Finally my own machine!

[Vasek Matyska]

Hey there folks!

I have been using my boss 30w laser engraver for half a year now and a week ago I finally got mine, hooray!
I would just like to describe differencies between those two machines (both are the same 30w raycus fiber lasers) and suppliers.
Both machines came from Chineese aliexpress, not sure if you american folks use that as much as we european folks. First machine from unknown supplier came well packed, price around 3000usd, but totally off and not aligned at all. EZCad had no setting right, focus lenght was set by aluminium bar between material and lens! Not smart at all! We spent few hours of chatting with producer, seeking informations and setting the laser by ourselves to make it work properly. Laser worked fine eventually, but it was a huge pain in the hole where it should not be painfull to make it do the job.
The second one, my own, is totaly different story. I looked for the laser at aliexpress aswell, but my guy was helpfull, patient, answered all my stupid questions. They did everything they promised. Price was 2500usd for the laser alone and it came well packed and with all settings done. I didnt have to set anything. The usb flash drive contained two different ezcad programms for two lenses (200x200 and 110x110) I got, so I didnt need to adjust the laser at all after changing the lens, just to open second ezcad. Foolproof manual with video and pictures how to turn the laser on for first time, how to measure focus lenght not to lens, but to the line on lens base... totally different story! Just unpacked and ready for the job, easy-peezy.
If some of you guys buy from aliexpress, I totally recommend Jin Zhi Yin Official Store even to fiber laser newbie. They are kind, helpful, patient and the machine works perfectly! As I said they did every single thing they promised - machine was perfectly packed and perfectly adjusted. They speak english pretty good.
Hope this will help someone who is thinking about getting a fiber laser and would like to join this laser community ;)

[Mark Daily]

So what do you plan to make with it? We want to see pics!

[Vasek Matyska]

Hey lads!
Seems I owe some pictures, let's see...

Aluminium belt buckle with two layers of cerakote
421651

Deep logo engraving into AR-15 upper
421652

Some colors on stainless steel cutlery
421653

Glock stippling with logo frosting
421654

Rubber wedding stamp
421655

Some easy acrylic spray paint art made with stencils laser-cut into hard paper
421656

Not sure what do you call this... punch press may be? The block is 8mm wide, aluminium and steel
421657

Anodized aluminium business cards with cutting
421658



What do you guys think? I am trying to use the potential of the laser every day, it seems to have huge amount of use. Mostly I am happy with results. Especially I like that cutting different layers of cerakote ;) I am sure some of you do that for living, anyone care to share their best (or not the best) work?



Have a nice one!

[Mike Null]

Vasek

It looks to me like you have mastered it. Thanks for the pictures.

[Kal Sobel]

Help me please!

I ordered a similar 30W laser on Amazon
Mine came with zero instructions. I figured "meh, l'm a mechanical engineer. I can figure it out". Let me tell you, I have *not* figured it out, and the curve between solving manufacturing issues on already set up lasers and setting up the laser myself is VERY steep. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FMS3H9T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So far my laser has been nothing but problems because of my lack of knowledge. Reaching out to the company, they simply told me to hire a laser technician to help me. I am a hobbyist....I don't even know where to find a laser technician!

Getting EZCad to connect at all was a struggle. I still can't figure out how to get it to do deep etching, and it only seems to do anything on black aluminum or black stainless when I am at 100% power and 20Khz freq. Any other color of aluminum (including bare aluminum) the laser won't even touch. Any lower than 75% power and I see a weak laser spot that doesn't etch anything. Any more than 2 passes and the laser seems to stop ablating. And the latest trial I ran showed that the 150x150mm lens starts to lose power in a very strange oblong pattern.

I come to you with my hat in my hands....please help me diagnose and fix this laser! I am humbled and will never again figure that my engineering degree will replace experience.

[Matt Schrum]

Help me please!

Might be worth starting a new thread.

Your link brought up a 20W, but it looks very similar to my 30W-- and I think half of these machines come from the same factories anyways. Is your laser in focus for the pieces you're working on? Don't forget, if your work is 1" thick, you need to move the focus up 1" to still be in focus on the surface of your work piece. Sidenote, if your laser is a 30W, you don't want to go below 30kHz. If it's a 20W, then don't go below 20kHz.

