Cutting foam sheets... with a needle!

[dkj4linux]

Well, it was fun while it lasted. The “20W” laser played out later this morning and now only puts out the very weakest of beams. I had cut a few rulers and was trying different feeds/speeds/focus and all of a sudden it decided it had had enough. It still responds to intensity and on/off control commands but no longer has the power, even at 100%, to mark the material. While it was running it was indeed more powerful than my little 2.5W laser but missing the finer spot of the lower powered unit. Still usable, however… until it wasn’t. There was no overheating or visible signs of damage but, thinking back, it is quite probable that I killed it… there was considerable static electricity this morning and I’d gotten “bit” numerous times, touching various things around the house; i.e. doorknobs, light switches, engraving machine , etc. Oh, well… you’d think at this late date that I’d learn and/or know better

 

[Springer]

Interesting, I'd not thought about static electricity and a laser unit. Not a problem in summer humidity, but come winter, I will have to be cautious.

 

[dkj4linux]

It was crazy for a few days, Mike. After blowing up the laser, I later simply touched one of the extrusions while the machine was engraving, drew an arc, and immediately killed the X-axis... the X-axis driver was blown. I finally managed to get a handle on the static problem. I got the static problem a bit more under control by doing a couple of things: 1) I started a humidifier in the room, and 2) bought a can of Static-Guard and sprayed down my recliner. I also put a light-weight cotton blanket over the recliner. That did seem to help and I’m once again able to touch my machines without quite the anxiety I had… though, like the dog and shock collar, I’m now “semi-trained” to think a bit more before reaching for something on the machine.

My victims...

-- David

 

[Keno]

It was crazy for a few days, Mike. After blowing up the laser, I later simply touched one of the extrusions while the machine was engraving, drew an arc, and immediately killed the X-axis... the X-axis driver was blown. I finally managed to get a handle on the static problem. I got the static problem a bit more under control by doing a couple of things: 1) I started a humidifier in the room, and 2) bought a can of Static-Guard and sprayed down my recliner. I also put a light-weight cotton blanket over the recliner. That did seem to help and I’m once again able to touch my machines without quite the anxiety I had… though, like the dog and shock collar, I’m now “semi-trained” to think a bit more before reaching for something on the machine.

My victims...

View attachment 176715

-- David

Thought this interesting, this upcoming winter working on this so I keep reading. Static electricity is nothing when you have a lighting strike within a 1/2 mile or Loran C transmitter station and your transmitters lights up like a Christmas tree. Off air, run like hell to get back on line and in sync with your nav. chain. Sorry it a Coast Guard thing.

 

[dkj4linux]

Not sure what to say, Ken... it's such a common thing, static electricity. Most of the time it's harmless and hardly noticeable... only this time, for a while, it was harmful and quite a bit more noticeable, like a shock collar. Blew up a couple of components and had me scrambling to repair my machines that, up to that point, had been running normally. I can't explain why, in the middle of the summer, it should suddenly be a problem... but it was. It didn't affect anybody but me. And to me, at this time in my life, it was a "run like hell and get back on line" sort of thing...

 

[Springer]

Are you having a particularly dry summer down in TX? The word from April's family was it's about normal. I guess, though with AC running all the time and sucking all moisture out of air, static could be a problem. The half inch arc you mention only happens to us when temps are below freezing for many days, but when they do, life gets interesting with us, the dog and anything metallic! May need to think about a touch plate connected to ground beside the cnc for winter!

 

[dkj4linux]

Mike, at the time this was going on, we did experience some very strong electrical storms roll through the SA/Austin area for a couple of days. A very strong close-by lightning-strike, startled my daughter, knocked out power for a few moments and fried my kids' outside internet connection... uphill and next door about 100 yards away from me. My power went off for a bit but my internet was okay when it returned. Outside of the atmospheric conditions for a couple of days, which I didn't measure or watch the news/weather, it seemed pretty normal for summer in the hill country... hot, but less humid than East Texas. And the A/C runs pretty hard most days. It's hard to believe that had anything to do with it... but something was sure different for a few days and I was getting zapped pretty strongly any/every time I got out of my recliner and touched anything metal; i.e. doorknobs, light switch, machines, etc. It's seems better now, thankfully... whether due to atmospheric conditions changing and/or the anti-static precautions I put in place and/or ???, I don't know.

 

[Keno]

It's a capacitor thing, and you were the capacitor😎. Have great day & keep us informed on your laser adventure.

 

[varg]

Laser diodes are particularly vulnerable to transient overvoltage events like those caused by ESD and lightning. If your home is that prone to static buildup it must be very dry indeed. I recommend grounding the chassis of your machines and the cases of the components in light of that issue, that way you don't have to remember to put on an antistatic wrist strap before touching any of it.

