1.5 or 2 inch for engraving more quickly ?

[Frédéric PARROT]

Hi all,

I currently have a 1.5 inch lens on my laser.

As I engrave and cut small parts for model railroading, it suits me very well: for example, signs that make rail signaling 0.27 x 0.27 inches for the N scale (1/160).
Now I have to engrave larger areas (for example 5.9 x 3.15 inches for a roof, 5.5 x 1.6 inches to a wall). I know this is small compared to what you do :)
I'm wondering about the usefulness of a lens of 2 inches.

Will this enable me to engrave faster because the beam will be larger?

Fred (France) with an Universal 50W

[Joe Hillmann]

I don't have any input on which lens will be faster but would love to see pictures of the parts you make

[john banks]

You're thinking that with the greater spot size that you can lose a bit of detail but have fewer scan lines per inch (or greater mm/scan line) and so not have banding where you would with the smaller spot size?

I don't notice a difference in banding (and therefore effective speed and scan gap) between 1.5 and 2.0 inch, although I don't have a Universsal. I do notice much straighter kerfs in thicker wood cutting with 3 inch compared to 1.5 inch. And I notice finer detail in engraving at 1.5 inch.

[Dan Hintz]

You have a higher power density with the 1.5" lens over the 2", but the 2" has a larger dot size. If you're currently running at 100% power and under 100% speed, you will be faster with the 1.5". Otherwise, shifting to the 2" will let you move to a lower res, which means faster rastering.

[Frédéric PARROT]

Hello Joe,

For example, a french engine house in N scale.
It's made with acrylic, wood and thin cardboard.
226485

Fred (France) with an Universal 50W

[Frédéric PARROT]

Hello Dan, John,

For the engraving of the walls, to go to a lower resolution should not be a problem because I am satisfied to dig on almost all the surface of the part. I use 60% power and 90% speed.
For the tiles, it's to be seen on the other hand because I think I can lose a bit of detail.

[Frédéric PARROT]

French signs of indication to indicate a speed limit (100 km / hours) on a portion of line.

[Joe Hillmann]

That is a lot of detail for N Scale, do you just make them for yourself or sell kits?

[Frédéric PARROT]

I sell kits, it's my business since 2005.
Now I want to do the same thing (eg engine house) in HO scale and the etching time may be detrimental. Hence my question about whether to use a lens of 2 inches could help me reduce the etching time since the surface to be larger than N scale .

[Richard Rumancik]

Frédéric - I assume you don't have the 2" lens and you want to know if it will pay back to buy one. Perhaps you can do a test with your existing lens - basically the proposed lens change would increase the spot size from about .003" to say .005" (about .075 mm to .125 mm).

Why not test with your existing lens, and change it to raster out-of-focus (OOF) so as to increase the spot size? You could start with the same power/speed as now and see if dropping the resolution yields an acceptable image. You do have some room to spare with power so you could bump it up if needed.

This might not give the exact results as a 2" lens but you might be able to start with just the lens you have. You will need to make a different focus tool, or else focus on a "shim" sitting on your table wihich would represent the desired OOF amount.

I have both lenses and use them equally; I really like the 1.5" for more detailed work.

Why are you running at 90% and not 100% speed? What resolution are you currently using?