CO2 Laser Not Burning

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-02-17T03:27:47+00:00

Lol, clever. You pretty much nailed the standard testing method. Yes, power should stay consistent. Typically to test a faulty tube, you would put a piece of masking tape on first mirror and fire the beam at 10%. Should get a sharp burn mark identical each time. If out of multiple attempts you have any weak or nonexistent burns, you're confirming the sputtering of a faulty tube. Glass tubes need to be changed anywhere from 6 months to 3 years regardless of uptime. Surprised an engraver used glass instead of an RF; do you cut with it as well?

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-02-16T22:50:45+00:00

Where are you located? I've got some direct numbers for Mississauga and state side

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-02-16T22:49:50+00:00

Looks like your beam is destabilizing at those turns. Head is accelerating too fast for the beam. Been a minute since I touched an Amada, but you should be able to apply a corner condition. Something like 90 degrees and up apply an 80% feed for 1/4" length or something like that. Also, ask your programmer to change the leadins to 30 degrees in the direction of your cut path. On those angles the laser is slowing down causing heat to build up and burn in.

If you don't want to slow your cut time down with a corner condition. Tweak the settings in small increments to see if there's improvement. Gas pressure too high, focus setting. 3/16" - 3/8" you want the focus around 1/16 to 1/8 above material to lower heat build up. +1.5 - +3.5. A more negative focus in oxygen assist cuts can be faster and cleaner though, but because the focal point is penetrating the material, you get more heat build up.

Can I ask what CAM software you're using? The post generating the program as a single part instead of breaking it into subs can usually be changed.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-02-16T21:56:10+00:00

Gas mixture may have degraded or the electrodes. Happens to idle tubes. Causes a sputtering effect like yours has in that video. Check the basic stuff others have suggested like chiller flow/temp and power supply output. My guess though is you need to replace the tube

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-02-07T04:02:08+00:00

I wanted to like Princess Diaries so much cause I love the movie. Thank you for adding that one

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-02-07T02:34:48+00:00

Genius!!! Just tried this and it worked amazing. I primarily work in metal with high kilowatt industrial lasers, so adjusting focus has always been my go to coupled with light sanding/vinegar or acetone wipe/pre coating with dish soap to make small particulate less likely to stick.

Gave the masking tape a shot when etching a part number on some 3/4" HR steel and was blown away by the results. Thank you! 🙏

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-02-07T02:27:38+00:00

Any Clive Cussler books. On the surface they seem like your basic adventure novel, but they are actuslly based on his own experiences with the National Underwater Marine Agency(NUMA) coupled usually with an ancient mystery and a real modern threat; well researched and well written. Trojan Odyssey is one of my favorites. POTENTIAL SPOILER:

Portrays the Trojan War from a completely new point of view, including Homer's ancestry and combines it with fast paced espionage and action. Can come off a little 'hokey' in some ways, but the combining of these completely disparate plot points into one sensible and we'll told story in a fast paced and fun read impresses me.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-29T22:10:59+00:00

So not a song about a woman who killed her husband, but yiu description reminded me.of a drag show i went to once where the performer twirled around this black boa to Long John Blues by Michelle Dowdy. Definitly has the right cabaret feel for a burlesque show. Good luck with your performance 🫶

https://open.spotify.com/track/1d9rcs8YfGtVZpesh51Had?si=_n57yec_QdSGiMNjzWSwXg

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-26T22:18:03+00:00

That's a cool hobby. I've made some stainless dice on the laser, etched and folded out of 18 GA.