Deep etching and whatnot are playing with settings once you get comfortable with things-- but the first step is to get it working well and consistently. If you have a video or anything of what it looks like while engraving/trying to engrave, that may be useful for troubleshooting.

[Chris DeGerolamo]

Kal,

Start a new thread. Become a member for $6 and post pictures of your results. I think the group will assist you at that point.


Help me please!

I ordered a similar 30W laser on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FMS3H9T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

Mine came with zero instructions. I figured "meh, l'm a mechanical engineer. I can figure it out". Let me tell you, I have *not* figured it out, and the curve between solving manufacturing issues on already set up lasers and setting up the laser myself is VERY steep.

So far my laser has been nothing but problems because of my lack of knowledge. Reaching out to the company, they simply told me to hire a laser technician to help me. I am a hobbyist....I don't even know where to find a laser technician!

Getting EZCad to connect at all was a struggle. I still can't figure out how to get it to do deep etching, and it only seems to do anything on black aluminum or black stainless when I am at 100% power and 20Khz freq. Any other color of aluminum (including bare aluminum) the laser won't even touch. Any lower than 75% power and I see a weak laser spot that doesn't etch anything. Any more than 2 passes and the laser seems to stop ablating. And the latest trial I ran showed that the 150x150mm lens starts to lose power in a very strange oblong pattern.

I come to you with my hat in my hands....please help me diagnose and fix this laser! I am humbled and will never again figure that my engineering degree will replace experience.

[Vasek Matyska]

Hey Kal!
As Matt said, it sounds to me like the laser is unfocused. Do you know your focus lenght? Do you have some kind of measure thingy?



Sidenote, if your laser is a 30W, you don't want to go below 30kHz. If it's a 20W, then don't go below 20kHz.
Hey Matt!
Why is that? I use 20kHz setting sometimes and it works fine with my 30w laser.

[Mark Daily]

Hey lads!
Seems I owe some pictures, let's see...

Aluminium belt buckle with two layers of cerakote
421651

Deep logo engraving into AR-15 upper
421652

Some colors on stainless steel cutlery
421653

Glock stippling with logo frosting
421654

Rubber wedding stamp
421655

Some easy acrylic spray paint art made with stencils laser-cut into hard paper
421656

Not sure what do you call this... punch press may be? The block is 8mm wide, aluminium and steel
421657

Anodized aluminium business cards with cutting
421658



What do you guys think? I am trying to use the potential of the laser every day, it seems to have huge amount of use. Mostly I am happy with results. Especially I like that cutting different layers of cerakote ;) I am sure some of you do that for living, anyone care to share their best (or not the best) work?



Have a nice one!
Those look awesome- thanks for the pics!

[Chris DeGerolamo]

Why is that? I use 20kHz setting sometimes and it works fine with my 30w laser.

My (first) laser source operated below 30kHz also...all up until I dropped it to 1kHz cutting windows in Glock steel *poof*...had to replace the source, costly repair...did I cause the failure?? Maybe, maybe not....I now *never* run less than 30kHz. I also changed my power map that 100% is actually only 95%. I figure this way I stand little chance to burn it up.

[Matt Schrum]

Hey Matt!
Why is that? I use 20kHz setting sometimes and it works fine with my 30w laser.

Vasek,
My understanding is that the lower the frequency, the higher energy per pulse-- and once you get too much energy per pulse, you risk damaging internal components. 20kHz on a 20W and 30kHz on a 30W correspond with about 1 mJ of energy per pulse according to what I have read. Same as Chris D. above, I generally avoid running at 100% and pick 97% or thereabouts. It rarely makes a noticeable difference in my work, but I'm hoping it's a bit less stress on the machine components.

[Vasek Matyska]

Matt and Chris!
Thanks a lot for this! I did notice that higher frequency seems to have lower power, but I didnt put all the info together, didnt think about that this way... I will never use lower freq. than 30kHz as well as never use 100% power, thank you guys so much!