Cleaning Your Vector Table

[Ed Lang]

Since 99% of my laser use is cutting 1/8" wood I use the vector table from Universal Lasers all the time. After several days of cutting 10 to 12 house each day the grid is quite sticky and black. this goo will transfer to the back of the fresh wood and you will get the honey comb pattern on the new item even before you start to cut.

Now with all that said, here is how I have fixed the problem for good!

I built a box our of wood and used Tightbond III glue. Varnish the inside several times and use Krud Kutter to soak the box.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Ed,

Keep in mind that you can flip the honeycomb over and use the back side (flip horizontally) then you can flip vertically then rotate and repeat. Use every square inch of the honeycomb before you take the step to replace it.

The cleaning process is good but eventually you will need to use a different area of the honeycomb.

[Orval Schroeder]

First time posting// Ed your idea on cleaning your vector grid sounds great. The way I clean mine is by using spray on oven cleaner and rinse, all the deposites come right off. I cut wood, acrylic and what ever else comes my way and engrave marble, granite, solid surface mat. and wood.

[Ed Lang]

Orval, Welcome to SMC! Thanks for the oven cleaner tip.

Mike, I cut 12x24" sheets all day long so I have the entire table black with goo. I will have to take the table apart to get the honey comb out but that is a great idea to turn it over and use that side before buying another one. I expect I will find a source for the honey comb before I need to buy another one from Universal.

There is a member here that makes a vector table so I will look into that as well.

Better go get my vector table out of its bath now so I can get back to work.

Take care,

[Barbara Sample]

Hello Everyone,
I used a power washer to clean it, and bent a lot of the honeycomb. Don't use a power washer.
I like the oven cleaner idea.
Thanks
Barb

[Lee DeRaud]

Keep in mind that you can flip the honeycomb over and use the back side (flip horizontally) then you can flip vertically then rotate and repeat. Use every square inch of the honeycomb before you take the step to replace it.

Ok, I'll bite: how do you get the frame apart to free up the honeycomb? Mine appears to be held together with four pop-rivets: I could drill them out, but I'm a bit uncertain how (or whether) I'd be able to reassemble it.

[Lee DeRaud]

Don't some types of oven cleaner chew up aluminum?

[Jerry Allen]

Don't some types of oven cleaner chew up aluminum?

Yep! I wouldn't use it. Bug and tar remover or Krud Kutter is better.

[Mike Mackenzie]

Lee,

Yours comes apart from the bottom, I think 4 screws, the tables that ed has you just have to remove the right side bar and the bottom bar and the honeycomb will come out.

And I will second or third about the use of oven cleaner it will eat away at the aluminum honeycomb.

Also Ed there is a company in Texas that sells the honeycomb material I don't have there name and number right here in front of me but I will try to find it and post it for everyone.

[Joe Pelonio]

I've never tried to clean my vector grid. Lee, on the Epilog there are screws and it comes apart easily. Most of my work is 12x24 1/4" acrylic
engraved and cut. I have no problems with discoloring because I always leave the bottom layer of protective paper on the acrylic. If there's something that will discolor I'll put transfer tape on it.

I did turn mine over after it was getting worn and then after about two years replaced it, was surprised it was only $30 from Epilog.

[Mike McDaniels]

I know of someone who uses the light grids from fluorescent commercial lights. They can be found at a home improvement store for about 6 bucks. They are plastic so they won't last as long as aluminum but for the price it makes you think.

[Lee DeRaud]

Yours comes apart from the bottom, I think 4 screws...

Just took another look at it: yup, what look like pop-rivets are actually allen-head screws...with the smallest socket I've ever seen, much less tried to find a wrench for. Oy.

[Dennis Perry]

I use a commercial cleaner (Jolt) on my USL works great the vector table looks new after each cleanning. Of course the rulers are an other story. I think I'll just call them stops the coating that was engraved is gone, put they are clean

Dennis

[Joe Pelonio]

On the rulers I have had good luck using a product called "Rapid Remover" which I get from my sign supply. It's $30/gallon or $12/quart though, but I always have it here because I use it to remove adhesive left when peeling off vinyl lettering, especially from vehicles. It's citrus based and makes the rulers look like new. Also works great to remove the stickiness from the edges of Rowmark laminates.

[Mike Null]

Joe
Have you tried naptha for that? Seems like it should work. It's very good for removing adhesives.