Air assist - Beginners guide for how to improve your laser results

In this episode I explain the basics of air assist and the various options you have. I also do a series of tests so show some of the differences between them.
Intro 00:00
Basics 01:02
Air assist options 03:20
Tests and results 07:25
Conclusion 18:32
Air assist pumps
www.foxalien.com/products/fox...
amzn.to/3mr3jle
amzn.to/3kaMjOT
Brass nozzle
www.foxalien.com/products/ult...
FoxAlien 20W laser
www.foxalien.com/products/fox...
Sainsmart LE-1620 link: shrsl.com/34dl8
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/ jamesdeandesigns
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Some product links I use are affiliate links. This means they do not cost you any more but I might make a small commission in return which helps towards making these videos.

[@tedspens]

I just wanted to know how to attach air to my laser module. Now I feel like an expert on air assist. Thank you for this excellent overview. I ordered the smaller pump. Happy lasering!

[@JacquesMattelaer]

Superb video!!! Perfect in any way! Systematic, methodological, explanatory, combined with a broad introduction, testing and conclusion... THANKS!!!

[@richardsandford1607]

Great episode!! This has helped me greatly on deciding which air pump to start looking at!! Thank you!!

[@gilbertboyer9936]

What an awesome presentation. Instructive, precise and to the point. Wow, I wish all videos could be as excellent as yours. You have answered all my questions. Well done.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@laserwizard1982]

James! This was an amazingly informative video! Thank you so much for the reference and shoutout! Air assist is absolutely critical for good success with laser cutting and engraving.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

No problem. I gave you a shout out as well when I did the video for the 20w laser. Hopefully it all helps 👍

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

@Adam Fillius, this is the guy who makes them.

[@paulhernke7383]

James, thanks for the excellent video!

[@timrit3817]

Excellent presentation, very informative!!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

🙏 thank you

[@michelelynn531]

Thank you, very informative!!

[@francoisaissa5453]

bravo pour cette brillante démonstration merci

[@ComgrowOfficial]

Love your video!!! Great video

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you 👍

[@JZ386Mr]

Thanks for your insight to the air assist.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

glad it helped

[@debcovington617]

Great research. thank you

[@jamesboyette2347]

This may sound weird at first, but hear me out - - when cutting steel with an oxy/acetyline cutting torch, the flame only preheats the steel then when the lever is depressed, a stream of pure oxygen actually burns the steel to make the cut. Of course, if the stream of oxygen is too strong or moved too fast, then preheat is lost and the cutting stops. Now, understanding this concept, I think that part of what the air assist does is to supply extra oxygen to increase the cutting (burning) action of the laser. This would account for why too much does not work, it is blowing away the preheat (laser fire) and slows down the cutting (burning) - - would be interesting to attempt to prove this by using a cylinder of pure oxygen to assist - - caution would be that it might actually help to catch the wood on fire and cause a flame up. Just my random thoughts from being around steel working for 50 years - - - Great videos - - gives me a lot to think about - - and helps me to understand the machines -- THANK YOU

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Perfectly logical and having used those torches in the past I can see where you are coming from. I'm not entirely sure the same applies here as there is no real combustion but would be an interesting experiment...

[@superglue46]

I suspect it has more to do with cooling than it does with oxygen supply, but now that you say that I'm not quite as sure as I was. Burning wood simply smolders and smokes when it doesn't have a supply of fresh air, and certainly burns clean and hot when it has a lot of fresh air, or pure oxygen. The edges are very clean on high pressure setup, and very dirty on the no air assist. Is it dirty because of collateral burning, or is it actually just stained from the smoldering oxygen-deprived flame front? Gosh dang it, now you've got my curiosity gland tingling.

[@MrMixosnow]

Amazing test... Good job dude, you rules 😉😜👍

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@justcheckinm8]

I added air assist to mine, and used a refrigerator compressor for the supply. Because it is enclosed in a sealed unit, sits on 4 springs, and (basically) swims in its own oil supply, it is powerful yet very, very quiet. I'm also using a Flexible Water Oil Coolant Pipe (one of those segmented adjustable spray nozzle you see on lathes, etc) to direct the airflow right where I need it. Works a treat!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

sounds ideal. Nice one

[@stephenmassam6584]

Well.. That confirms what I was thinking👍 I haven't got my laser yet, but have used refrigerator compressors/vacume pumps for various things in the past and was wondering if they do the trick. I also have, and was thinking of using a large compressor, but it would seem that's not the way to go.

