Status of Lasercutter Machines

[Arthur]

Hi all,

As some of you may have heard, Derek confirmed today that the existing lasercutter is leaving at the end of August.

The new laser is being worked on, but needs the following (as I understand it):

- mirrors
- a power source
- a decision whether to go with a DPSS or a tube laser

If you want to see the new laser operational, don't worry if you don't have skills or parts you can offer. Apparently the biggest help at this stage is to be vocal and apply social pressure :)

Alternatively, if there's anything anyone can do to take some pressure off the laser build team, please let us know here.

Cheers,
Arthur

[Eric Davies]

How long do solid state lasers last?

do they come in the right frequency to cut wood and plastic?

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Eric Davies

250 595-0639

[Derek Jacoby]

About 10000 hours. Yes, same frequencies are available. Several times the initial cost, though.

[Jarren Butterworth]

Which works out best in the long run, and how long is the long-run for solid state to pay for its self?

[Jarren Butterworth]

PS

What's the actual final date for the laser cutter?

[Derek Jacoby]

Not sure. Depends on when Thomas makes it back down.

[Derek Jacoby]

BTW, due to engineering and supplier uncertainty on the solid state laser we've decided to go with another tube laser. Parts are on the way...

[Eric Davies]

My optics background is a little on the weak site (a few weeks in junior high over 30 years ago), but how difficult would it to be to fashion (or buy) a lens that would allow us to have a ring of carefully aimed diode lasers that essentially merged their beams into one? Is it even possible, or just a something that appears in sci-fi movies?

I ask this out of general curiosity, since it's no longer relevant given the the order of a tube laser.

[Nic Hume]

I suspect the level of precision required to outright fabricate a lens of any kind would be well beyond the capabilities of the Makerspace... Though I could be wrong (and would welcome someone telling me I am) ...

We'd need access to materials (likely glass, though there may be synthetic options?) of incredibly precise density and optical properties, and we'd need the ability to grind those materials into shapes with micron, or sub-micron levels of precision ...  We'd also need someone with enough knowledge to figure out if a single lens, or a complex lens-array, would be required to focus the beam in a useful manner... I suspect an array would be required, but I'm not sure... 

Having said that, there may well be commercial enterprises that would custom-fabricate lenses to order... 

Nic Hume
[C] 250.661.0822
[E] Nic....@gmail.com

[Thomas Gray]

Last Friday, FYI.  If anybody is looking for the laser, it's in Powell River.

-Thomas

[Jarren Butterworth]

I was just about to email you asking the exact date, thanks for letting us know.  Hope it keeps lasering nicely in powell river!

I heard that we might be able to arrange temporary laser access somewhere else, are there any other options in the mean time?

[Derek Jacoby]

Not really. If it stretches into months I'll probably batch jobs up and take them over to Vancouver now and then, but while it still looks hopeful to have the new laser up within a month or so it's probably not worth the trouble...

[Jarren Butterworth]

Sounds reasonable, gives me some time to actually draw stuff!  I'm excited to see the new laser take shape.