RDWorks Learning Lab 148 China Blue Head Transplant Part 2

[@andrewchesney]

What a gentleman you are (far from selfish), I love it how you thank us for our time - THANK YOU for spending the time on this and imparting such valuable knowledge.

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Andrew Some people retire to fishing or golf. I'm sure that physical activity has a small part to play in old age health but I would rather be mentally alert in a "tired" body. Engineers do not retire, most keep working (as I do to a 10% level) it earns me a bit of holiday money, I remain in touch with people and it keeps my mind active with solving all sorts of complex problems . I use the word selfish because my pleasure is in conquering the technical issues with this laser technology. It's way more challenging and stimulating than golf cycling or fishing and isn't going to wear out my knee joints or kill my back. Solving these technical challenges is providing me great material for my other big hobby, video editing. So you see, you guys are just getting the spin off from my indulgences. The video also helps me because I think out loud for the camera and try to be logical in my thought processes. These design challenges and videos are comparable to the immense pleasure (along with the traumas and expense) I had bringing up 2 kids. I sent them off to university ( akin to sending my stuff to You Tube) gave them their freedom and, as expected, they never returned home but successfully found their way in the world. Anything I design or publish is just like that ...free to all once I let go of it. I can see how you imagine that to be generous but remember the great selfish pleasures I have enjoyed before I set it free. After that it's not my responsibility, it is for others to criticize or learn from my mistakes and successes. The unexpected bonus from this insular activity is the huge number of friends and acquaintances I have made from all parts of the globe. These are not Facebook type tick box "friends" but genuine appreciative caring sharing folks just like yourself. Your kind words have touched me, Thanks Best wishes Russ

[@andrewchesney]

Russ, I "retire" at the end of this month, I hope that like you I too can give something back to a community.

[@martincamargo7285]

I was having issues with the quality of the laser until I found this Chanel. Very well root cause analysis

[@philhutton1352]

Russ I've enjoyed all you videos. Thanks for your great work.

[@kebhycarmona1417]

Very nice video Russ, it´s a great job. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your time! Greetings from Uruguay.

[@mikealrichards508]

Awesome video series Russ. I would be interested in a set of drawings and a bracket when you get to that point.

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Mikeal I will make a note Many thanks Russ

[@dheinis120]

Thank you, I am interested in the drawings and the bracket.

[@bjornmartin6480]

dunno if anyone gives a shit but if you guys are stoned like me during the covid times you can stream pretty much all of the new series on InstaFlixxer. Have been streaming with my gf these days :)

[@emmanuelfrancisco9307]

@Bjorn Martin Yup, I have been using instaflixxer for months myself :)

[@roccoleland891]

@Bjorn Martin Yup, I've been using InstaFlixxer for since december myself =)

[@JoePCP]

Brilliant thought and execution as usual Russ, hope you're both well by the way. Just one possible option for you regarding glueing the acrylic, I use a very small paint brush, (not with plastic bristles), a watercolor brush that I've been using for about six months now. The bristles don't seem to be affected by the glue and it allows you to paint the glue with a lot more precision. I also found I didn't waste as much glue. Just a small tip I found by accident when I wanted to glue a pieceof acrylic that was painted on one surface. If the gklue touches the surface it scars the paint. With the brush I can place it exactly where I need it. All the best Joe.

[@steveparry4455]

What an excellent idea Russ Something that i would be interested in purchasing

[@anthonyleander7758]

Excellent work! I would definitely be interested in a bracket.

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Anthony I will keep you in mind. Russ

[@hovedskou]

Hi Russ... Another splendid video from your hand.. ;-) Where can I see when you make the bracket and files available for sale.? Will you announce it on the RDWorks Forum..? Greetings from Denmark

[@fyrstorm2010]

Very interesting set of videos again.

[@GregerOlofsson]

I'm also interested in the bracket, but I have a different machine (although blue/white and from China), so I think it'd be wise to make sure that the mounting pattern is the same.

[@TheSn1per]

Russ, I like it. I can make my own bracket. Love your vids.

[@joopvandam2620]

Great videos Russ, I am also very interested in the drawings. Are they already on the internet and if so, where can I find them?

[@UkShaGGyUk]

Hi Russ. Just an idea but why not rotate all from below the mirror section 90deg anti-clockwise (so the access is from the front) this will give you two faces to attach mounts too (both front and rear) to make it more rigid and maybe eliminating the need of the machined brackets. great idea btw.

