Cleaning the cutting table (ABS plastic smell)

[Dan Kozakewycz]

Do you guys clean your honeycomb cutting tables very often?

Having recently cut some ABS plastic, the fumes have stained the table black and the smell hasn't really gone away. With potential to be selling lots more of the things I cut from ABS, I'm wondering what the easiest way of getting the smell of burnt substrates out of it is. Not particularly bothered about the staining, but if there's some sort of solution that can be applied to neutralise the smell, that would be fantastic.

Also, as ABS appears to be a particularly 'fumey' material, is it likely to fill up my BOFA 350 filter in pretty short order?

[Mike Null]

Try cleaning with Krud Kutter (Home Depot). Spray it on undiluted, let it soak, and wash it off with a hose.

All that stuff on the grid will affect your cutting operation as well.

[Dan Kozakewycz]

Thanks Mike, I'll give that a go.

[Don Corbeil]

I second mike's recommendation on krud kutter. I also bought a shallow tub that is large enough to contain my honeycomb table. I fill it with diluted KK, and let it soak for a couple of hours. From there, the residue sprays off very easily, and the smell is virtually gone. Good stuff that KK.

[Chuck Stone]

I do about the same thing, but have been using "Incredible Pink" since there's an
overstock store here that gets it pretty cheap. The gunk comes off within minutes of
spraying, doesn't need a pressure wash or anything like that.. it just runs off.
No damage that I can see.

And yeah.. the gunk can flare up. Especially the wood resins. They can put black
marks on the back of your parts when you cut.

[john passek]

Is ABS not extremely hazardous to health and equipment.

[Gary Hair]

Is ABS not extremely hazardous to health and equipment.

No more than any other material that we laser and cut.

[Clark Pace]

Not true. ABS actually produces cyanide when laser cut. I'm not sure how much is produces, and it may still be generally safe. There have been debates about it in the past here on smc, but cutting paper or acrylic is safer in those respects.

[Gary Hair]

but cutting paper or acrylic is safer in those respects.

Enough fumes from either of those and you'll die just as dead as anything else. If you have an exhaust fan that draws the majority of any fumes outside then you should have no problems - with the exception of PVC as that will not just harm you but eat your laser. If you really want to see something scary you should check out the horrible results from exposure to dihydrogen monoxide - it is the nastiest stuff you'll encounter!

http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

[Clark Pace]

I personally won't do it. I did it a few times, and got terrible headaches. And my exhaust was really good. Wood and acrylics had very minimal smell when cut due to the exhaust, but abs smelt really bad, and the headaches were not fun. After I learned about the ABS and cyanide I stopped cutting it. But that is just me. Maybe I am more sensitive to the smell.

[Gary Hair]

Maybe I am more sensitive to the smell.

I have the same issue with cutting acrylic, it takes very little of the smell to give me a terrible headache.

[Chuck Stone]

I have that problem using my laser to remove facial tattoos.
(plus if you're not careful, that lens assembly can leave a lump)

[Mike Audleman]

Enough fumes from either of those and you'll die just as dead as anything else. If you have an exhaust fan that draws the majority of any fumes outside then you should have no problems - with the exception of PVC as that will not just harm you but eat your laser. If you really want to see something scary you should check out the horrible results from exposure to dihydrogen monoxide - it is the nastiest stuff you'll encounter!

http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html


I disagree! DHMO is cool stuff! I use it in solid form at the rifle range for reactive targets. The kids love it when I hit it with a 30-06 round (from a safe distance)! Man, the stuff just explodes into shards everywhere!

[Chuck Stone]

Be careful .. in solid form it can be dangerous. You can't just leave that stuff
laying out in the street, it can cause accidents. Even in liquid form it can do
some damage if you find it creeping in through your basement. That's something
you need to check, as it can come right through the foundation. I don't think you
need any special equipment to detect it, though.

[Kev Williams]

divining rod? ;)

[Chris J Anderson]

Be careful .. in solid form it can be dangerous. You can't just leave that stuff
laying out in the street, it can cause accidents. Even in liquid form it can do
some damage if you find it creeping in through your basement. That's something
you need to check, as it can come right through the foundation. I don't think you
need any special equipment to detect it, though.

eg: breaking bad :)

[Dan Kozakewycz]

I didn't realise ABS was harmful, had seen it being cut with a laser and assumed it was safe!

[Mike Audleman]

Well, I just tried the Krud Cutter that I bought at HD a couple weeks ago. O.M.G! It works like gangbusters! I spread some heavy foil out in the bottom of my cabinet to catch the droppings. Then I sprayed the bed base with a generous layer and let it sit for about 10 minutes. When I wiped it with a crumpled paper towel, nearly all of the resin and tar from the smoke simply wiped away. Only where the laser had gone through the material and hit the bed and burned the residue into the aluminum was left. I sprayed it again and waited another 10 minutes. Then got a sponge and scrubbed it. Most came off. Still left are some of the lines. I fear those won't ever come off.

I took the honeycomb outside and sprayed it with krud cutter and let it sit for a few minutes. When I hit it with the garden hose, well, it looks brand new. Seriously. Bright and shiny and clean.

I can testify, the stuff works and works WELL! And it does not appear to be corrosive at all to aluminum. The cells of the honeycomb are still mirror bright.

[Graham Taylor]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I am after something to clean my honeycomb table so .......

Have any UK people used the UK version of Kurd kutter or anything other suitable recommendations?

[Steve Morris]

There's a load of KK products here http://www.krudkutter.co.uk/
and https://www.thedecoratingstore.co.uk/krud-kutter?gclid=CJTzxOH70MQCFQ_KtAodbTMAYQ

Don't know which one is the one to use, can someone recommend which type??

I guess we will be getting the usual rip-off UK pricing but its a start :) just google Krud Kutter

[Jiten Patel]

Hi Graham,

I use the Krud Cutter for the US...get it brought over as my family go over 3-4 times a year, so get them to bring be back a bottle every time. Works great, but have found it is becoming less effective as the table gets worse. I am due a new table soon, so see how that goes. It is the original you want and a tenner is worth every penny. I have also used the outdoor metal version which works too.

[Graham Taylor]

is this one ok: https://www.thedecoratingstore.co.uk/krud-kutter/krud-kutter-gutter-cleaner-trigger-spray-946ml

[Steve Morris]

I think its probably this one
https://www.thedecoratingstore.co.uk/krud-kutter-original-concentrated-cleaner

[Graham Taylor]

Thanks Steve, will get some of that

[Scott Shepherd]

Just for reference for those that are trying it for the first time. The longer you leave it, the better it does, so letting it sit for a couple minutes (or longer) vs. spraying it on and wiping or rinsing it off immediately will yield two completely different results. We bought a big plastic tub and we fill it with hot water and Krud Kutter and let it soak over night every so often.

[Graham Taylor]

just my luck that the decorating store from the link above have said they can no longer stock Krud Kutter products as they do not pass eu regulations.

Back to the drawing board then :(