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Thread: Need serious help

  1. #1
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    Need serious help

    I have occasionally read some Laser post in various forums for the past 10 years but never had a laser so was not really serious.

    Now more or less out of the blue I own a laser.

    I bought it off ebay, supposedly in working order but there is no lens or final aperture.

    10000MW 808NM Infra Red DIODE LASER SYSTEM
    OEMLaserSystems

    The laser has a flexible Fiber Optics patch cable but there is nothing terminating it.
    I "believe" the end is just a FC/PC connector.

    What and where do I get a terminator? What do I need? Links to products really appreciated.

    It really appears to be a nicely made unit.

    Thanks, I appreciate the help.
    Ralph

  2. #2
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    interesting. 10 watt red diode laser. $2700....... you got ripped. At least in my not so humble opinion.
    Guess you need to go back to ummmm, eBay! Buyer HAS to beware when using auction site. If it isn't working, it isn't working.
    Open a dispute.
    Sorry, know nothing about red diode lasers other than they are not what any professional laser engraver I've met uses.
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  3. #3
    Single diode are usually dreadful multimode things with terrible optical properties (In TO packets). Diode pumped stacks are something different but all that aside, 808nm is pretty useless other than for a very limited number of things. You could fibre couple it or pump an Nd.YAG rod inside a lasing cavity but then you are talking about a LOT of expense and expertise required to set it up. It's going to need some serious cooling, 808's overheat for fun.

    It's not a Red John, (reds run 610ish to 660nm) 808 is an IR

    You could play around with doubling crystals to try and direct double but the losses will be huge and you are looking about $50k for all the equipment.

    Simple opinion? send it back if you can, it's close to useless for anything not in a lab
    You did what !

  4. #4
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    Looks like reading the description and doing research before placing a bid would have been the thing to do. Yes filing a complaint is what I would do now.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  5. #5
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    Thanks everyone for the replies.

    Admitted I am terrible about spur of the moment purchases, but then ...

    So apparently the consensus is that a concentrated 10 watt IR beam of light will not burn anything.

    Well please bear with me as I pursue a lens to focus the beam of light.

    Here is what I have: I believe the end is FC/PC looks like a 8mm fine thread. Now where might I find a lens I could screw on to concentrate the IR?
    I might have to make up a lens and holder. I have a mini lathe and a Clausing 8520 vertical mill so I should be able to make up something.
    Oh, this is a DPSS ( diode pumped solid state ) laser.

    Does anyone have a good source of lens?
    Thanks,
    Ralph

    DSCN7643.jpg

  6. #6
    Exactly what are you trying to accomplish? That's the real question. Putting a lens on it isn't going to accomplish anything. You'd need something to transfer some motion into the system if you plan on actually engraving anything. You'd need a CNC framework to bolt a head to or you'd need a galvo head to move the beam. Putting a lens on it while sitting in a bench isn't going to get you much, other than being able to mark a hole on something.

    I guess I'm just confused on what your intent is. If you have to build a whole motion system around it, then you could have bought an entire laser cheaper.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
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    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  7. #7
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    Well in the first place you do not know what I paid for it.

    But yes, I am going to build a CNC system.

    I thought I'd start out with a lens as that is the only thing I do not have.

    I have a bunch of lead screws from a 3D printer build I never got around to doing.

    I even have a 500mm ball screw, waiting on another project.

    I thought (admittedly very little) that I was actually being rather practical.

    Sorry, of course you do not know me or anything about my capabilities and the wild projects I have pulled off in the past.

    Thanks again for the replies.

    Now for a source of lens.

    Ralph
    Last edited by Mike Null; 12-07-2017 at 7:37 AM.

  8. #8
    Lasers normally use belt drive because you can't go fast enough for engraving with lead screws (unless you use servos). Might not matter with the limited amount of power from that source though.

    You can probably find a lens on Aliexpress.
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  9. #9
    of course you do not know me or anything about my capabilities and the wild ass projects I have pulled off in the past.
    True, I don't, however I am very familiar with DPSS Near IR lasers, the only thing you will be burning with 808 is likely your eye balls.

    II-VI Infrared or Mellor will get you a good lens, you do however have some other issues to fix first (or at least consider)

    It's M^2 is <20, that's about as bad as it gets (Typically the cheapest Chinese rubbish tube has an M^2 of 2.2 - 2.5 with RF sources being 1.1 - 1.2)
    The spot is square
    It's operating temperature is 10-35 degrees C
    It has a warm up time of 5 minutes

    In effect you have a bench top lab laser that is totally the wrong thing to put into any kind of CNC system.