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi I am really promoting the idea that this is YOUR machine and if your think it need improvement then go ahead. In directly I am trying to apply pressure to the Chines to rethink their head designs rather than bolting on these clunk unadjustable chunks of metal. I am right handed and the reason I arranged the head this way because it is very convenient for spinning the lens tube with finger and thumb. I can see the possibility that forward facing has it's merits. In the next video, I will be releasing details now that I know that it is a reasonably robust design. and can handle all sorts of lens diameters and focal length combinations as well as being simple to align and check easily. Once you have the basic design there is are no intellectual rights limitations, the idea is free and you can adapt it to your heart's content. Many thanks for the comment and feedback Best wishes Russ

[@adamstestanimations]

When is the next video? I binge watched everything, and now I'm lost! haha :)

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Adam Next video is all about lenses but having to wait for some kit to arrive from China as I want to compare types/materials/applications for/value for money etc. I think later this week I may be back videoing. Best wishes Russ

[@adamstestanimations]

Great! I really look forwards to it. I feel like I'm waiting for the next episode of Game of Thrones! I'm too impatient! haha ^__^ Thanks for the reply!

[@Runner50783]

Great video Russ. The only problem I see, is that when doing long full power cutting jobs, the mirrors are lens will tend to get hot, about 70 degress for what I've been able to measure, acrylic gets softer with temperature, so it may warp or deform overtime. Have you considered Delrin for the hard instead?

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Abraham I am very fussy about setting mirrors and lenses true. With my copper mirrors and even moly mirrors with efficiencies above 95% that means max 5 watt dissipation for a 100 watt tube and in my case about 3 watts. I am puzzled how this will ever build up to 70 C. I have been checking but I cannot detect anything above body temperature /ambient after an hour or so of running. The only reason for the nozzle getting hot would be the beam clipping the exit hole or reflected heat from the cut. I have never experienced either . I regularly touch the end of the nozzle after a work session just to clear vapor debris away. Again I have never noticed heat build up. . I have bought a proper mirror holder and machiined it down to the smaller size required for this head. I didn't use it because it's a machining operation that many folks cannot perform. It's an option though if you do find its a problem. The Mk4 head is so simple it could easily be made from 1.5mm thick aluminium or 0.9mm stainless sheet...even a one piece flat development with with hand bend lines is possible Best wishes Russ

[@brianfoster1504]

Russ, where did you get your laser lens tubes and nozzles?

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Brian www.cloudraylaser.com/collections/co2-laser Explore here. Make sure you scroll down the web pages for lots of details Best wishes Russ

[@michaelring4342]

Hi Russ, sorry for beeing slightly off-topic, do you still have some dohickys available, I am interested in buying one...

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Michael Yes still available.Send me your email as a comment and I'll delete it immediately as I don't like email addresses sitting in a public forum Best wishes Russ

[@leedawson9879]

Hi Russ Great work, how do I get a bracket?

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Lee Add your disguised email (johndotsmithathotmaildotcom) to another comment and Iwill send you a data pack Best wishes Russ

[@brianfoster7064]

Russ - would you mind providing, for those of us who would love to be able to make one for our own laser rigs, the file for making your laser head mark 2?

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Brian IF you wish to add your email to another comment I will get auto copied to my Gmail. I will delete your comment/email from public view and reply to your email. Best wishes Russ

[@wnelson333]

Ok, Russ, I've got another RDWorks question for you... Cut width compensation. Where can I set it, and are there settings for interior cuts versus exterior cuts? When cutting one circle, I need an adjustment to offset the cut path out 1/2 the width of the cut width to maintain the outside diameter I want. When cutting a circle inside of a circle, I need an adjustment to offset the inner cut path 1/2 the width (smaller) of the cut width to maintain the inside diameter I want. I know, I am asking for the moon and stars, but if anyone knows, it's you. Thanks in advance, Bill Nelson

[@SarbarMultimedia]

There are two ways of doing this. Hi Bill 1) If you put handles round the element in your drawing you wish to adjust then select the offset tool (it's 2 before the preview screen) You will see all the options you are seeking there. If you are doing precision inlays for example with very thin material then this is the simplest method to understand and execute. Do some trial squares and circles to gauge what the cut width (kerf) actually is. This will change with speed, power, focal distance, lens focal length as well as the material you are using, Assume nothing........, test before you cut.. 2) RDWorks has a complex way of achieving the same result and it's hidden away in the CUT parameters. Beside the SEAL entry box you will find ADVANCED. Press this and you will see a weird term called SEW WIDTH. This is Chinglish for KERF. You can enable it and set a value but nothing will happen.because by default there isa missing part of the tool bar. Go to VIEW and tick the CUT IN/OUT toolbar. You will now see additional items at the end of your tool bar. You must tell RDWorks if you wish to cut inside the normal drawn path or outside it. I honestly don't know if it adds the whole SEW compensation to the offset or, as you would logically expect, just half of it. I have never had need to use this and there is no obvious change to your drawing to give you confidence it is doing something. However, if you test it with a large value (say 1 or 2mm) and check the preview screen you will see a large in or out offset from your green datum square. It's there to be tested . So as not to over-stress my two remaining grey cells I choose option 1. On the few occasions I need that sort of precision, a super fine cut with a 1.5" lens serves me well. Best wishes Russ