[@martykamin]

James, thanks so much for your excellent presentation. I'm using a pump similar to the AuquMiricle suggested in your notes. This type of pump puts out some pretty intense vibration. I suspect that it should be mounted in a way that the vibration does not transmit to the laser engraver to avoid engraving quality degradation. I'm interested in using my compressor to supply the air assist (my compressor is remote so I have no noise), and I suspect that the other commenters are right that the issue isn't just pressure, but also flow rate because of the cooling effect of high flow. I'd be really interested if you would continue your tests of compressor air assist at various pressures.

[@kevindavis1219]

Nice informative video. Trying to figure out air assist for my Atomstack and this helps me out a bunch. Was going to use my air compressor I have at home with about 10-20psi and see how it does. Thank you!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad it helped!

[@ironwhy]

Thank you this is very precious information but could you tell me how I could transfer those PSI values into l/min?

[@realone8602]

EXCELLENT VIDEO ; THANKS A LOT

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad it helped

[@luke752010]

Outstanding video 🙂 it would be very interesting if you gave a tutorial on how to mount the air assist on TwoTrees TS3.

[@zina6581]

Thank you!!!

[@rjlevitt45]

James, with the higher pressure compressor have you tried reducing the flow of the air. To me it will be the higher air flow that is cooling the laser contact point down which is preventing the laser from doing its job. It might be worth restricting the air flow and seeing if that makes a difference.

[@cybyrd9615]

That is only a problem with metal

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

James, the laser is vaporizing the wood. High pressure counteracts the vaporization. I have found in all of my tests that a psi of 10-12 is the optimum setting for cutting, for a 6mm OD (5.85 ID) supply hose. At one time, before I did any testing, I was using a 4mm print nozzle on the end of the hose. I found that using just the open end of the hose worked best. I now use a 6mm copper tube. For engraving, I found 6-8 psi to be optimal. Great video by the way! I like how the workshop has progressed!

[@ironwhy]

Thank you this is very precious information but could you tell me how I could transfer those PSI values into l/min?

[@AlteredEagle]

I purchased a air assist for the Atomstack A5pro. I am fairly new to lasers. I know that the "level" of air will make a difference and most of this will be trial & error but; What affect will the level do for say cutting or engraving? Example: Do I crank the air all the way up on the pump for cutting? Or is there a fine line where it will actually reduce the performance? And should I use air assist on low for engraving? Thinking it would help with smoke interference and clean some soot off as it goes?

[@Will-yb3vv]

Huh, I never thought about the smoke being an obstacle or building up on the lens. Thanks!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad its helped 👍

[@daltonnewcombe4144]

Hi James, Excellent video... I agree with John that moisture in the air flow is a likely cause. Another quick experiment would be to measure with a thermocouple the temperature at the laser spot position (with no laser running) for the 4 airflow modes. I suspect the expansion of the air as it leaves the nozzle will result in significant refrigeration effects

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

That sounds really scientific like myth busters! I just need to find the time to test it :)

[@barrybaker5135]

i have a fish tank pump kicking about the house so will give it a try later thanks for that very helpfull

[@MrXasyx]

Świetny test, dziekuje. Przepływ powietrza pod głowicą ma za zadanie usunąć produkty spalania materiału, tak by laser nie musiał przebijać się przez mgłę dymu. Skutkiem ubocznym jest chłodzenie materiału, który przecież musi osiągnąć odpowiednią temperaturę by zacząć sublimować. Dlatego powinno nas interesować nie ciśnienie, a wydajność w litrach / minutę. Jeśli przepływ powietrza jest zbyt duży , chłodzi materiał szybciej niż laser go podgrzewa. Podłącz kompresor przemysłowy z dużą wydajnością, a na dyszy będziesz miał szron ;)

[@ConsultingjoeOnline]

Thanks!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Welcome!

[@ironwhy]

Thank you so much for this video and the great explanations. 😀 Sadly the pump from "Foxalien" seems not to be available anymore... So I did some research and found a stronger but adjustable aquarium pump with a maximum airflow of 16l/min. (While the pump from "Foxalien" claims to do 8 to 10 l/min...) I am still not sure why so many people in this comment section seem to talk about PSI or BAR instead of airflow / percolation, which made it very confusing for me and also much harder for me to find a pump with the required features. But I hope I found the right product now, since I can absolutely understand that too much airflow could cool down the laser...

[@moodymysta]

hello mate would you be kind enough to link me to your pump ? Im sturggling to find what your talking about! 😂 Thanks Liam.

