Hey Star Wars!!!

[Tyler Howell]

Hey You Light saber types.
I jumped into a post on the Laser side (when maybe I shouldn't have) and discovered I know nothing about your tools or process. Tried to do a quick catch up by searching your forum. Saw lots of product but nothing on toyls.Could you post some pix of your setup and tools for us not quite neander, flat landers. ,
I will not be seduced by the dark side, but as I end all my posts. "Knowledge is Power."
TX

[Keith Outten]

Tyler,

Forgive the mess but my shop office is always this way.

Epilog Legend Model 24 Laser Engraver with 35 watt power supply, air assist and rotary attachment.

<img src=http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=7714&stc=1>

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Tyler;
Here's some pics of my laser setup-not quite light saber size but pretty compact. Unit is about 4 ft x 2 ft and 3 ft high. Made by LaserPro (same as Pinnacle) and is a 60 watt unit- can cut through 1/2" in some woods ( but can't get through 1/16" ebony-tough stuff). Has a small airbrush compressor to direct a stream of air at the point of cutting and a exhaust blower to suck out the smoke-goes outside. Works just like a computer printer-image is setup in Corel Draw and "printed" to the laser. Can set power and speed depending on material.
Also works in the "vector" mode-follows a vector path for cutting out objects.
Some of my trial samples are shown on shelf behind the unit. I'm no Jedi master, but hope this enlightens you.
george

[Tyler Howell]

Wow Keith awesome. Some serious bid-ness going on there. Is there a Readers Digest version of the process some where??
I will not be seduced, I will not be seduced, I will...

[Tyler Howell]

Geo,
Mission accomplished. Thank you very much. Most informative.
May the force be with you.

[Gary Shoemake]

HI folks

This is a question for both George and Keith in your pics you have an inside installtion, how did you provide for your exhuast? I have a Pinnicle Mercury 12 watt system with the air assist and odor reduction unit this was sold as a complete system however I still get quite a bit of odor with acrylics and low odor rubber for stamps. I have this unit in a room in the house that used to be an office/den. My other half has a problem with the odors and I'm trying to work out a solution, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks Gary

[Chuck Burke]

Hi,
I will post my "shop" pics next week.
Recently I was at a "CorelDRAW" class. They were using epilog lasers. We met in a conference room at a hotel.
The epilog people had TWO filtration systems without "outside" venting. One was about $600.00 the other was over $2000.00. NO ODOR what so ever and both were relatively quiet.
I hope this helps.

Chuck

[Lynn Kull]

Hi Keith, Your wall hangings caught my eye. Especially the fish, can I ask what kind of material they are made of if you don't mind?

thanks Lynn

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Gary;
My unit is vented directly outside through a 4 inch aluminum dryer hose to a 1/3 hp blower mounted on a small platform outside directly behind the laser. The blower is enclosed in a small shed and wired to a switch inside. Because the path is short, I did'nt need a very powerful blower-had a 600 cfm unit on it with no vibration isolation and it sounded like a hurricane!
See pics below
George

[Keith Outten]

Gary,

My engraver is in my workshop on the second floor. I ran a 4" leg from my dust collection system with a valve through the ceiling of my workshop into the office above. I also tapped into my air compressor system in the shop for air service to my engraver. Basically there is no oder in my office from engraving or cutting, my dust collector does a great job of handling the exhaust. I should note that my dust collector dumps directly to the outside and I don't use bags, but I live in a rural area with a very large back yard.

Lynn,

The projects on the wall are made from acrylic and wood, these are for the most part the only materials that my engraver will cut. Acrylic is very inexpensive and doesn't require any finish so it is my choice for scroll saw types of projects. The fish has over 600 holes so it would be difficult to cut with a scroll saw and takes about 90 minutes to vector cut in my engraver. I can cut wood and acrylics up to about 5/16" thick in one pass with a 35 watt power supply.

Here is a picture of "Fishy" a pattern I purchased from Wildwood Designs. The dragon pattern that is on the wall I have had for years and I believe it is in the public domain, I would be glad to post the Corel File if anyone wants it.

[Gary Shoemake]

Thanks to both Keith and George, I'm going to try and move the air reduction unit outside and see how it works. If I can get rid of the odor that way I'll make a permanent setup. I'm assuming that the unit can be placed outside in a shelter, I'll check with my tech support..

Thanks again
Gary