[@peterfuchs7822]

Thanks Russ nothing else then precision cheers

[@wnelson333]

Hi Russ, You have been a great help getting me up to speed on this China Laser. I'm having a problem with it telling me that no controller is connected. It's usually fine in the morning, but the problem usually comes when I've been deleting files stored in the controller. It will delete the first file fine, the second takes a little longer and by the time I've deleted 5-6 files, the controlled won't react to a deletion for 3-4 minutes, or it tells me that there's no controller connected. Sometimes, if I turn the machine of/on it will start working again. Have you run into this issue?

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Bill Make sure you save any files from the controller.You can upload them onto a (FAT 32 formatted ) USB stick. by pressing the FILE button on the keypad and you will see the COPY TO UDISK. Once you have saved any valuable files you will see another FILE item OTHER. Select OTHER and you will find the opportunity to FORMAT DRASTICALLY. This reformats the machine memory and will probably fix your problem. It worked for me. Best wishes Russ

[@wnelson333]

That worked great! Thank you.

[@rho35100]

Handsome setup

[@tugaminhoto4969]

Brilliant, simple brilliant

[@grmpgrmpy7223]

Hey Russ do you have a solution for a stepper and mirror mount for mirror 2?

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Take a look at kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKfbmHaHntOGlcU I think this size of drive pulley is more popular now. Whilst I was making this prototype, I have made a small batch of pieces that I will be able to sell Once I get this Tangerine Tiger up and running in the next video. I will spend time building the batch of sub assemblies and make them available for sale. I will then issue a short video with details about this. There will be dimensioned drawings available so that you can check your machine before you buy because I do not want to be selling you scrap metal. Thanks for your interest. Best wishes Russ

[@alandance1399]

Another great vid Russ You keep mentioning your 1.5 " lens. Where did you get it from. I have a Thunder Laser do you think it would work with my machine.

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Alan I love my 1.5" lens above all others because it has twice the energy density in the focus spot when compared to a 2" lens. For cutting you need raw power and for materials up to 10m thick I can make good cuts.. With mu China Blue machine the lens is mounted in the nozzle so when I fit a 2" nozzle, the gap between the work and the nozzle is about 19mm. That is a HUGE distance for the expanding air from the nozzle to penetrate into the cut. With your Thunder Laser I believe you set something like a 7mm gap for your standard cutting lens. That is good because that close proximity to the work helps force air efficiently int the cut. When I fit a 1.5" lens to my China Blue machine the wrrk to nozzle gap reduces to about 5mm and I get great cutting. If I turn the air assist right down the small spot size of a 1.5" lens means I can reliably achieve a 0.2mm dot and maybe 0.18 with certain hard materials. You standard lens looks like the sort of lens system I have on my Lightblade machine where in principle I cannot fit a 1.5" lens. However, never say never. Here is a link to a short video of how I did achieve it. It may allow you to do likewise. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2qvYmZjmsuBbqs Best wishes Russ

[@BumpingKey]

822/5000 Hey! I've been watching your channel for some time. Good job - it is very helpful for a novice. I wanted to ask you if you could explain the difference in lenses from China. Some of them have the words "ZnSe" and others "ZnSe USA" - are these USs better, eg from a different production? In my krajuj (Poland) it is said that those with the US inscription are more precise, but is tol only a myth? Ps. I have one more question - which mirrors are better: Si or Mo, or maybe those covered with gold? - I ask because one of my mirrors is defective (but clean) - in front of the mirror the meter shows 85W, and after it only 70W (this is a big loss!) for this I think about buying new mirrors. At the moment in my machine they are "silver". Are molybdenum mirrors more resistant to mechanical scratches? Could you explain it to me? greeting Tomasz from Poland! I cant sent you priv message ;/

[@SarbarMultimedia]