[@EricJanOud]

Thanks for this one, James! It came Just In Time as my new laser module came in yesterday, and I was just wondering what air assist option I would choose. I think the full power compressor blows too cold air (it expands from a tank, cooling it down, no matter at what pressure you set the outflow), thus effectively cooling down the laser contact point and reducing the laser's efficiency. I had not heard of the higher power air assist compresso r yet, so I thought of going the fish tank compressor route (nice and quiet). But now, I will investigate the slightly higher powered compressors as well. Thank you for your continuous efforts!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I think that's sounds right regarding the pressure 👍

[@lv_woodturner3899]

Yes, adiabatic expansion of the air. It looks like airflow is needed more than pressure. Think of letting air out of a bicycle tyre. It feels cool due to the adiabatic expansion. James mentioned his compressor regulator could not go lower than 40 psi. Perhaps if the regulator went to a lower pressure it may improve the performance by not cooling the material too much. Very informative and useful video. Dave.

[@andytaylor8802]

what modules did you buy and how much did it cost??

[@krisknowlton5935]

I 3D printed an air nozzle that works quite well. I have it hooked up to my air brush compressor. With no nozzle it would take 5 or 6 passes in 1.5mm hard maple to one pass with the air assist. It also goes from making a lot of smoke to almost none at all. I am running a Ortur LaserMaster 2Pro with the 5.4 watt output laser head. He mentioned the lens getting dirty on the laser. I have seen where guys have commented that their laser losses a lot of power after about 6 months. If you clean your lens it will probably double your power output. I know it did mine. I have run my laser about every day since I got it last June and it works as good as the first day I got it. I take that back, it works better because of the air assist nozzle I put on it.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

People often forget that point, the smoke will stick to anything including the lens and it needs to be cleaned.

[@InobuZ]

When you use high pressure you are changing the dynamics of what Air Assist does. Air Assist operates under Air Dispersion. "An air dispersion model is a set of mathematical equations that relates the release of air pollutants from emission sources to the corresponding concentration of pollutants in the ambient air." The "set of mathematical equation" is the amount of air used to displace the dirty air with clean air. When you increase the air pressure the dynamics changes to a cooling effect. The added air flow starts to take not only the pollutant but the heat as well. It's more so a heat exchanger. With that you are now reducing the ambient temperature in the focal area. (I slept at Holiday Inn Express)

[@johnthompson3605]

Great series of videos, the compressor ,as I found, delivers chilled air typically 3 to 6 degrees, but it's damp as well, I tried running a two stage air dried without change in performance, I think if damp air being delivered , it would stand to reason that having to dry the material in order to cut or engrave is going to sap laser performance drastically ?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thats very true. I didnt take moisture into consideration when doing my testing which would have a negative impact

[@wyatirp]

I think that an explanation for the higher pressure being less efficient would be cooling. At some point the air flow could be fast enough to cool the surface as the laser attempts to heat it, thus eliminating the advantage of removing the smoke. I think that even at a lower pressure a full size compressor will supply a higher air flow.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

That makes sense 👍

[@k05h1r0]

then, the best option is a really hot air assist on high pressures??

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

@@k05h1r0 didn't know there was such a thing but potentially that would help

[@HansFranke]

@@k05h1r0 Not really, as it would not only increase all over burn again, but as well still transport away heat (unless it's hot enough to burn the wood by its own :)) The air flow nozzle is all about removing dust. By focusing a high pressure 'beam' down the cut it removes dust from the area where the laser beam hits, reducing fading effects on the laser. On a side effect it adds cooling. At a certain point adding more pressure will not improve dust removal any further, as all is already removed as soon as it happens. Now it only adds to the secondary effect of cooling the material, making the laser _less_ efficient. If at all, a combination of two different air flow systems might be a solution. There are two effects at work. One is pressure (and comparably low air flow) for dust removal. The high pressure is a spot effect. It needs only to exist along the laser beam and down the cut. The other is heat transfer thru air flow (as in l/s). That is as more air flows per time over a given area, as higher the cooling in the affected area is. Air volume transports heat. This is BTW why the higher pressure of the big compressor gives lesser cutting: With a given nozzle, increasing pressure does not only increase dust removal, but as well increase air flow, thus cooling. Cooling exactly where we do not really want it: right where the laser hits (now, this could be countered by a stronger laser which then would enable almost burn free cutting - but these are _way_ outside our home budget :)) Bottom line: when using a nozzle, like shown, there is an optimal point where most dust gets removed fast enough to improve cutting, but at the same time pushes least amount of air over the surface to keep cooling at the lasers work spot to a minimum. An optimal combination might be a small (smaller than with the shown nozzle) focused, higher pressure air beam going just along the laser, going down the cut clearing the path, surrounded by a larger air flow but lower pressure mantle keeping the surface _outside_ the cutting zone cooled down, but not the work spot. Then again, nor sure if it's worth it, might be u to some trial.

