Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
[QUOTE=wwendorf;1825032]I need to find some like that too. Care to share the wealth? :)
Wade[/QUOTE]
Local source doesn't have what we would need right now. Need transparent material and all the scraps right now are translucent. You can see through transparent, but translucent does not.
Nice seeing the laser running, how bad is their exhaust fan all hooked up?
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Honestly, not too bad. It's a little loud, but when the fan runs, it drowns out the sound of the annoying little air compressor they give you, so I'm good with it. The buzzing of that thing is way more annoying than the sound of the blower.
I can still talk on the phone just fine with the fan running. I will say, that fan has some serious sucking power tho. It evacuates the fumes of acrylic JUST FINE. I have about 30 feet of piping for the exhaust to pump thru, and when I go outside to the vent, it actually moves the dead leaves around underneath it.
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Yaaa, told you the fan sucks like hell. This is good because otherwise with such piping length it wouldn't do the job.
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Yaaa, told you the fan sucks like hell. This is good because otherwise with such piping length it wouldn't do the job. And yes, the little gold painted compressor really screams like it was huge. Do not figure out why...
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
You will love the laser Taftar!
Now, I just need to figure out a problem I have with some acrylic cutting. If anyone following has any ideas, I would appreciate it. I'll be posting this in another thread as well.
I am trying to cut out 2.75" circles, with a .25" hole in the middle out of 3/16" material. I started out at 12mm/sec at 60%, but I had MAJOR stress cracking. Turned down the laser power to 35%, and speed to 10mm, then 8mm, then 6mm at 30% power. Got nice clean cuts, but after an hour, stress cracking appeared again. The laser tube is 130W. Shop temperature is 60 degrees.
I don't appear to have this stress cracking problem if I cut a square, but as soon as it is a circle, the stress cracks appear.
I have tried cutting over another piece of acrylic, over cardboard, on some of the bad disks so that the material is basically suspended. About 50% stress crack after a few minutes to a few hours.
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
I would just try a different acrylic, what you are describing is beyond weird and the material is the most likely cause.... Extruded or cast acrylic?
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Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Yeah, I did that too. 4 different types/brands. Extruded.
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Are the cracks al over, or in from the edges ?any solvent in the air? Other than solvent or solvent residue, I can only say try turning up the heat then, cooling too quick could be a cause I guess, although I have no doubt done a similar cut in similar conditions with no issues. How thick?
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Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
On the edged radiating inwards. The material is 5mm (3/16").
No solvent in the air. No chemicals for cleaning. Nothing. Even wore gloves when picking them up (clean gloves).
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Well, solvent exposure is still, to my thinking, the most likely cause except, ya know, the squares not having the same issue), might not have been at your shop, up the supply chain maybe. But easier to try and bump the heat up and see what happens. What speed are you running?
Never mind, see the speeds
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Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Yeah, the higher power on the laser actually made the stress cracking appear quicker and much more often. When I got down to about 6mm/s @ 30%, it was 1 out of every 2 parts that were bad.
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
I'd try running at 95%, moving faster and try with lid off and blowing extra compressed air on the cut if you can do that. Slower speeds, even at lower power, could mean more heat in one spot for longer
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Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
I use shop air run through a filter and regulator and then a solinoid/bypass system (solinoid to use software air assist or not, bypass so there is always a little air directed at cut to reduce flames), so I can adjust me air pressure a lot more than the pump the machine came with
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Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
95%??
The suggested speeds from Bodor are max 5 - 15mm /sec at 40-63% max power. I was at 60% when I had the initial cracking problem, and that fracturing was very fast. I have a cut file setup to do cuts in 5% power increments from 20% to 50% at 8, 10 and 12mm/sec speeds.
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Well, you *really* need an (milli)amp meter if you don't have one, and use that as a guide for the power, 95% is about right with a properly matched power supply, and you might have a PS capable of a larger watt tube, as your speeds seem about correct for the wattage. Regardless, get a meter if you don't have one and then see what the specs are for your tube for max readings.
But basically take the 60% and try to cut as fast as you can, ie try to not cut through then slow down a bit. And, if possible, try to throw more air at it.....normally acrylic is good with almost no air, but more air equals a cooler cut and that should mean less problems with stress cracking.
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Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
Yeah, the laser has a meter on it.
I will try the faster cuts too.
Thanks for the advice. I don't know about adding more air. Maybe i'll get a quieter smaller compressor for the laser to use. My big compressor blows the breaker when the laser is powered on and it kicks in. (It's a very big compressor).
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
I got the power figured out. It appears about 60% at the max speed suggest of 15mm/sec is good, but as the customer wants a smoother edge, I have to step it down to about 10mm/sec at the same power. I also have to raise the acrylic about 1/4" to 1/2" inch above the honeycomb.
I did a string of test cuts of the part at different power settings to find the perfect one. Went from 25% to 70% in 5% increments.
Thanks for the help and suggestions gfacer. I appreciate it.
Now, back to having some **** with this bad boy!
Wade
Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
I find the honeycomb useless for acrylic and only use a knife table....if you don't have a knife table, using a bed of nails (dulled a bit) works well too, maybe better. Honeycomb puts too many laser bounce back marks on the edge.
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Re: Review - Bodor Laser BCL1309XU
This is quite odd... I have seen so many videos with acrylic materials even in honey table and thought this is the easiest material to cut.... [URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cJ6njIxwsQ[/URL]
Even if you see Bodor videos, the acrylic cuts are perfect. But as gfacer mentioned the acrylic should be not in a honey table. It should rest on nails preferably or knifes type bed, as the acrylic it self reflects much laser beam.
knife bed cut [URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvuE8sjS8hM[/URL]
And for admiring laser work, check this crazy video. Amazing capabilities.... [URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjRtCjI9AQ[/URL]
@taftar You have my mobile number. Will be glad to have a chat :)