Skin Idea

Extrusions/Tubing/Hinges/Etc.

Skin Idea

Postby iamwill » Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:52 pm

I was thinking about using this for my skins. I have a CNC table, and it would be easy to cut. My question is; would it be safe to use in terms of the laser being able to pierce through? I don't think it would be an issue because it is solid black with 0% opaque. But, my eyes are too precious to not ask the question before doing! =) Thanks for the help.

Will
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Re: Skin Idea

Postby cvoinescu » Wed Dec 02, 2015 11:36 am

My only concern with that would be that if something bad happened and the laser beam hit the skin full on (for example, if a mirror holder fell off), it would burn through in seconds then set something on fire across the room. Aluminium composite mills nearly as well, and it's much better from this point of view.
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Re: Skin Idea

Postby Techgraphix » Wed Dec 02, 2015 10:18 pm

And aluminum won't crack so fast.. An acrylicsheet is soooo fragile..
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Re: Skin Idea

Postby iamwill » Thu Dec 03, 2015 5:30 am

Thanks. I am glad I asked. I didn't think the unfocused laser would still have the same amount of energy to catch something on fire right away, but both are valid points; i don't want to burn the house down and I don't want to have to replace anything because it breaks. I just looked up a sign shop that is right around the corner and they have something similar to dibond that they can cut the skins out with. Not sure if I am just going to buy the material and cut it myself or if I will just have them cut it for me. I really appreciate the feedback.

Will
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Re: Skin Idea

Postby Halfdead » Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:30 pm

cvoinescu wrote:My only concern with that would be that if something bad happened and the laser beam hit the skin full on (for example, if a mirror holder fell off), it would burn through in seconds then set something on fire across the room. Aluminium composite mills nearly as well, and it's much better from this point of view.



Has anyone tested the composite material in this manner?
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Re: Skin Idea

Postby Techgraphix » Fri Dec 04, 2015 4:34 pm

A low power CO2 10600nm laser simply won't do anything to Aluminum..
Seen from the many many Buildlog lasers, many many people have tested it..
How many mirrors do fall off? never heard of it and even if one does, the construction needs a serious make-over and the window in the cap can be a serious problem too..
My biggest concern with the acrylic sheets is that they break quite easy, even the cast type.. If you want to have a transparent box, try polycarbonate (lexan) instead.. although this will scratch easily... but it can stand a big sledge-hammer 8-)

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Re: Skin Idea

Postby cvoinescu » Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:03 pm

I'm not saying a mirror falling off is likely. It's just an example of failure that could get the beam to hit the enclosure. More likely, a tube support could break and the tube could shift and miss the first mirror entirely. Or screws could work loose, or you could accidentally bump a mirror holder and shift it slightly, causing the beam to miss the next mirror. I'm not saying these are likely failures either, but it's best to make them harder to turn into disasters in the first place. Even unfocused, the spot is only a few millimeters across, so it will melt plastic. (By the way, this is less of a problem with the beam after it goes through the focusing lens: past the focus, it spreads over a larger area.)
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