[@tjmetony]

Is it possible the big full size compressor blows the cooler and moisture air that lower the temperature too much?

[@chrisward6204]

Hi James 👋 thanks for all the great video. I have the atom stak a5pro laser , can you buy an air assit kit for it? If so where from please. Keep up the good work

[@SenyaRusty]

Hi James! Very helpful video. I just recently attended to air assist on my cnc3018. I already have a compressor with a capacity of 70 l / min. I direct the air using a plastic tube tied to the module by zip. The result is already much better than without assist. Now I'm waiting for a new module for 20W (5.5W optical) and I plan to supply air through an air nozzle, such as in your video. I hope the result will please me and I will be able to cut 3 mm plywood in a couple of passes. By the way, I was surprised that the displacement along the Z axis with each pass does not bring the desired result. In practice, everything is not always as accurate as in theory.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

It really confused me as well. I suppose this is why we do tests 😁

[@peterbunker-ny6on]

I was thinking maybe it’s because every time you adjust the laser level, the woods has time to cool down, where when you just do 2 passes it does it all in sequence in which wood stays hotter and cuts better, so maybe that’s why it works better not to change the level of the laser.

[@mpcaz]

Fantastic Explanation! Did you 3d print your cable chain in the back and if so, is the design on Thingiverse? Which one did you use/

[@LecimyzKoksem]

Hey, great video, you think airpump to filling up air beds or pool toys would be any good ?

[@christophezloch2560]

Hi James For cuting where do you set the focus point . On the material, ? On the bottom of material or in the middle ?

[@SimonsSoul]

Great video!! Much appreciated!! Not sure, if its been said already. Could the air compressor have moisture in the tank and would that contribute to loss of power? I'm assuming that when the laser hits the small droplets of water it could disperses the laser beam? What do you all think?

[@MichaelProstka]

Makes sense, we do a lot of airbrush and hvlp work, and swear by moisture traps and filters on everything possible.

[@jackhelm9852]

Outstanding video. I am brand new to the hobby and found this very easy to understand. Quick question, I have seen many makers use those test files with the grids showing speed and power in a grid in their videos. Are they available publicly somewhere or are they homemade?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Here you go. You do need lightburn to do this but it is well worth the money. I could possibly try and export the gcode for you if you don't have lightburn kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoWZc5d_pN6hhac

[@jackhelm9852]

@@JamesDeanDesigns I purchased Lightburn when I saw how many folks in the hobby recommended it. Still learning it but this sort of test to run on different materials will help a lot

[@handengraving6182]

Hi James, Thank you very much for all the Great and Useful Videos you have provided us all with. Fantastic Job. Could you please let me know where I could find a Usable and Downloadable, Power and Speed Test Grid for LaserGRBL. Plus a Grey Scale. Thank You James, Kind Regards.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Hi, I dont know any sources as usually people do them in lightburn. I could possibly try and convert one for you.

[@handengraving6182]

@@JamesDeanDesigns That would be Fantastic if you could James. Thank you very much.

[@neilrisley6667]

Hi there...GR8 video 👍 Do you know if 140 Litres per minute would be too much for a desktop compressor? (Hailea ACO 009E) I'm leaning towards getting it for my Ortur LM2 Pro LU2-4 LF air nozzle. I'm thinking better to have more than less 🤔

[@edbilek8033]

Very informative video. I am curious why blowers (like on a 3D printer head) are not considered?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Good question! Only thing I can think of is they are possibly not strong enough

[@lancetalley1371]

When using air assist you are also adding oxygen to the burn, thereby increasing the burn rate.

[@aaronanthonymoat]

Thanks for the video, great information. I built an enclosure with an extract fan. I designed the case to suck air from the front door so the air flow goes over the piece where it is extracted at the rear of the case. I used a usb fan from the cheap shop and works great. I brought a ACO 208 pump from amazon for 30ish GBP which I will install for air asist. In regards to the nozzle, what size hole is recommended? is direct flow parallel to the laser beam better than one at an angle? I would suspect parallel is better but im am new to lasers. I dont want to machine a nozzle and waste time if both are just as good. Thanks

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

The design of my 3d printed one tends to blow the air out of one side so I need to try and improve that. If possible Im going to offset the inflow to one side to try and cause a cyclone flow through the nozzle.