    Can it be done? yes

    Is there any point what so ever in doing so? no
    You did what !

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph Hulslander View Post
    But yes, I am going to build a CNC system.

    I thought I'd start out with a lens as that is the only thing I do not have.

    I have a bunch of lead screws from a 3D printer build I never got around to doing.

    I even have a 500mm ball screw, waiting on another project.

    I thought (admittedly very little) that I was actually being rather practical.

    Sorry, of course you do not know me or anything about my capabilities and the wild ass projects I have pulled off in the past.

    Thanks again for the replies.

    Now for a source of lens.

    Ralph
    Again, what's your intent? A CNC to do what? Do you plan on putting it on a CNC and then engraving with it? Cutting with it? Like mentioned, if you plan to engrave with it, then you'd need something other than lead screws. If you plan on cutting with it, then I think you are out of luck. I don't think you are going to cut much with that. It's not going to cut much of anything and that wavelength isn't going to mark much either.

    I understand the "Because I can" mentality, but I'm not sure what you plan do with it once you put it on a CNC system.
    Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
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    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  11. #11
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    I would say "Go for it!" but if you had looked around much on here before posting, this is not a DIY forum. For builds I would head over to CNC Zone or any number of internet forums that do home projects and ask lots of questions.

    BTW Dave has forgotten more about lasers than most of us think we know. Good Luck.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  12. #12
    The other big problem with near-ir in the 808 to 1,200 range is the mechanism of damage. The eye will focus the light onto the Macula Lutea at the Fovea Centralis in the back of the eye ball. In the case of 10 watts, that's either a big black spot or total darkness depending on if it's a scatter or direct reflection.The problem is to visible light (400 to 750nm) we have a blink reflex (not that it will help that much) but to anything above 750 we simply don't.

    By the time you realise there is a problem it's too late, at least with 445 and 532nm the light is visible so you can see where it's going and it will make you avert your eyes. 808nm won't, by the time you smell burning and feel the pain it will be too late. (Nd,YAG lasers are rods pumped by 808nm diodes to give you some idea of power) Green lasers (labbies) are Rods that are 808 pumped then frequency doubled to get the 532. This is one of the dangers of green pointers, even though they may say 5mw they will also usually yield 40 to 50mw of scattered 808 as well in the beam unless a blocking filter is used.

    Anybody with more than a passing interest or any experience with unusual wavelengths treats 808,932 and 1,064 with a great deal of respect and some well justified fear or apprehension.

    I'm sat next to a 7,500 watt 10,640nm and that bothers me less than the 15 watt 808 in the next room sat on the bench.
    You did what !

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill George View Post
    I would say "Go for it!" but if you had looked around much on here before posting, this is not a DIY forum. For builds I would head over to CNC Zone or any number of internet forums that do home projects and ask lots of questions.

    BTW Dave has forgotten more about lasers than most of us think we know. Good Luck.
    Thanks Bill, that's what I like to hear "Go for it"!!

    But also thank you everyone for your help, you have really increased my knowledge.

    Here is what I was looking for when I asked for a lens.

    I have found better quality ones on Edmunds Optics but they start around $150.00. The ebay one has a 20% potential loss.

    If I can get something to actually work I can improve the quality.

    Thanks again everyone!!
    Ralph

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph Hulslander View Post
    Well in the first place you do not know what I paid for it.

    But yes, I am going to build a CNC system.

    I thought I'd start out with a lens as that is the only thing I do not have.

    I have a bunch of lead screws from a 3D printer build I never got around to doing.

    I even have a 500mm ball screw, waiting on another project.

    I thought (admittedly very little) that I was actually being rather practical.

    Sorry, of course you do not know me or anything about my capabilities and the wild projects I have pulled off in the past.

    Thanks again for the replies.

    Now for a source of lens.

    Ralph
    First things first, here is a good source to build your own cnc/laser machine. They include just about everything you might want at a basic level.

    https://www.buildyourcnc.com/

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan Rocker View Post
    First things first, here is a good source to build your own cnc/laser machine. They include just about everything you might want at a basic level.

    https://www.buildyourcnc.com/
    Thanks Bryan, that is a great site.

    Ralph

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