laser printers

[vortish]

Saw a add on craiglist for a free Laser Printer so I said what the hell I get it and tear it apart for components for other projects. So I got to the laser part of it and its kind of weird not what I expected lots of mirrors and plastic optics but the middle of it had this big round looking thing but I am not certain if it is the laser part of this printer or not I will post a picture of it later. Has any one else done a tear down on a laser printer

 

[Rivem]

The laser is IR and usually on a PCB facing the scanner/galvanometer that tracks it across the roller. They're also usually buried in a plastic optics package and not easy to find.

Edit: Yes, I've taken a few apart for motors and little mechanical parts years ago. Was going to take another apart recently until it worked great.

 

[vortish]

so the laser has a galvometer that is awesome I been looking for one. but it was really fun to take apart but I may end up selling that for other things dont know yet.

 

[Rivem]

so the laser has a galvometer that is awesome I been looking for one. but it was really fun to take apart but I may end up selling that for other things dont know yet.

On the vast majority of printers, it's more of a motor directly on a PCB than what you'd use in a PJ. Might be useful for a liquid sky effect if you can reverse engineer a controller, but not much else on its own.

Check this guy's video out to give you an idea of the laser assembly:
https://youtu.be/VIV4LHDKeaY?t=10m3s

 

[vortish]

mine is a brothers laser printer only it was a little different that the vid but i get the general idea

 

[Rivem]

mine is a brothers laser printer only it was a little different that the vid but i get the general idea

They're all pretty much the same unless it's one that's really old (HeNe) or really new (LED). I've taken apart brother printers, and the assembly is about the same.

 

[vortish]

its 2009 so its a ir laser but im not sure were the laser is or was at this poingt

 

[diachi]

The laser is IR and usually on a PCB facing the scanner/galvanometer that tracks it across the roller. They're also usually buried in a plastic optics package and not easy to find.

Edit: Yes, I've taken a few apart for motors and little mechanical parts years ago. Was going to take another apart recently until it worked great.

Not a galvonometer - at least not in any of them that I've seen. Usually a mirrored "wheel" with multiple sides that's attached to a stepper or some other motor.

Great for doing a liquid sky if you can get them going. There is information out there about doing so.

Usually a nice long first surface mirror in there too. The laser typically isn't much use - usually some low(ish) power IR/NIR diode.