Returning yet again to the Mach Impact / Laser plugin - I have now managed to add a little more information to the PDF document on it’s use.
If anyone has any suggestions, corrections or information they would like to see added please PM or e-mail me and I will add it to the document.

The revised PDF can be found here;   http://tweakie.byethost10.com/Engraving.zip

Tweakie.

Thanks Tweak! Your certainly an asset around here.

Thanks for the kind words Sam.

Unfortunately there are only about 5 or 6 of us (that I am aware of) that currently use this plugin with a laser as those before me, who could not get it to work, have now taken other routes.
Our minority Mach group desperately needs new members.

Even Art has purchased a laser machine that uses the HPGL printer link rather than GCode and Mach so I doubt he will ever get to use his own plugin 

Tweakie.

Hey there Tweakie -

I've actually been using the plugin since completing my own laser a week or so ago - and I have to say, thank you very much for the changes that you made.  They work great.

In general, I've found the plugin to work great.  Took a couple of passes to figure it out, but it's simple, and does the trick. 

My only problem with it is more a problem with my own laser and it's design.  I'm using a pot to control the 0-5 volt signal to my laser power supply, and unfortunately I don't have a display showing me the current voltage that I'm sending, which makes repeating my past successes challenging.  When I get it right though, it's pretty amazing.

The only bummer is, I will also probably end up using a third party control card, such as the RetinaEngrave or something similar.  I would like to combine some vector and raster work into single pieces with varying power levels, and while I can get it working using a couple of different steps in Mach3, it's just not to the level of simplicity and replication that I need in a hobby laser.  Well, the combination of the two, at least.  The actual vector and raster operations individually are a snap.

I will continue to use this plugin for small runs that I have, it works great.  And I like that it doesn't require any other external software.  It's really pretty cool!

Thanks again for keeping this going!

Hi naPS,

Thanks for the feedback (there is now 6 or 7 of us using the plugin  ).

If you do decide to go for something like the FSE option please report back on your results (even though it will not be Mach driven).

Of all the laser stuff I have completed so far there has only been one job where I have combined two different power levels http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12444.0;attach=25183;image so I have not really given a power changing option serious thought. Something more to add to my 'to do' list I think and thank you for the suggestions.

Tweakie.

 hey tweakie  
  very impressive
 i have a friend who going to bye  a lazer cnc . he was tellling me about cutting plastic  and if  the gases get on the lens of the lazer .   
 
    mikee

Hi Mikee,

My lens is made from Zinc Selenide and is AR coated on both sides - cleaning it is a delicate process which I really don't want to have to do very often so I use a 'co-axial, air assist' at all times and I have adjustable pressure / volume settings that I can select for different jobs. Because the lens assembly is always above ambient pressure during use it keeps the smoke out.  
You can see the nozzle and just see the air supply line in this photo http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12444.0;attach=21034;image

Tweakie.

Hi Tweakie

You think that your new modified pulgin is able to drive my systems?

Andrea

Hi Andrea,

Yes indeed it will Sir and it can be downloaded from here;  http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12444.msg127947.html#msg127947

Tweakie.

 hey tweakie
if it ok with you i was going to tell my friend about you. is going to buy a lazer cnc  his name is owen at one time he was a mill wright. i dont think he will be needing alot of help like me. i lack a formal education. and to make thing worst i was very sick and in a coma for 6 weeks last  OCT-NOV there is a lot of things i cannot remember . this is a struggle to me. and i have no hope of making anything . without ppl like you helping me .  i am most llikely, the least educated person in here.  i just like to say thank you. 
Ps my wife was educated in kent  ok back to work i go
mikee
not much land dam few cattle co