[@robinthereviewer6019]

Hi James, love the videos and find them really useful as my son and I are beginners. I can’t find details on when and what to put under ply when laser cutting. In some videos there looks like a metal lattice but can’t tell in others. If cutting thin ply right through in several places (like a jigsaw) is it best to have a solid waste wood base? Thanks in advance. Robin

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

A really common and cheap option is a baking cooling rack. it just need to hold the material off the base and not have much in the way so anything wire frame based will help. Underneath that on the bed you can either just have wood, a piece of metal, essentially you just want something that is not going to burn too much

[@tslee8236]

My understanding is that wood will continue to burn for a short period after laser cut (burn) it. Air assist is meant to distinguish or minimise any secondary burn after the laser contact. However, too much air assist may reduce the perceived efficiency of the laser as the material do not continue to burn at all after initial energy absorption. So you get a cleaner but shallower cut/scorch. More passes or higher power will be needed to cut and if you engrave the image may appear fainter. I am not certain if too much air assist will reduce initial energy absorption (compare putting burnt skin under running tap water) but it will definitely dissipate any localised heat built up faster. The trick is to control the air flow of the air assist to stop too much secondary burn (reduce char) for an acceptable result without sacrificing too much efficiency if that is a concern.

[@gurindersaini7530]

Laser engraving maestro

[@criga5785]

Great video ! i have installed my air assist with my Atomstack laser machine : unfortunately the machine doesn't engrave anything now... maybe I have a too powerful tool :/

[@betobeto7903]

Great vedio! Thanks! Question, looking for a good quailty laser, a little on the higher end but trying to stay under $5K. What would you rocommend?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

at that price range you are talking about CO2 lasers probably but unfortunately I do not know enough about them to make a recommendation

[@yveslegrand9826]

A cheap "pump", and silent one, is a fridge compressor. It blows large amounts of air for "air-assist" and can go over 150 PSI...only down side is that it can spit some drops of oil. A small filter is a easy solution if you fear contamination of the lenses or on the product.

[@riaannel3053]

Hi James. Which wood did you use, and what thickness?

[@kc696969]

Thanks. Finally a gy who isn't trying to act for the camera. Just good information,

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you 👍

[@davidmochen]

Hi James, I am a newbie on all things CNC but making good progress thanks to your videos! Keep the great job, my friend. A question about laser air assist: From what I have seen on your video, it all goes down to having the smoke removed out of the laser's way, basically. In such respect, won't a vacuum pump (like the ones used for dust when milling) perform a similar function? Thanks!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Yes and no. Its the removal of smoke but also the cooling if the surface which stops the over burn. So yes a vacuum will certainly help but not as efficient as a pump (to my knowledge anyway)

[@davidmochen]

@@JamesDeanDesigns thanks a lot, you are truly an inspiration to me. Cheers from Argentina!

[@brittainadams5960]

This is very useful, it does seem that you like what you described as the "air assist pump" with the red on off switch, where did you buy that as I can not find it, unless it is something you made?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Hi, links are all the the description area below the video to the different products. This one was from FoxAlien

[@tevya017]

Could it be that high pressure lowers the burn temperature enough to effect the cut ?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I think that might be the case. It's cooling it too much

[@pethuds]

Hi James what would you suggest the minimum pressure be for air assist pump?

[@richardtester3985]

Great informative video. I've been trying to purchase the Foxalien Air Assist unit reviewed in the video but unable to find a supplier. Foxalien have no stock and apparently aren't able to supply european countries. Has anyone found a supplier of this item please?

[@davidbirck5916]

James, What type or colored acrylic provides eye protection for a laser? I’m considering building a screen vs glasses. Thanks. Really enjoy your videos

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Depends on the colour of your laser bean but general speaking clear amber orange acrylic is the best. What I would add is this will only offer so much protection so try not to stare at the laser

[@davidbirck5916]

@@JamesDeanDesigns Thanks James!

[@grimoirworkshop6623]

Was high pressure compressor equipped with moisture trap? It’s a must for a lot of applications, like airbrushing or running pneumatic tools. In my experience air compressor without moisture trap will make things not just moist, it will make them wet!