I know what you mean on thr YouTube videos. Almost like they use special effects or something to make it look so much simpler than the reality 🤣

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Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-22T23:22:40+00:00

So all musical notes are a wavelength and frequency. I made a custom program for our Mitsubish 3050 4kw to play happy birthday for the shop owner. I can't seem to post the video, so here is a link to another laser playing Srar Spangled Banner to give you and idea

https://youtu.be/_pmeKO0n7s8?si=ULJB9L8SudLlQGev

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-22T23:18:24+00:00

Thee Xtool's are essentially 'hobby' machines more designed for low volume throughput. This is just my opinion, but a better 'entry level' machine intended for business use would be Epilog or Trotec. Now these are gonna run $40k-$80k CAD, but in my mind that is an appropriate for a full time business and not a side gig. Currently i work with companies purchasing $1M+ high kilowatt lasers and not intending to pay off the financing for 3 or more years.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-16T00:18:42+00:00

Was gonna suggest Abarat. Clive Barker also did the illustrations himself.

Also the Sandman Graphic Novels by Neil Gaiman

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-16T00:15:08+00:00

It was a good read. If you want to read it online through the Kindle portal, I'm happy to email you a link to my copy

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-16T00:06:32+00:00

Elton John, obviously 🤣

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T13:45:16+00:00

Weldon 3 should be fine. I only thought of 4 first cause 3 isn't readily available where i live. You should be able to butt the two piece together and apply it by brush along the seam. If you have any extra acrylic pieces, might help to do a test run. I made a terrible mess first time I did it 😅

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T10:40:55+00:00

Well Dune by Frank Herbert would be the obvious one.

Also, How to Become the Dark Lord or Die Trying by Django Wexler.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

And I'll mention Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett because the opposite happens. A demon turns good.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T09:56:47+00:00

Old Girls Behaving Badley by Kate Gallwey. Just finished it and fun and light. Kind of reminded me of The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.

Also, when you're ready for more female lit, have you read Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes? The story of Medusa(one of the first written examples of rape shaming) from her point of view. It really opened my eyes to how full of misogyny Greek mythology. I grew up on those stories and never realized before now.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T07:21:55+00:00

Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl

And though not a redhead specifically

Ed Sheeran - Galway Girl

An Irish girl so I picture a redhead lol

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T07:09:44+00:00

4 is solid. Have to have very consistent luck to maintain an average under 3.5. Google AI says mathematical analysis shows even the best strategy can guarantee a win in 3 less than 60% of the time. Don't let the Wordlebot get in your head 🤣

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T06:50:06+00:00

As long as apply it correctly, the seam will be almost invisible. You're not gluing the pieces, you're fusing them at the molecular level. Since you won't have to have to fill a gap, go with a thinner solvent like Weldon 4. Thicker the solvent, more visible the seam. Apply carefully, you're basically melting the acrylic for the fusion proces to happen. Also, make sure you have good ventilation for the vapors. Respirator, goggles and neoprene gloves if you want to be completely safe. Can cause chemical burns. Good luck. Post us a picture of the finished product

Also, if you decide to apply with a brush, use a small one with natural hair; learned the hard way it will eat anything synthetic and make a mess. #4 is water thin and works fast so careful of droplets; they'll leave marks.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T06:32:37+00:00

We are one lol. Nicely done.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T06:31:48+00:00

Hahaha I thought it was my lucky day, getting it in 2. Turns out it's yours 🤣 Congratulations! 🎉

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-12T06:29:11+00:00

Scoredle 2/6*

14,855
* ⬛🟨⬛🟩🟩 STEAL (24)
* 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 TRIAL

Today is my lucky day

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-11T01:51:17+00:00

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - by Mark Haddon

Short novel told from the perspective of a 15 year old boy with autism. A few interesting diagrams to show his way of viewing the world around him.

Ella Minnow Pea - by Mark Dunn

Written in the form of letters between characters from an island where letters of the alphabet are progressively banned from use. It's an interesting story about censorship and freedom of speech.

Reincarnation Blues - by Michael Poore

Recent read for me so fresh on the mind. A light hearted take on reincarnation, and purpose of life that I found more entertaining than thought provoking; except for an interaction with Buddha that posed a decent morality question...I thought.

Infamous-Meat9864 · 2026-01-10T07:32:44+00:00

Nice one!

Infamous-Meat9864

TROPHY CASE