Kalle Pihlajasaari
10-04-2013, 5:33 AM
Hi All,
Mostly curious to hear from you old hands. There have been various threads about the small flame polishing machines but I have not seen specific mention if this is primarily for use after routing or if it is also recommended after laser cutting.
I am thinking I need an excuse to make a small flame polishing machine one day. I am confident that I can do it safely after reading all I have researched and am not worried about that. I have no active use for one except to play so I am not planning to purchase a commercial unit. I might go the safe route and have separate H2 and O2 lines and use a standard jewellers torch, having explosive mixture in the gas line in a HHO + solvent system is still a small gamble in my view even with a flash back arrestor or two. I know someone who fitted a crude HHO generator under his bonnet and it detonated one day and he says it gave him quite a fright. The inside of the engine compartment was covered with bits of plastic and caustic soda solution when the small amount of mixed gas in the generator ignited.
All the laser cut samples I have seen and the few little bits I have tested on my recently prepared brain transplant laser look like a pretty decent finish as it is.
My questions are, does flame polishing add any structural value to a laser cut Perspex edge by relieving stress?
Secondly, will the faint ripples smooth out?
Kalle
--
Johannesburg, South Africa
Mostly curious to hear from you old hands. There have been various threads about the small flame polishing machines but I have not seen specific mention if this is primarily for use after routing or if it is also recommended after laser cutting.
I am thinking I need an excuse to make a small flame polishing machine one day. I am confident that I can do it safely after reading all I have researched and am not worried about that. I have no active use for one except to play so I am not planning to purchase a commercial unit. I might go the safe route and have separate H2 and O2 lines and use a standard jewellers torch, having explosive mixture in the gas line in a HHO + solvent system is still a small gamble in my view even with a flash back arrestor or two. I know someone who fitted a crude HHO generator under his bonnet and it detonated one day and he says it gave him quite a fright. The inside of the engine compartment was covered with bits of plastic and caustic soda solution when the small amount of mixed gas in the generator ignited.
All the laser cut samples I have seen and the few little bits I have tested on my recently prepared brain transplant laser look like a pretty decent finish as it is.
My questions are, does flame polishing add any structural value to a laser cut Perspex edge by relieving stress?
Secondly, will the faint ripples smooth out?
Kalle
--
Johannesburg, South Africa