[@bobf3598]

Air assist is more beneficial if the stream of air is facing down into the kerf with the laser, not at the side like I have seen on many FB posts.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thats exactly what I say in this video, although any air assist is better than none

[@j.fabianmena9775]

I need a air assist nozzle for my TwoTrees Totem S 20W, any idea where to get one?

[@1-Nice-Guy]

Great video! You have a few links to the pumps, not sure which is the High Powered one that did the best. Is it the 35W Aquarium Air Pump - AquaMiracle Air Pump or one of the other ones?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

The one that did the best is the FoxAlien link, that's the dedicated air assist pump 👍

[@1-Nice-Guy]

@@JamesDeanDesigns thank you so much for getting back to me so fast!

[@Dancopymus]

Greetings James, Can you suggest a good Metal or Plastic Nozzle for the S6 or S9 Sculpfun Laser Modules? Thanks

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I'm not familiar with that laser so I don't know what size it is. Contact Jakub at Lazer Wizard, tell I him referred you and he may be able to make you one as he makes them for lots of lasers kzbin.info/door/RSmgp890HMHBBXewwKOrgg

[@ericapelz260]

Pressure in and of itself doesn't tell you the whole story. It's important to also take into account the diameter of your nozzle and the distance of the nozzle to the cutting spot.

[@tonyedge3414]

Hi James. I have just bought the Sainsmart 5w laser. I have tried cutting thin plywood at 200mm/min and 80% power. Even after 5 passes it has not gone more than 0.5mm depth. When I installed the laser, max power defaulted to 255. I have seen in your other videos that you set 10000 but mention that 255 was the old max power.. How do I know if I need to increase the power to a higher setting. The engraving tests have been ok. I am worried about burning the laser out if I set too high a value.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Hi Tony, it will either be your GRBL settings on your control board or the SMAX value on the software. Your $30 and SMAX should be the same values

[@sky-guy3049]

Great explainer. How do you activate the 12v plug on the laser board? I got a Genmitsu compressor with that little plug and it fits the 12v socket on my Atomstack P7 controller, but it doesn't turn on the compressor (I'm using LightBurn and turning on the air toggle). So I'm using it with a power block/wall wart manually... air definitely makes a huge difference! Would love if someone can shed light on using the small 12v output on my P7. Thanks.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Not all boards will handle it but make sure air assist is switched on in Lightburn and I believe it is the M8 command within the coding to turn it on and then M9 to turn it off

[@joshuafritz1386]

Looks like the home fan is blowing the heat around and burning. What about cooling the product before using it?

[@iwannaapple7190]

I've been wanting to get one of these machines but your test proves my theory! I'm glad you did it. I believe lasers work best in a vacuum. Also believe that nozzle works as a vacuum. I would actually like to see a test done without the air nozzle attachment. What I mean is put the brass fitting on there but without the extra piece to fit the rubber hose. The ionized air from the laser will be pushed out thus creating a vacuum. Air is dirty and has particles in it that diffract from the light. That might be why that you see the result that you're getting is because when you push too much air in there you're not getting the best result. I really like that test in fact when I get mine when I get around to it I might order a second brass fitting without the nozzle attachment. You could always plug it up but they're still going to be air trapped in there because of the little nozzle tube. Additionally, when air is coming out it is fanning the flames so to speak. That might be why you need to turn off the air when stenciling the letters. But for a more powerful laser vacuum I believe so far is the way to go ( at least in cutting).

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

It sounds like you know much more about the physics than I do :) but I might try that test the next time I have the laser on.

[@iwannaapple7190]

@@JamesDeanDesigns Ehh, a couple of science classes and a little movie called "Real genius"'. I thought it was real interesting when your results showed too much air can have a negative effect. Great test.

[@TheFlyingScotsmanTV]

thanks. really useful video for a noob like me. however - can I ask - why not simply have it suck not blow ? surely that would achieve the same thing AND you would easily be able to get rid of the fumes without blowing them around everywhere ?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thanks. Sucking is better than nothing but the air assist helps by almost blasting some of the soot away from where it is cutting. Also you want the fume moving away from the laser beam and the lens so blowing makes sure it stays clean and clear. I great solutions would be the air blowing through the nozzle and then something separate off to the side sucking all the dirty air away

[@karetokanojo633]

11:20 how much size it wood when you test cut? 3mm?

[@miamited69]

What is the difference in pressure and air flow between the two pumps?

