Okay, I am a noob when it comes to laser work. As such, my questions may seem rather elementary but please bear with me. Eventually I plan on doing some etching work on acrylics using a CNC but I have no firm timeline on this. Cost is a HUGE consideration so most of the stuff will be homebuilt, else I would just buy something already together. Further, I have done a couple of days worth of searching here and couldn't find the apporpriate answers to my questions, so here I am. Moving on...
1) What is the lowest power laser I could use to do serious and precise engraving? Something of this quality for instance:
Glo-Tech Innovations Canada Corp. - Detailed Product View
For instance, would it be suitable to pick up one of those 3W IR diodes 808nm and focus that to a nice dot and do this etch? Or would I need something of higher power? How quickly might I expect to be able to do an etch of this quality given lower power lasers?
2) What are the options and making an array of lasers combined with good optics to combine beams and get more power?
I saw the DIY by wannaburn on combining 4 diodes to get 1 beam and believe I could do this. I even have a few ideas of my own on how to do this, which I will likely MS Paint shortly for collective ridicule . I have read that there are more extensive arrays that have been make by DIYers but I can't locate those threads. Any links/info?
3) I have read that IR of the 808nm variety is not that great for etching, and that CO2 is better because of the longer wavelengths. How accurate is this and how strong of a diode laser would I need to overcome this obstacle?
4) Any other information? For instance, using a laser in the visible spectrum better? Any other cheap options that should go for my consideration? Any other questions I should answer before you give me a recommendation?
Thanks all! Be easy, first time poster here.
Nsight7
1) What is the lowest power laser I could use to do serious and precise engraving? Something of this quality for instance:
Glo-Tech Innovations Canada Corp. - Detailed Product View
For instance, would it be suitable to pick up one of those 3W IR diodes 808nm and focus that to a nice dot and do this etch? Or would I need something of higher power? How quickly might I expect to be able to do an etch of this quality given lower power lasers?
2) What are the options and making an array of lasers combined with good optics to combine beams and get more power?
I saw the DIY by wannaburn on combining 4 diodes to get 1 beam and believe I could do this. I even have a few ideas of my own on how to do this, which I will likely MS Paint shortly for collective ridicule . I have read that there are more extensive arrays that have been make by DIYers but I can't locate those threads. Any links/info?
3) I have read that IR of the 808nm variety is not that great for etching, and that CO2 is better because of the longer wavelengths. How accurate is this and how strong of a diode laser would I need to overcome this obstacle?
4) Any other information? For instance, using a laser in the visible spectrum better? Any other cheap options that should go for my consideration? Any other questions I should answer before you give me a recommendation?
Thanks all! Be easy, first time poster here.
Nsight7