Laser

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Jim_Nestor
Vectric Apprentice
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:18 pm

Laser

Post by Jim_Nestor »

I am trying to educate myself on laser addons, I have a Shark Cnc. Does anyone know anything about this one? Thanks, Jim

http://endurancelasers.com/diode-lasers ... aser-plus/

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BArnold
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Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 12:20 am
Model of CNC Machine: SO2/XCarve hybrid w/NEMA23 on all axes
Location: Thomasville, GA, USA

Re: Laser

Post by BArnold »

J-Tech has come good options: https://jtechphotonics.com/?page_id=2520
Bill Arnold
VCarvePro, PhotoVCarve, SketchUp, UGS
Member of Mensa and NRA

Jim_Nestor
Vectric Apprentice
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:18 pm

Re: Laser

Post by Jim_Nestor »

Just trying to get input from those who use/are familiar with lasers
With opinions about this one as to whether it might be decent or a POC
Thanks, Jim

Uzumati
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:05 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Axiom AR8 Pro+

Re: Laser

Post by Uzumati »

I have the 4.2w J-tech and for what I use it for it is great, but its driver is not variable power so I can’t burn grey scale images with it. They do have a 2.5w variable power laser that does really good work on pictures. When I looked at the shark before I got my axiom if I remember correctly the laser NWA offered with it was not variable power so it would not do grey scale pics either. It all depends what you are wanting to do. 90% of what I do is lettering with a few background scenes on clocks so I didn’t really need the variable power and the 4.2w I have is fine for wood burning.

Bottom line figure out want your end goal is and get a laser that will do what you want

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BArnold
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Posts: 189
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 12:20 am
Model of CNC Machine: SO2/XCarve hybrid w/NEMA23 on all axes
Location: Thomasville, GA, USA

Re: Laser

Post by BArnold »

Uzumati wrote:I have the 4.2w J-tech and for what I use it for it is great, but its driver is not variable power ...
I'm just learning my way around the JTech 2.8w laser. It appears to use the same driver as the 4.2w and is variable power. It uses the PWM signal from a BOB to control the power level. My system is grbl-based and has laser controls in v1.1f.

JTech 4.2w page: https://jtechphotonics.com/?product=3-8 ... driver-kit
Bill Arnold
VCarvePro, PhotoVCarve, SketchUp, UGS
Member of Mensa and NRA

Doug98105
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:48 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Centroid knee mill with 4th axis

Re: Laser

Post by Doug98105 »

I have a 2.8 watt J-tech on a CNC milling machine. No way to vary power of the laser using the CNC controller, but the darkness of the burn can be varied by slowing or speeding up the feedrate.

The design to be burned is programmed as a regular profiling or engraving tool path. In the engraving toolpath the cutter is raised and lowered as needed, for laser burning those would be equivalent to turning the laser off and on.. Using a text editor on the gcode file to search/replace for the raising and lowering of the tool substituting "m08" and "m07" respectively meaning laser off and on. Those m-codes on my CNC control are there to operate a spare contactor (switch) for a mist coolant which I don't use. If a CNC doesn't have a spare contactor the one that turns the spindle on off could be used as well.

ozymax
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Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 4:34 am
Model of CNC Machine: Home built cnc router using Masso G3.

Re: Laser

Post by ozymax »

Jim_Nestor wrote:I am trying to educate myself on laser addons, I have a Shark Cnc. Does anyone know anything about this one? Thanks, Jim

http://endurancelasers.com/diode-lasers ... aser-plus/
I too would love to hear from anyone that has this particular unit.
There is a lot of information to go through on their web site, but the info is not the easiest to find straight away.

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