[@rexanvanwooderfullymade5803]

Hi, Mr. Dean! I hope you can help me about my cnc 3018 mini pro laser. My laser have a switch knob at the top of the fan. Basically, everytime I am going to use it. I manually switch the laser before printing. My problem was, I can't make it right the exact heat of my laser. Sometimes it's too hot and sometimes it's not printing properly. It has a constant heat. Is there something I missed? Please help me. Thank you...

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Have you checked how my video for how to set your laser up. It covers the settings for controlling the power kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5-pf3l7mdKDoLc

[@cornishman1954]

Can the fox Alan air assist be attached to a Genmitsu?

[@jeremymcneal1789]

I just ordered a laser engraver with air assist. I was wondering if I could use my airbrush compressor for the air supply. It is a small desktop unit with a 3 liter tank. It's very quiet as I have had conversations on speaker phone while painting. It also has an air dryer on the output of the tank because moisture in the air will effect the paint. The regulator can go from 150psi max down to around 5psi.

[@jeremymcneal1789]

Just received my Ortur Laser Master 2 Pro-2-LF. I ordered it with the air assist. The supplied air connector is the same as my Iwata Neo air brush uses. So yes it will work and I don't need to buy any new parts. It's win win for me. Just to let anyone know how it worked out for me

[@BrianW2979]

Just wondering if the full size compressor is making the wood moist with the air condensation caused by compression. I wonder if it would work better if it had an air dryer.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Yes, I upgraded my compressor to one with a moisture trap and it works much better now

[@psclark2416]

Hi can you recommend a reasonably priced laser around 150 to 200 pounds please

[@AdamFillius]

James, does that brass nozzle fit on the le-1620?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

It does, its the same size ring as the FoxAlien laser. Check out the guy who has commented below called Laser Wizard, he is the one who actually makes them

[@joelrggizmo1373]

How to Building a small air intake for laser engraver table indoor use.

[@ClintonCaraway-CNC]

Recommend this video today to Vernon Hinkle who just got his first laser recently. It is great to be able to educate and help others with your video.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you 🙏

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

It's brilliant we can all move each other forward, I was watching his inlay video the other day and learning from that 😁

[@welshsteve2009]

Just curious, are you using a water separator/moisture trap on your compressor? Just wondering if maybe moisture is responsible for the poor performance when using the compressor 🤔

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

No I don't use one so that is a possibility as well. I really do need to get one fitted

[@titusdaniel]

Has your conventional air compressor ever been drained? I wonder if it's accumulating moisture, and if it's enough to counteract the cutting ability of the laser. I know that the compressor I use for work will eventually condense so much ambient moisture from the air that it will actually start to spray water through the lines.

[@Roy_Tellason]

Not good, as enough moisture accumulating in the tank can eventually corrode things enough that the pressue will make the tank explode!

[@cpowerdesign]

I almost wonder if a part cooling fan from a 3d printer would work in place of using an external pump that requires running hoses. I may give this a shot because I have a few extra fans. Probably print it in abs to prevent warping due to heat from the laser.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

It will help, but may lack the pressure of a pump. But always worth a shot

[@grahamsturmey]

This may be a silly idea, however is it feasible to use a vaccum cleaner to suck the smoke and residue away? I've read some reports suggesting the ash and debris can get stuck in the honeycomb table work surfaces so this could avoid that, plus it would be fair low cost...

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Not a silly idea at all. I think it would certainly work to a degree. Not sure how effective it would be woth cutting but always worth a try

[@craighorner4154]

I'm using a refrigerator compressor with the pipe going through 2 x Coke bottles to remove moisture and a 1mm 3D printer nozzle screwed into the pipe at the laser end to give a finer flow. Not the most aesthetically nice setup but it seems to do the job. Or it did before I killed my laser 😂

[@doughoiby8195]

Hi James. I just installed the laser on my 4040-XE and I am using Lightburn. I am having issues with the tool path transition lines burning into the project. Is there a setting I am missing? The laser doesn't appear to shut off between moves in Line mode. Seems less noticable in Fill or Fill + Line mode.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Yes, very simple solution. You just need to change $32=1 👍

[@doughoiby8195]

@@JamesDeanDesigns That was it!! I figured it was something simple. Thank you so much!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

@@doughoiby8195 it's only simple once you know 👍 glad it solved it

[@ferdinandofama2040]

Le tue spiegazioni e consigli sono molto molto interessanti peccato che non sono sottotitolati in italiano ciao Ferdinando

[@stephenjones7876]

