Cutting 1mm sterling silver sheets.

[Jacob John]

So I didn't want this to be part of the other thread, and wanted this to be a separate discussion. What would be the recommended type of machine to accomplish cutting 1mm sterling silver sheets as efficiently as possible?

Would a high wattage gantry style fiber be the best?

[Michael Henriksen]

You need something like a 500W IPG og nLight source as a minimum. 700W would be better. Price from USD40,000 and upwards based on recent quotes I have received.

[Jacob John]

You need something like a 500W IPG og nLight source as a minimum. 700W would be better. Price from USD40,000 and upwards based on recent quotes I have received.

Could you link me to one like it? 500 is what I told the person asking, but I wasn't 100% sure. Are these the oxygen fed ones?

[Michael Henriksen]

I've been looking at the LF1390 from G. Weike.

http://www.gwklaser.com/fiberlaser/LF1390.html

The LF1325 open flatbed is about the same price with a IPG or nLight source. Several vendors have told me the Raycus source is not good with reflective materials like silver and brass. IIRC you use nitrogen with silver but as the mfg.

[Jacob John]

Nice. At what wattage do you end up jumping into nitrogen and oxygen fed machines?

[Jacob John]

I've been looking at the LF1390 from G. Weike.

http://www.gwklaser.com/fiberlaser/LF1390.html

The LF1325 open flatbed is about the same price with a IPG or nLight source. Several vendors have told me the Raycus source is not good with reflective materials like silver and brass. IIRC you use nitrogen with silver but as the mfg.

I forget, is G Weike strictly Chinese? That machine is awesome, but can we find a comparable Chinese with US support?

[Michael Henriksen]

Check if Boss import fiber lasers. All cutters use gas assist, oxygen for mild steel, nitrogen for stainless, brass etc.

[Jacob John]

Check if Boss import fiber lasers. All cutters use gas assist, oxygen for mild steel, nitrogen for stainless, brass etc.

Will do. The one that was recommended to her was a 150 watt. She's cutting 1mm silver sheets and I'm not quite sure that's enough.

[Jacob John]

Here's a BOSS version though it looks more industrial. She'd rather an enclosed that can go in a garage style setup.

https://www.bosslaser.com/boss-fc-6012.html

[Dave Sheldrake]

Here's a BOSS version though it looks more industrial. She'd rather an enclosed that can go in a garage style setup.

https://www.bosslaser.com/boss-fc-6012.html

thats an oxygen assisted CO2, if you want to cut silver reliably you need 750 - 1,000 watt fibres, 2,000 watts would be better.A 150 watt CO2 is going to make a real mess of silver and the machine doing it

[Jacob John]

thats an oxygen assisted CO2, if you want to cut silver reliably you need 750 - 1,000 watt fibres, 2,000 watts would be better.A 150 watt CO2 is going to make a real mess of silver and the machine doing it

Are you sure? They list it as a fiber flatbed available in 150 and 500 watt choices (BOSS FC 6012). Could you link a few that you would recommend? Does the fact that it's sterling silver matter? Sterling I know is silver/copper, so I'm not sure.

[Scott Shepherd]

Are you sure? They list it as a fiber flatbed available in 150 and 500 watt choices (BOSS FC 6012). Could you link a few that you would recommend?

Two things I know. 1) No one on this forum knows more about lasers than Dave. If he says it is dangerous, it’s dangerous. 2) I was part of a small group of people who had Boss lasers fiber laser shut down at a Vegas trade show. They were cutting stainless with a fiber laser, no guards, no eye protection for a laser running where people stood and watched machines run at a show. 1064nm fiber laser. Myself and two other manufacturers had to go to management of the show to have them shut down. When we politely asked them to stop before they damaged some innocent people’s eyes, they looked at us and said they had been given permission to run it.

If that’s the knowledge and behavior of someone selling fiber lasers for a living, I’d say you need to pick a more knowledable supplier. Just my personal opinion.

[Michael Henriksen]

I doubt 150W will cut anything other than mild steel.

Remember that if you want a machine with US support, the pricetag is likely to be double what you pay from the mfg. in China.

[Dave Sheldrake]

Oxygen on silver isn't going to end well. CO2 does NOT like silver, even at multi kilowatt ranges

[Jacob John]

To bump my own thread, I'm looking at this machine, but it comes with a hefty pricetag.

https://www.laserstar.net/products/l...utting-system/

Anyone know of something similar and less expensive? Gantry fiber, compact desktop if possible. They state using an air assist instead of oxygen/nitrogen is possible. I'm really not comfortable using oxygen considering Dave's comments.