• PCB laser cutting

    From Don Y@21:1/5 to All on Tue Apr 16 21:16:27 2024
    I've been offered a small, 40W laser cutter and wonder if I
    want to make space to store it -- as I suspect I don't have
    many uses for it!

    One that came to mind would be cutting odd-shaped PCBs.

    But, I didn't think CO2 lasers were good with FR4, etc.

    (Or, could I opt for a different board material to
    exploit the laser's abilities?)

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Don Y@21:1/5 to Don Y on Tue Apr 16 22:15:14 2024
    On 4/16/2024 9:16 PM, Don Y wrote:
    I've been offered a small, 40W laser cutter and wonder if I
    want to make space to store it -- as I suspect I don't have
    many uses for it!

    One that came to mind would be cutting odd-shaped PCBs.

    But, I didn't think CO2 lasers were good with FR4, etc.

    (Or, could I opt for a different board material to
    exploit the laser's abilities?)

    No, what the hell am I thinking???! :< I'm trying to
    GET RID OF kit; why would I entertain bringing yet another
    bit into the house???????

    Sheesh!

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John Larkin@21:1/5 to blockedofcourse@foo.invalid on Wed Apr 17 08:09:30 2024
    On Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:16:27 -0700, Don Y
    <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

    I've been offered a small, 40W laser cutter and wonder if I
    want to make space to store it -- as I suspect I don't have
    many uses for it!

    One that came to mind would be cutting odd-shaped PCBs.

    But, I didn't think CO2 lasers were good with FR4, etc.

    (Or, could I opt for a different board material to
    exploit the laser's abilities?)

    We buy blue anodized boxes and use a Boss laser to blast the artwork.

    https://www.highlandtechnology.com/Product/J744

    That saves a ton of hassle with labels and silkscreening.

    I tried using it to cut patterns into copperclad FR4, instead of
    dremeling. It didn't cut copper very well and burned the FR4. Maybe
    some fast pulsed laser would work better.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Joe Gwinn@21:1/5 to jjSNIPlarkin@highNONOlandtechnology on Wed Apr 17 14:13:47 2024
    On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 08:09:30 -0700, John Larkin <jjSNIPlarkin@highNONOlandtechnology.com> wrote:

    On Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:16:27 -0700, Don Y
    <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

    I've been offered a small, 40W laser cutter and wonder if I
    want to make space to store it -- as I suspect I don't have
    many uses for it!

    One that came to mind would be cutting odd-shaped PCBs.

    But, I didn't think CO2 lasers were good with FR4, etc.

    (Or, could I opt for a different board material to
    exploit the laser's abilities?)

    We buy blue anodized boxes and use a Boss laser to blast the artwork.

    <https://www.highlandtechnology.com/Product/J744>

    That saves a ton of hassle with labels and silkscreening.

    I tried using it to cut patterns into copperclad FR4, instead of
    dremeling. It didn't cut copper very well and burned the FR4. Maybe
    some fast pulsed laser would work better.

    Is this the CO2 laser or the fiber laser?

    Joe Gwinn

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From John Larkin@21:1/5 to All on Wed Apr 17 12:23:47 2024
    On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:13:47 -0400, Joe Gwinn <joegwinn@comcast.net>
    wrote:

    On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 08:09:30 -0700, John Larkin ><jjSNIPlarkin@highNONOlandtechnology.com> wrote:

    On Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:16:27 -0700, Don Y
    <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

    I've been offered a small, 40W laser cutter and wonder if I
    want to make space to store it -- as I suspect I don't have
    many uses for it!

    One that came to mind would be cutting odd-shaped PCBs.

    But, I didn't think CO2 lasers were good with FR4, etc.

    (Or, could I opt for a different board material to
    exploit the laser's abilities?)

    We buy blue anodized boxes and use a Boss laser to blast the artwork.

    <https://www.highlandtechnology.com/Product/J744>

    That saves a ton of hassle with labels and silkscreening.

    I tried using it to cut patterns into copperclad FR4, instead of
    dremeling. It didn't cut copper very well and burned the FR4. Maybe
    some fast pulsed laser would work better.

    Is this the CO2 laser or the fiber laser?

    Joe Gwinn

    This one is fiber.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/zxnwvk8w7pus7sr/Boss_1.jpg?dl=0

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/70py68edtigk8jf/J270%20Boss%20Laser%20Inside%20Box.mp4?dl=0

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Joe Gwinn@21:1/5 to jjSNIPlarkin@highNONOlandtechnology on Wed Apr 17 16:59:38 2024
    On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:23:47 -0700, John Larkin <jjSNIPlarkin@highNONOlandtechnology.com> wrote:

    On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:13:47 -0400, Joe Gwinn <joegwinn@comcast.net>
    wrote:

    On Wed, 17 Apr 2024 08:09:30 -0700, John Larkin >><jjSNIPlarkin@highNONOlandtechnology.com> wrote:

    On Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:16:27 -0700, Don Y
    <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

    I've been offered a small, 40W laser cutter and wonder if I
    want to make space to store it -- as I suspect I don't have
    many uses for it!

    One that came to mind would be cutting odd-shaped PCBs.

    But, I didn't think CO2 lasers were good with FR4, etc.

    (Or, could I opt for a different board material to
    exploit the laser's abilities?)

    We buy blue anodized boxes and use a Boss laser to blast the artwork.

    <https://www.highlandtechnology.com/Product/J744>

    That saves a ton of hassle with labels and silkscreening.

    I tried using it to cut patterns into copperclad FR4, instead of >>>dremeling. It didn't cut copper very well and burned the FR4. Maybe
    some fast pulsed laser would work better.

    Is this the CO2 laser or the fiber laser?

    Joe Gwinn

    This one is fiber.

    <https://www.dropbox.com/s/zxnwvk8w7pus7sr/Boss_1.jpg?dl=0>

    <https://www.dropbox.com/s/70py68edtigk8jf/J270%20Boss%20Laser%20Inside%20Box.mp4?dl=0>

    So its wavelength is one micron (CO2 is 10 microns).

    One micron is still infrared. Really need a green to UV pulsed laser
    to cut copper without burning FR4. But these lasers are hideously
    expensive.

    I have not researched it, but here is the German answer:

    .<https://www.trumpf.com/en_US/products/lasers/disk-lasers/>

    Joe Gwinn

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