Greetings

[Thom Smith]

My name is Thom and I own Concepts Design and Fabrication in Chaska Minnesota. We are right outside Minneapolis. I have been using lasers to cut plastics since I was 14 some 40 years now. I have worked for most of the large plastics houses in my area and have honed my skills over time. I now am the proud owner of my own company and building my business. We use our Kern and Epilog lasers and Weeke CNC router to make signage and plastics displays and such. I came across this site just recently and can see it as a big help for me and others. Looking forward to hearing from others and helping where I can.
Thom

 

[Johnny Best]

Welcome to the group!

 

[Thom Smith]

Thank you

 

[astro8]

Welcome from Sydney. How do you find the Kern for acrylic and what power, 400w? What do you do for fume extraction or is the paper over the honeycomb combined with the vacuum sufficient?

What software do you use to program the Weeke, Woodwop? How do you find using that for signage, cumbersome or OK? I was using bSolid on our Biesse but so frustrating, cumbersome and slow for signage that we switched to EnRoute.

 

[Thom Smith]

Hello Astro,
I find the Kern lasers to be the best lasers I have ever worked with in acrylics. I come from a background using large CO2 lasers like the Coherent super 48 and the like, and these out perform them like no one's business. They come with their own fume extractors when bought new like I did. I use the honeycomb bed with chipboard lightly glued to it using 3M 90 spray adhesive. I have 2 Kerns. One 200 watt and one 400 watt with the metal cutting option installed. There is nothing these 2 machines cannot do perfectly. Both are the high speed engraver types(HSE).

As for the Weeke. Yes it is the WoodWop software. Works well for what we need it for. Programming seems easy in WoodWop. We also use Vectric V-Carve Pro which is pretty easy to use. All that coupled with CorelDraw and Draftsight CAD makes our job pretty easy and fast.
Thom

 

[myront]

 

[Thom Smith]

Thanks myront!!!

 

[astro8]

I'm interested in how thick the chipboard is that you glue on the honeycomb and does it smoke when cutting? I've never heard of doing this. Can you elaborate more ?

Thanks for the infos on the Kerns. It'd good to hear from real production users. You have helped narrow down our next laser purchase.

Beside the Biesse 14'x7' we have a Universal for small stuff and engraving and have a 320w chinese laser that we had custom built. It easily cuts the best 30mm clear acrylic that I have ever seen...which sort of defies logic and belief being chinese. It is all German motion slides, ballscrews with Mitsubishi drives and controls etc, constant beam length mirror setup and height follower, oxy/nitrogen for cutting stainless etc but it's still no Kern or SEI in my mind.

 

[Thom Smith]

Glad I could help. It is about .030" thick chipboard. I get them from my supplier at 24"x48" pieces. See picture. It does not smoke at all and prevents flashback from the honeycomb onto the acrylic. Acrylic is my main product here....I also use the Kern .75" standoffs when cutting 1/2" thick and above. I remove the chipboard from beneath the cutout when doing this like in this video.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=900535360108060

 

[The Big Squeegee]

2 from OK

 

[Thom Smith]

Thanks Big Squeegee!!

 

[astro8]

Thanks for the info and video. It's got good speed through that acrylic. I couldn't sense any drag at all.

 

[Thom Smith]

You welcome astro8.

 

[eahicks]

Gonna give Gemini a run for their money, eh?

 

[Thom Smith]

Are you talking Gemini the material manufacturer here in Cannon Falls Minnesota? I use their material all the time. If another Gemini, I am not familiar with them. I am taking on the world....hehe

 

[SignsSupport]

Hi Thom Smith and welcome to the community.
Feel free to upload an avatar if you like. Here's hoping you enjoy your stay.

SignsSupport