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- Oct 18, 2013
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So using a Co2 cutter at work really has me wanting a laser cutter of my own, but due to monetary and space constraints I think a Co2 cutter is out of the question for the time being. So the next obvious choice would be a nice diode laser, probably a 445nm since those are the most powerful diodes you can get easily.
Thing is though, I'm really digging doing acrylic engraving with the Co2 laser, but I tried even putting a mark into some acrylic scrap with my 1.7 Watt 445 and it didn't do anything except go through the acrylic and burn my desk.
Is it a matter of power or lack thereof, would one of those beefy 7 Watt 445 diodes work? Or is it more with acrylic being pretty transparent to 445 and I would need an obscene amount of power to etch acrylic with 445 light?
Or is there some other laser type besides a diode or Co2 that would be better suited? I imagine a YAG could do it, but thats probably more of a challenge than a Co2 laser.
Would an IR diode be better suited perhaps? And if so, anyone know a source for high power IR diodes?
Thanks!
Thing is though, I'm really digging doing acrylic engraving with the Co2 laser, but I tried even putting a mark into some acrylic scrap with my 1.7 Watt 445 and it didn't do anything except go through the acrylic and burn my desk.
Is it a matter of power or lack thereof, would one of those beefy 7 Watt 445 diodes work? Or is it more with acrylic being pretty transparent to 445 and I would need an obscene amount of power to etch acrylic with 445 light?
Or is there some other laser type besides a diode or Co2 that would be better suited? I imagine a YAG could do it, but thats probably more of a challenge than a Co2 laser.
Would an IR diode be better suited perhaps? And if so, anyone know a source for high power IR diodes?
Thanks!