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Phil Brevick
10-26-2009, 8:08 PM
I'm trying to find out what would be the "Heaviest":cool: (densest - most weight per square inch) material that can still be engraved and cut with a 60 watt laser. All suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil

Mike Null
10-26-2009, 8:33 PM
I would suggest Ikon metal and Corian.

Dan Hintz
10-26-2009, 8:52 PM
Acrylic is pretty darn dense,and since it acts like a waveguide to the laser, you can cut some surprisingly thick specimens. Ever tried to lift a 1" thick 4'x4' piece of acrylic? Can anyone say hernia?

James Stokes
10-27-2009, 10:33 AM
With my Epilog I engraved 2" concrete corner stones weighing around 60 pounds each. I had to do my heigth adjustment before putting the stone on the table. It would not raise the table with the stone on there.

Dan Hintz
10-27-2009, 11:31 AM
James,

I'de like to see you cut those things... ;-)

James Stokes
10-27-2009, 8:26 PM
Fortunatly I have a wet saw for things like that. And to be perfectly honest I think all laser engravers should have a good wet saw.

Phil Brevick
10-27-2009, 8:43 PM
Thanks for the responses so far.

I'll try the Corian & Ikon Metal (A little concerned with the sparks from one of the other posts on cutting the Ikon). I'm looking at making some small weights approximately 1/4" x 1/2" x 2 1/2". I've considered making a mold and pouring them, but if I can find something dense enough that I can just laser cut & engrave would sure go a lot quicker. I've checked some of the woods, but the denser ones seem to have a lot of "oil" content so cutting is more of an issue. I may go with acrylic and try to engrave a spot to attach a lead weight.

Thanks again to all!

Phil

art baylor
10-27-2009, 9:27 PM
cast some lead in a plaster mold? Make a wax carving, cast it in plaster, one side open, melt the lead with torch (good ventilation), pore the lead, cool, dip it in urathane varnish or vinyl coating if your worried about contact.

art

art baylor
10-27-2009, 9:29 PM
Or just cut them out of lead sheet or bar. Coat them.
Art

Steve Clarkson
10-27-2009, 9:34 PM
Hey Art.....do you know of anything else you can melt (metal, that is) other than lead? I want to make a metal shape using a mold......

Eric Allen
10-28-2009, 12:38 AM
Hey Art.....do you know of anything else you can melt (metal, that is) other than lead? I want to make a metal shape using a mold......

Bismuth is a low/no toxic lead substitute. I believe it melts about the same as lead. The best place to check would be a local gun shop, preferably something large that caters to reloaders. It's used as a no-tox replacement for lead pellets in shotgun shells.

Dan Hintz
10-28-2009, 6:13 AM
It's not the cheapest solution, but no-flux solder can be picked up in 1-pound and 5-pound spools at your local Borg in the plumbing section. You'll have no issue melting it.

Kevin Groenke
10-28-2009, 7:34 AM
McMaster has low temp casting alloys.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#metal-alloy-casting-compounds/=496py2

I saw a demo of cuttlefish bone casting at a conference a couple years ago and thought about trying to engrave the mold with the laser. I never got around to it, but I still think it would work.

http://www.jewelryartistmagazine.com/projects/cuttlebone-casting/cuttlebonecasting.pdf

-kg