Kmor2004
0
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2011
- Messages
- 292
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Hello folks, new to the LPF and lasers >"5"mW.
As the title says I am looking to use 2 different lasers for 2 different purposes but I'm unable to find some info and I'd also Like to discuss some technical information to see if one of the projects is even feasible with a hobby level budget.
The 1st and easiest project (not really even a project) is I'd like to get a burning laser preferably in the visible light spectrum 405-680nm range that can pop balloons and more importantly light fireworks, yes I realize a lighter, matches, or other source of fire is easier slightly safer and definitely cheaper but I'd rather just be able to press a button and light the fuse, and still be able to do a balloon shoot out at the ok coral, then just recharge some batteries to be able to use it again later. The thing is I'm not looking to be like OMG YAY I haz 1W lazor that cans light fuses and go pew pew, I'd like the minimum wattage that could do these tasks, pop a balloon from say 5-10ft and light a fuses from a few inches to say a ft or so away and cost maybe $50-100 (would prefer the lower price range though).
Also for either one of these I'd buy the appropriate safety glasses since it's the safe thing to do and you folks can't seem to advocate it enough.
The second project is the tough one that has the most ambition and most practicality and that I like to make a cnc engraver / etcher that would primarily be used to make pcb's but also be usable on most plastics, such as ABS, plexiglass of any color and opaque-ness while being able to do the process within say a 5 hour window (just so it doesn't take forever and because anything that would be lightning fast would cost several thousand dollars).
As for the cnc laser engraving actual laser I understand a lot of the "ability" to cut/engrave/etch depends on what wavelength the material in question can absorb, and from a little bit of the information on this article http://www.laser-systems.net/pdf/Copper welding4.pdf about copper welding where they demonstrate using a pulsed Nd Yag laser and how it either results in power ablation of the copper or completely obliterates it vs using a "green" or 532nm pulsed Nd YAG laser and how it has better results due to better absorption on the lasers energy. Now sure I realize that in the article they are discussing the use of a Yag laser and the fact that it's somewhere in the 1.5Kw range (which is way outside they price range for a hobbyist) but I presume they are referring to using this in a single quick pass for rapid developement versus, say a 1+ hour multi pass process that is aimed at removing a little bit of the copper at a time, also what makes me think that a green or possibly even down to say a 405nm laser at say the 500mW-3W rane might work was this video I saw of a professional pcb CNC laser posted on the cnc forums
if you look at the close up at 45 seconds in it looks like it's a green laser, but a better close up at approx. 1:00 in seems to back this idea up, however 2 things could be argued 1 being that the laser in question is most likely 10's if not 100's of watts versus the power I'm talking about but I'm also talking a bout a slightly slower process, and the 2nd point is that the beam may actually be of lower wavelength due to the fact that copper burns green.
So I pose the questions of, if a 500mw-3W 405-532nm laser is used and focused down to say 5mil or so (apprx. .127mm) could the power density be enough with several passes to oblate copper to be able to make pcb's without the use of chemicals, as well as if anyone has tried using a 532nm or lower laser at these power levels with multiple passes to etch/engrave/ or even cut copper with enough passes?
Sorry for the very long 1st post and thank you for any suggestions / discussions/ or advice.
P.S. There are links in there but I couldn't figure out how to make them more visible.
As the title says I am looking to use 2 different lasers for 2 different purposes but I'm unable to find some info and I'd also Like to discuss some technical information to see if one of the projects is even feasible with a hobby level budget.
The 1st and easiest project (not really even a project) is I'd like to get a burning laser preferably in the visible light spectrum 405-680nm range that can pop balloons and more importantly light fireworks, yes I realize a lighter, matches, or other source of fire is easier slightly safer and definitely cheaper but I'd rather just be able to press a button and light the fuse, and still be able to do a balloon shoot out at the ok coral, then just recharge some batteries to be able to use it again later. The thing is I'm not looking to be like OMG YAY I haz 1W lazor that cans light fuses and go pew pew, I'd like the minimum wattage that could do these tasks, pop a balloon from say 5-10ft and light a fuses from a few inches to say a ft or so away and cost maybe $50-100 (would prefer the lower price range though).
Also for either one of these I'd buy the appropriate safety glasses since it's the safe thing to do and you folks can't seem to advocate it enough.
The second project is the tough one that has the most ambition and most practicality and that I like to make a cnc engraver / etcher that would primarily be used to make pcb's but also be usable on most plastics, such as ABS, plexiglass of any color and opaque-ness while being able to do the process within say a 5 hour window (just so it doesn't take forever and because anything that would be lightning fast would cost several thousand dollars).
As for the cnc laser engraving actual laser I understand a lot of the "ability" to cut/engrave/etch depends on what wavelength the material in question can absorb, and from a little bit of the information on this article http://www.laser-systems.net/pdf/Copper welding4.pdf about copper welding where they demonstrate using a pulsed Nd Yag laser and how it either results in power ablation of the copper or completely obliterates it vs using a "green" or 532nm pulsed Nd YAG laser and how it has better results due to better absorption on the lasers energy. Now sure I realize that in the article they are discussing the use of a Yag laser and the fact that it's somewhere in the 1.5Kw range (which is way outside they price range for a hobbyist) but I presume they are referring to using this in a single quick pass for rapid developement versus, say a 1+ hour multi pass process that is aimed at removing a little bit of the copper at a time, also what makes me think that a green or possibly even down to say a 405nm laser at say the 500mW-3W rane might work was this video I saw of a professional pcb CNC laser posted on the cnc forums
if you look at the close up at 45 seconds in it looks like it's a green laser, but a better close up at approx. 1:00 in seems to back this idea up, however 2 things could be argued 1 being that the laser in question is most likely 10's if not 100's of watts versus the power I'm talking about but I'm also talking a bout a slightly slower process, and the 2nd point is that the beam may actually be of lower wavelength due to the fact that copper burns green.
So I pose the questions of, if a 500mw-3W 405-532nm laser is used and focused down to say 5mil or so (apprx. .127mm) could the power density be enough with several passes to oblate copper to be able to make pcb's without the use of chemicals, as well as if anyone has tried using a 532nm or lower laser at these power levels with multiple passes to etch/engrave/ or even cut copper with enough passes?
Sorry for the very long 1st post and thank you for any suggestions / discussions/ or advice.
P.S. There are links in there but I couldn't figure out how to make them more visible.
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