• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

New laser cutter cuts HDU into signs

signmeup

signmeup

New Member
Check this out. My new laser cutter cuts lettering to depth into 15lb HDU and then cuts it out. No more sandblasting for me! This took 2 or 3 minutes to cut. It's about 6" x 3.5". I'm still figuring out how to use the laser but it shows great promise as a sign making tool.

Adrian
 

Attachments

  • lsign-002.jpg
    lsign-002.jpg
    102.4 KB · Views: 678
F

fresh

New Member
Now I really, really want a laser!! Kudos!


quick question... Does it just pulverize the foam? I don't understand how that works.
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
fresh said:
quick question... Does it just pulverize the foam? I don't understand how that works.
Click to expand...

It vaporizes the HDU. I'm not sure how it cuts so evenly to the same depth. With proper software I think you can "carve" with a laser.

Adrian
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
Is HDU one of the acceptable materials you can cut with it Adrian? I know you can't cut or burn PVC. If so that's good to hear!
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
Gene@mpls said:
What is the brand and the specs on the laser please? Are the fumes noxious? Thanks Gene
Click to expand...

It's a RECI Z2 90 watt co2 laser. That piece was engraved at 200mm/sec and 20 watts. The cut was 10mm/sec at 80 watts.

I think it would be safe to assume that the fumes are noxious.

Adrian
 
C

CanuckSigns

Active Member
I would be careful, we have run lasers for 15 years and something about the yellow-brown colour of the engraving tells me the material is not meant to be lasered, it most likley has PVC or something similar in it.
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
It's not Signfoam it's Corafoam from Dunna.

The "scorching" is staining from the smoke. It stains it towards the downwind side of the cut. "Downwind" being caused by the powerful exhaust fan. I get it on pretty much everything I've cut so far except for glass. Glass gives off a fine white powder. The only thing I've cut/engraved so far that doesn't burn was glass.

Adrian
 
signmeup

signmeup

New Member
You can etch glass. It looks like frosted or sandblasted glass. I suppose if you made enough passes it would eventually gnaw through it...

Adrian
 
CES020

CES020

New Member
Adrian, glad to see you're up and running!

Apply transfer tape to the face before engraving and it'll make the area around the engraving nice and clean.
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
signmeup said:
It's a RECI Z2 90 watt co2 laser. That piece was engraved at 200mm/sec and 20 watts. The cut was 10mm/sec at 80 watts.

I think it would be safe to assume that the fumes are noxious.

Adrian
Click to expand...

When I google 'RECI Z2 90 watt co2 laser' it comes up with the laser tube? What is the brand of machine? I see a 'Model: MornTech MT-L1290' Chicom
100w laser on ebay for a very good price with support in California.
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
Thanks for confirming that Jim. My table should be here in a few weeks. Do you know if it's save to cut sandblast stencil?
 
CES020

CES020

New Member
SignManiac said:
Thanks for confirming that Jim. My table should be here in a few weeks. Do you know if it's save to cut sandblast stencil?
Click to expand...

Some of the Anchor products are marketed as laser safe. Just check the spec sheets for it. As long as it doesn't have PVC in it, you should be good.
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
Thanks! I thought I'd read that somewhere else but it would be nice to cut clean mask with smaller details... Damn I love new toys :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top