Caroline Evans
12-09-2014, 2:31 PM
Hi,
I'm extremely new to laser cutting. I just received an Epilog 24x12 40W laser just under two weeks ago and I love it, and I'm exploring the materials, but I'm having trouble with a material I really want to use. I'm interested in making earrings from old wood samples (the ones you take for flooring or house reno) since I have many from my interior designer sister.
I know they come in different materials, like no-nos like vinyl, so I Google each one before I try cutting them, and I also contacted an Epilog Tech to confirm the materials. Most of the samples I have are HPL: High pressured laminate, and they're extremely thin, but I found they are ridiculously hard to cut, and leave bad chars on the side of the material if they are successfully cut. There would also be a ridiculously large laser tail (flame behind laser), which I'm extremely wary about, so I'm holding off using them for now.
I don't know if it's because of the wrong settings, bad glue, bad material, etc. But I would really love to use them since they come colored and give me more options for my earring designs.
This is generally vector cutting. I haven't actually rastered on them yet. I have had two successful cuts, but the cut sides would rub off black char, which I think is due to the glue.
I read online that some people put masking tape on the top of the materials to decrease the flame ups, so I will try that. I already have air assist and have a fume extractor.
I might be using the settings wrong as I heard that too high power/low speed/high freq could cause charring as well, so I have no idea what settings I should use, as I've tried a variety now, and they each seem to come out differently than the last.
I also already cleaned the mirror and lens even though they weren't that dusty since I've only been using my cutter for just over a week.
If anyone could give me suggestions on what I should do or expect, I'd really appreciate it.
Thank you so much,
Caroline Evans
I'm extremely new to laser cutting. I just received an Epilog 24x12 40W laser just under two weeks ago and I love it, and I'm exploring the materials, but I'm having trouble with a material I really want to use. I'm interested in making earrings from old wood samples (the ones you take for flooring or house reno) since I have many from my interior designer sister.
I know they come in different materials, like no-nos like vinyl, so I Google each one before I try cutting them, and I also contacted an Epilog Tech to confirm the materials. Most of the samples I have are HPL: High pressured laminate, and they're extremely thin, but I found they are ridiculously hard to cut, and leave bad chars on the side of the material if they are successfully cut. There would also be a ridiculously large laser tail (flame behind laser), which I'm extremely wary about, so I'm holding off using them for now.
I don't know if it's because of the wrong settings, bad glue, bad material, etc. But I would really love to use them since they come colored and give me more options for my earring designs.
This is generally vector cutting. I haven't actually rastered on them yet. I have had two successful cuts, but the cut sides would rub off black char, which I think is due to the glue.
I read online that some people put masking tape on the top of the materials to decrease the flame ups, so I will try that. I already have air assist and have a fume extractor.
I might be using the settings wrong as I heard that too high power/low speed/high freq could cause charring as well, so I have no idea what settings I should use, as I've tried a variety now, and they each seem to come out differently than the last.
I also already cleaned the mirror and lens even though they weren't that dusty since I've only been using my cutter for just over a week.
If anyone could give me suggestions on what I should do or expect, I'd really appreciate it.
Thank you so much,
Caroline Evans