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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Cheap CO2 Possibly?

Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
534
Points
28
So I was checking my emails from Banggood and noticed a 40W C02 Laser tube on there for $145USD Heres the link 40W 70CM CO2 Carbon Dioxide Laser Tube Laser Engraving Part Sale-Banggood.com

I Know the bare minimum about gas lasers and there price, Im not recomending this tube or advertising for BG either,
I Simply wanted others to check it out,
could be a good deal? could turn up damaged from cheap shipping methods? who knows..........

Excuse me if this item has already been mentioned in another thread

CheerZ
 





Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
929
Points
83
Hmm, from what I can tell it's a fairly good deal. I mean, it's not a great deal, but after looking, it's the best price I can find. Wouldn't trust that free shipping though, especially on something made entirely out of glass :D
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
388
Points
43
additional costs:

1) a decent power supply doing 15kv at about 18mA (~250$)
2) submersible water pump (20$)
3) water cooling radiator and fan (80$)
4) safety goggles (40$)
5) ZnSe lens (50$)

etc..

these low quality chinese tubes might give you a thousand hours of operation if you're very lucky and keep it cool and under driven.

still, for a not huge amount of money, you'd have enough power to do cutting of non-metallic thin objects and etching on leather, glass, wood, etc.

So I was checking my emails from Banggood and noticed a 40W C02 Laser tube on there for $145USD Heres the link 40W 70CM CO2 Carbon Dioxide Laser Tube Laser Engraving Part Sale-Banggood.com

I Know the bare minimum about gas lasers and there price, Im not recomending this tube or advertising for BG either,
I Simply wanted others to check it out,
could be a good deal? could turn up damaged from cheap shipping methods? who knows..........

Excuse me if this item has already been mentioned in another thread

CheerZ
 
Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
534
Points
28
additional costs:

1) a decent power supply doing 15kv at about 18mA (~250$)
2) submersible water pump (20$)
3) water cooling radiator and fan (80$)
4) safety goggles (40$)
5) ZnSe lens (50$)

etc..

these low quality chinese tubes might give you a thousand hours of operation if you're very lucky and keep it cool and under driven.

still, for a not huge amount of money, you'd have enough power to do cutting of non-metallic thin objects and etching on leather, glass, wood, etc.
I thought this might be the case with the extra expenses, 40W is also probably how much juice is going in and not the true laser power coming out,
Chinese stuff does break often so maybe even 1000 hours is generous, you might get a Dud that breaks alot earlier,
thankZ Swami
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
388
Points
43
yes.. given the tube length, it's probably more like 30 watts on a good day.

I thought this might be the case with the extra expenses, 40W is also probably how much juice is going in and not the true laser power coming out,
Chinese stuff does break often so maybe even 1000 hours is generous, you might get a Dud that breaks alot earlier,
thankZ Swami
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
929
Points
83
You also have to remember that once you have all of the extra things required to run it, when it breaks you only have to replace the tube, not all of it. So even if you do only get 1000 hours out of it, 1000hrs for $145 isn't too bad :D.
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
9,399
Points
113
these low quality chinese tubes might give you a thousand hours of operation if you're very lucky and keep it cool and under driven.

What's the failure mode?

polycarb glasses from the hardware store should work, but i would rather use something i *know* will work. [link]

Read your link. Those are also "polycarb glasses from the hardware store"
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
6,309
Points
83
Cooling can be accomplished by simply running tap water down the drain for
testing and setup. Just maintain a good flow of cooling. I used a windshield
washer pump (cheep) and not submersed. Also, you don't need a radiator or
fan for starting. That is for closed circuit cooling in a near CW operation.
The beam quality is pretty impressive with no lens. True, if you need a small
dot, ZnSe is the way to go but handle carefully.
My first tube failed very fast. With water cooling and all, it went POP on the third
5 second run. No guessing -- a glass weld inside failed filling the cavity with water
which killed my old PS. The guy in CHINA called me a liar and untrustworthy !!!
Have FUN with the GASSSSS ---- HMike
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
929
Points
83
The guy in CHINA called me a liar and untrustworthy !!!
Lolwut? The seller called you untrustworthy? What's he gonna do, not sell to you anymore? After calling you a liar I really don't think you'd even consider buying from him again. Pretty typical, lots of Chinese sellers will do this kind of thing. Granted, a lot won't, but the ones that will are still there. Also, what's the seller's name so we can avoid him?
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
388
Points
43
for testing and setup, yes. but for any real application, you're going to want a recirculating cooling system.

i have a 60W here that i use both a radiator and an industrial chiller on.

i keep my water at around 20c and i live in the southwest, so i need active cooling.


Cooling can be accomplished by simply running tap water down the drain for
testing and setup. Just maintain a good flow of cooling. I used a windshield
washer pump (cheep) and not submersed. Also, you don't need a radiator or
fan for starting. That is for closed circuit cooling in a near CW operation.
The beam quality is pretty impressive with no lens. True, if you need a small
dot, ZnSe is the way to go but handle carefully.
My first tube failed very fast. With water cooling and all, it went POP on the third
5 second run. No guessing -- a glass weld inside failed filling the cavity with water
which killed my old PS. The guy in CHINA called me a liar and untrustworthy !!!
Have FUN with the GASSSSS ---- HMike
 

USAbro

0
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Messages
1,006
Points
0
additional costs:

1) a decent power supply doing 15kv at about 18mA (~250$)
2) submersible water pump (20$)
3) water cooling radiator and fan (80$)
4) safety goggles (40$)
5) ZnSe lens (50$)

etc..

these low quality chinese tubes might give you a thousand hours of operation if you're very lucky and keep it cool and under driven.

still, for a not huge amount of money, you'd have enough power to do cutting of non-metallic thin objects and etching on leather, glass, wood, etc.

Wo, an electronic NST on eBay does 20ma at 15kv for $65.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Messages
388
Points
43
Wo, an electronic NST on eBay does 20ma at 15kv for $65.

a neon sign transformer and variac could work. i don't know that that starting pulse would be high enough. you'd probably need ~20kv to trigger and i'm not sure how well it would modulate.
 
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