You Tube have recently stopped their private message system. Sad. It is a coincidence that you ask these questions because my next video will explore lens shapes, lens materials, lens costs and the advantages/disadvantages of using each type I know from experience that the ZnSe USA is by far the best material in the form of a meniscus lens for producing superfine dots. whether it is the best for cutting or normal text/logo engraving is something I will be investigating. I do not have a definite opinion at present. However you will not be making a bad buy to get this lens to suit your machine. I do not know if your machine will take a 38.1mm lens, it depends on how your lens is mounted. If it is in the nozzle then you will be able to use a 38.1 mm lens, but if it is in the lens tube above the nozzle , then you will be limited to a 50.8mm focal length lens. This is what I would recommend www.cloudraylaser.com/collections/co2-focusing-lens/products/usa-cvd-znse-focus-lens-dia-20mm-fl-50-8-63-5-101-6mm-1-5-5?variant=7645039067187 Mirrors are also an interesting subject. I have spent a lot f time investigating. Although I have been chasing efficiencies of 99% plus with different materials, I have made my own natural copper mirrors. One of my set of 3 just about made 99% the other two wer about 98.5%. Gold promised great things, but nothing gold I have tried has delivered better than 95%. In practice the most cost effective mirrors are solid molybdenum. They are very durable and generally deliver efficiencies of 97% when really clean. The problem you may have is cleaning. An odd scratch will not reduce efficiency significantly but any film build up on the surface can quickly reduce efficiency. Remove the mirror and lay it flat. Put a puddle of acetone on the shiny surface and leave it to soak for a minute. Then with a cotton bud, use gentle circular motions to clean the mirror. Look at the cotton bud to see what debris you have removed. Repeat as required with a fresh cotton bud until the bud is perfectly clean. Whether you clean with acetone or isopropyl alcohol there will always be a film left behind. You should then gently polish the surface with with a lens tissue (Google search "camera lens cleaning tissues") Only if you cannot get your mirrors back to 95% efficiency then you will have to replace them. www.cloudraylaser.com/collections/co2-mirrors/products/cloudray-high-quality-mo-mirror-dia-15-19-05-20-25-30-38-1mm-thk-3mm-1pcs-custom-made-for-co2-laser-engraving-cutting-machine?variant=7645314744371 There are two requirements for an IR mirror. First is optical flatness because just like a visible light mirror , non flatness will cause the coherent beam to converge or diverge. The second requirement is refectance. This can be only achived with certain metal surfaces. All metals are reflective but some much better than others. Aluminium, Gold, silver, copper and rhodium are all theoretically more than 99% efficient. Silicone and K9 glass are non-metals and absorb rather than reflect IR light. Thus they have to be plated with metal to become mirrors. Plating with soft metals makes them susceptible to erosion with cleaning. As a personal choice I will never entertain plated mirrors., Solid molybdenum should not degrade. I suspect your "silver mirrors are really molybdenum. If you remove one, find it to be dull silver on the back and it feels "very heavy" when compared to a similar sized coin, then it will certainly be molybdenum. You should be able to restore it. If it is light and plated then the chances are that you have worn through the metal plating and the backgrond substrate is now absorbing light energy. Hope this helps with your issue Best wishes Russ

[@BumpingKey]

How i can send you mail or priv message?

[@SarbarMultimedia]

There is no easy way.. If you send me your email as another comment I will immediately delete it from the public arena and answer you. Best wishes Russ

[@Runner50783]

It would also be great to see if you can break the 20, 000 mm/s acceleration for engraving. with all of that mass of, the inertia ratio should bave been improved dramatically, allowing for much quicker acceleration.

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Abraham I do plan a video about that exact subject to see just how much I can push speeds and accelerations without inducing "head wobble" As I proved with this experiment the head mount MUST be ultra stiff. I have so many things still left to experiment with...I keep thinking I must nearly be at the end of this series but new issues of interest keep popping up Many thanks for your comments Best wishes Russ

[@Gaatech]

Great video and conclusion

[@vaughanza]

This awesome , thanks Russ

[@marouaneladjel1907]

hi ross nice job

[@Bobs1Models]

Hi russ I would like you to add me to the bracket and drawings list please.

[@jonernst4413]

put a triangle in an it will stiffen up

[@TheWebstaff]

I'll have one.

[@Specialchocola]

hi , I need the settings for engraving a rubber stamp .thanks alot

[@SarbarMultimedia]

Hi Take a look at kzbin.info/www/bejne/j37UaJaZbcpgns0 Best wishes Russ

[@edgarelectro4178]

Good evening, I am watching your videos, I am your Subscriber daughter, please send me these files that you cut on plexiglass for laser heads.

[@ianajenkins]

Hi Russ, another very interesting video in the series. Will this reach a mk VII like the dot pointer. On that subject, did you see this video on youtube? It seems logical but I'm skeptical. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGWql5eJaax3p9U Kind Regards Ian Jenkins