By way of an update on this project:-

The DRO struggled to display the tube current a low power settings and has been replaced by a retro moving coil panel meter straight out of the 1960's. A new scale was engraved with the laser and a suitable shunt fitted to calibrate the meter.

   

This is my first attempt with cutting acrylic. The red is 2mm and the clear is 6mm thick.

   

Tweakie.

Very nice Tweakie!

6mm acrylic, now that's something! Could you take a better photo to show the cut edge? Just curious what kind of finish does it leave. Does it cut 90 degrees, or does it have a draft angle like with plasma?

Interesting photo, BTW, looks like a photo of a moving object with that blurred background.

Dan

Hi Dan,

Yes it does have a draft angle because the beam converges from the lens to the exact focal point whereupon it diverges again. I am currently looking at ways to improve this situation either by using a lens with a greater useful focal length or multi-pass cutting at reduced power with Z movement resetting the focal distance on each pass.

The edge finish is not perfect with some vertical styrations similar to a bandsaw cut but at least it is polished and so looks acceptable - I need more practice and experience here !.

The picture was taken with flash and the acrylic is on a sheet of brushed alluminium - Quite a nice effect I thought !.

I will post some more pictures when the camera battery has been recharged.

Tweakie.

Hi Tweakie,

A friend recently bought a plasma table which was claimed to cut 30mm steel with no draft angle at all. Don't know how it's achieved there and haven't seen the machine yet.

You might be better using a lens with a longer focal length and further away from the workpiece, so that the beam travels more distance to the workpiece surface. May be that's what you meant...(?) But then you already have your design constraints. Also, can you play with the point where the beam is focused? Do you focus it on the surface of the material? Can you focus it in the middle of the material thickness?

The picture does have a nice effect indeed

Dan

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the suggestions / ideas - anything and everything is appreciated. I have just so much learning to do here.

Tweakie.

Wow wow wow! Nice looking stuff, my friend!

Love the old meter, nice touch 

Dave

I had boiled eggs for breakfast this morning and while I was dunkin my soldiers I thought " I wonder if..... ".
The answer is yes you can. 

Tweakie.

Cool Tweak.
How fitting.....is that a roadrunner egg ?
NEAT !

I think I ate the roadrunner bit, that just left Wile. 

Tweakie.

Hehe...that's funny. Your brain sure works in mysterious ways. I wonder if you burned around the circumference, would it crack perfectly. There's a million dollar invention for ya....perfect crackin' eggs.