 

[dkj4linux]

Well, finally got around to getting the white ceramic tiles I've been wanting. The kids’ needed to go to HD yesterday evening… and brought back an $8 box of 4"x4" ceramic tiles. Seems an incredible bargain to me… about 100 tiles (covers 12.5 sq.ft.) in the box.
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/2/9/29a63a59c49de9a7b9fc98b0a5f5770a250859fa.jpeg

This morning I removed four tiles and lightly spray-painted them with flat white paint…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/2/4/24d12f72f30f6c96998ef9229768b95c48f9d0de.jpeg

After getting the photo ready, it took about an hour and twenty minutes to actually engrave the image. This was done with a 2.5W Eleksmaker diode laser on my miniFR machine, at 1200 mm/min and 85% power, using Lightburn, “Jarvis” dither, and 300 DPI…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/a/7/a7545c5086d834492935acfe18ec2634886d06a7.jpeg

Tile and image BEFORE removing the paint…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/1/6/16f39cdb342af8e22c9e3cb94ef535577d4b4527.jpeg

AFTER the paint is removed, the image is genuinely fused into the ceramic…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/c/1/c11debdea0ffc1fd970c4e05c2b919568f67f999.jpeg

While not perfect, I’m quite pleased with my first full tile engraving. By far, the hardest part for me – knowing virtually nothing about photography – is processing the photo for brightness, contrast, gamma, “pop”/enhance, interval/DPI, etc… and generally getting it ready to be lasered. Lightburn has the tools to do most of this now… and is getting better every day. The rest of the Norton white ceramic tile process is a piece of cake.

– David

 

[dkj4linux]

Another unrecognizable face… 1:20 to engrave, same laser and settings…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/1/4/14d374b9b25a4b207736132f8043ec6b7ae2e859.jpeg

Image before paint removal…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/4/b/4bdf349c3208ddd45872ffc7af941f3d50e6bd03.jpeg

Tools and materials for paint removal…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/a/2/a2e53d0cc60976b7166db5f13717da0bb7d29090.jpeg

A cap full of thinner is poured over the tile, let it sit a minute, scrape vigorously with sharp metal scraper, makes a bit of a smelly mess…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/4/d/4d1b7669fa28328fd989d35286f0cba0ce7f02c8.jpeg

Wiped down with paper towels…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/b/d/bd9fc01825a523bb65370e469671f2d399c17845.jpeg

Washed/scrubbed like a dish, and dried with a towel…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/7/3/73fe5461e1a197e66b58d1003ad81133abf376bc.jpeg

Original photo…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/a/5/a5eff0fced1dbba21a3c71d45d9f9bed42136024.jpeg

Fun stuff!

– David

 

[dkj4linux]

It’s been a good day…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/0/0/000e8b2bc23e9e17432a4436040dbb9002788e49.jpeg

and I can retire, satisfied.

– David

 

[Wildthing]

Another unrecognizable face… 1:20 to engrave, same laser and settings…
View attachment 177105

Image before paint removal…
View attachment 177106

Tools and materials for paint removal…
View attachment 177107

A cap full of thinner is poured over the tile, let it sit a minute, scrape vigorously with sharp metal scraper, makes a bit of a smelly mess…
View attachment 177108

Wiped down with paper towels…
View attachment 177109

Washed/scrubbed like a dish, and dried with a towel…
View attachment 177110

Original photo…
View attachment 177111

Fun stuff!

– David

That's really cool. Is the paint just giving the laser something to start the burn into the tile.

 

[dkj4linux]

That's really cool. Is the paint just giving the laser something to start the burn into the tile.

I'm not really sure what's so "magical" about the collision of paint, ceramic, and laser... but it is real. Supposedly works on glass as well. It's not etched into the ceramic... it leaves a slightly raised texture on the surface of the tile where the laser has impinged on the paint. And it seems as hard as the ceramic surface itself... even fairly vigorously running a metal scraper over the image seems to have little/no effect; i.e. no scratches. It's pretty neat! And a very inexpensive and simple process to boot...

 

[dkj4linux]

Finally, the last of my initial batch of four painted tiles…

I have an incredibly talented teenage grand-daughter who loves to sketch… and fills sketchbook after sketchbook with very detailed scenes, lots of activity, and recurring characters; i.e. there’s an almost “Where’s Waldo” quality to it. She imagines something in her head and it seems to magically flow out of her fingertips. It’s really fascinating to watch and I’m very proud of her. This was a quick snapshot of just one page among many…

– David

 

[Wildthing]

Finally, the last of my initial batch of four painted tiles…
View attachment 177167

I have an incredibly talented teenage grand-daughter who loves to sketch… and fills sketchbook after sketchbook with very detailed scenes, lots of activity, and recurring characters; i.e. there’s an almost “Where’s Waldo” quality to it. She imagines something in her head and it seems to magically flow out of her fingertips. It’s really fascinating to watch and I’m very proud of her. This was a quick snapshot of just one page among many…

View attachment 177168

– David

How old is she? She has loads of talent.

 

[dkj4linux]

How old is she? She has loads of talent.

She's 15... and, yes, she does. Thank you! There's so much material to draw from I'm hoping she will allow me to do many more of her works...

 

[Wildthing]

She's 15... and, yes, she does. Thank you! There's so much material to draw from I'm hoping she will allow me to do many more of her works...

I think she needs to start doing her own books and getting them published.

I think you David need to do a tiled version so you can do a wall .

 

[dkj4linux]

I think she needs to start doing her own books and getting them published.

I think you David need to do a tiled version so you can do a wall .

Working on it. Actually I think she and her parents are talking along those lines. Here's her self-portrait...

Here it is being lasered… with “Raiders of the Lost Ark” on TV in the background…

-- David

 

[dkj4linux]

And my kids’ 19th anniversary photo…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/9/3/9341197ee88e04656f2157868d3b3531bdc8222e.jpeg

I’m starting to get quite the eclectic collection…
https://us2.dh-cdn.net/uploads/db5587/original/3X/d/2/d2a6cb7f7346a95f211cc1cbb74c7f6f3b301f69.jpeg