 Watt RF tube could do it, but my true 40 glass tube (new replacement) could manage 1/4 inch 6 mm Cedar a pretty soft wood, Walnut a hard wood up with Oak, I don't think so. Like Dave said, who or what machine did that Demo?

[Lee DeRaud]

I have no doubt Lee's 25 Watt RF tube could do it, but my true 40 glass tube (new replacement) could manage 1/4 inch 6 mm Cedar a pretty soft wood, Walnut a hard wood up with Oak, I don't think so.

It might surprise you. Walnut and cherry seem to cut about the same, oak and maple maybe 20% more power or less speed.

I'm continually surprised (after 11+ years) at how different woods behave under the laser: seems to have little correlation with how they work with conventional tools.

[Dave Sheldrake]

It might surprise you. Walnut and cherry seem to cut about the same, oak and maple maybe 20% more power or less speed.

I'm continually surprised (after 11+ years) at how different woods behave under the laser: seems to have little correlation with how they work with conventional tools.

What still to this day amazes me is the vast difference between DC tubes and RF tubes and the way they work on the same woods. I'm happy with my DC machines but do appreciate RF is generally better unless you go to the really expensive SLC stuff

[John Lifer]

All it will take is a few of these! And gf

http://www.myajc.com/news/local/lase...kpTEmFAvTOMZI/

[Rich Harman]

It's 1/4" (6mm).

The first one pictured, the maple one, is 1/2".

[Bert Kemp]

It may be 1/2 but how many passes did it take to cut it and how long did it take. With having to stop every couple minutes to cool down this had to take a very long time to do. Like I showed the Moose I did on a machine that runs continuous it took around 4 hours, so I'm thinking the GF took twice as long, and I wouldn't believe anything else they told me.

The first one pictured, the maple one, is 1/2".

[Matt McCoy]

The first one pictured, the maple one, is 1/2".

Thanks Rich.

[Bert Kemp]

Matt have you tried any 3d engravings with your laser and if so how big and how long did they take to do?

Thanks Rich.

[Matt McCoy]

Matt have you tried any 3d engravings with your laser and if so how big and how long did they take to do?

Not really -- just enough to see how it works. Pretty cool, but like watching paint dry.

I did goof around with it for 2 and 3 tone engraving on wood for a bit, but not what I really needed at the time. If I wanted to head in that direction, I would look into an RF laser.

[Bert Kemp]

exactly, and I'm sure a GF will be like real thick paint

Not really -- just enough to see how it works. Pretty cool, but like watching paint dry.

I did goof around with it for 2 and 3 tone engraving on wood for a bit, but not what I really needed at the time. If I wanted to head in that direction, I would look into an RF laser.