Hi, where did you get the FoxAlien pump from? I'm in the UK and tried to order but they said it was out of stock and refunded me. They don't ship to Europe but we're not in Europe. I asked when it's back in stock but had no response.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Shipping and stock is all over the place at the moment unfortunately. Really frustrating but not much that can be done about it

[@peterplantec7911]

Not exactly what I was expecting. I'm using my koi pond pump. The Sea Otters discovered my pond and devoured over 140 of my Koi, thus freeing up my large air pump. I'm coming from the CO2 laser camp. Diodes are so much less fuss and fumble. I'm just getting started. Should be an interesting ride.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Yes, CO2 laser can require a lot more setup but even at this moment in time the strongest diode is only just reaching the your average CO2 so it's a bit of a trade off

[@music-wd4ed]

Hi fox alien air pump, only suitable for their device? Or is it possible to connect the pump to a laser from other companies?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

The pump can run independently so will work on any machine, you just need a DC adaptor plug that costs a couple of dollars

[@saifurshiblu5682]

Plz would you tale me what is the standard pressure in PSI for my Neje 30w laser?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I don't think there is one, and if there is then it is not information I have unfortunately.

[@narcorex]

I am completly new in lasercutting but I thing that too hight pressure will give you fibrations in the laserhead and by this causing focusing trouble.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thats one thing I hadn't taken into account but makes perfect sense 👍

[@brettdavison2221]

I currently bought a 3018 pro and it had been working pretty fine, today everything is going as normal but nothing is being engraved. Do you have any ideas on what I could be doing wrong?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

If its the laser, try cleaning the lens. Its a fairly common cause as the smoke clogs it up

[@brettdavison2221]

@@JamesDeanDesigns thanks for replying, I cleaned laser but still no success so it's been returned and another on it's way.

[@wanderingwinchesters6294]

Can I use air assist on my 3018 laser it's adjustable laser thanks Robert

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Yes, air assist will help on any machine

[@Elberto71]

Seems the high pressure is extinguishing the burn before it has time to fully evaporate the material

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I need to do an updated video to this but I found the lack of moisture trap on the compressor wasn't helping. I bought a new compressor and had better results

[@jeffwall1049]

Recently got myself a 20w Foxalien laser, wish, I'd done a bit more homework on the accessories. Cannot find an outlet for a nozzle to fit the laser in the UK. can anyone help on options?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Hi Jeff. Lazer Wizard makes the brass ones, I'll see if he is willing to post to the UK.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

He said drop him a message via his etsy store www.etsy.com/listing/952903198/ultimate-air-assist-brass-nozzle-for?ref=shop_home_recs_2&frs=1&crt=1&variation0=2179742792

[@perspectivex]

Could you use this to cut thin metal? People use nitrogen and oxygen assist to cut metal with co2 lasers, so maybe normal compressed air should work too since air is ~78% nitrogen, ~21% oxygen.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Diode lasers hardly have an effect on metal unfortunately so I I don't think they would cut metal. Maybe something like tin foil but certainly not sheet metal

[@perspectivex]

@@JamesDeanDesigns sorry, I've been watching so many co2 laser videos it didn't stick that you were using a diode laser. That's not going to work (unless maybe you had a 20kW diode laser :)).

[@dekurvajo]

40 psi = 2.7 Bar? Ducking hell! That's a lot of pressure for sure. Mine has a totally analogue regulator which i can use from zero to maximum, so i can set the outgoing pressure without limit. I found that the best is around 1,1-1.3 Bar = 15-19 PSI above than that its just waste of air and more chance to condense water. However there is one more thing against the compressor even i use that and i am impressed with the result: the problem is the compressor turns on too often. Mine is a 10 bar, 50liter oil free comp. And using it on 1.2 Bar, it turns on every 5 minutes and working for 2 minutes. (turns on at 8bar, stops at 10ish) That is way much for long term use. Even i don't care about the noise, (my laser is in the workshop) i don't have problem with space, but i still want to use this compressor after a few months as well. But in this way, i am worried because it might kills it. That's why i am about to go for a 70l/min pump.

[@ironwhy]

Thank you this is very precious information but could you tell me how I could transfer those PSI values into l/min?

[@TheAusherGuy]

Can I use an airbrush compressor with a tank for air assist?

[@fenceup07944931177]

I was just about t to ask the same question. I was looking at them to paint stencils made with the laser cutter. So would make a lot of use from one. There are many to choose from, some just pumps and some have tanks. Could make for a good new video.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Yes, that will work 👍