World's most PORTABLE LASER cleaning machine!!!

I bought a portable pulsed laser cleaning machine in used condition. It works well for cleaning small intricate shapes and it's super portable! I plan on using it to prep steel for a pipe fence, a welding table and a greenhouse I'm building. Follow along with my journey and see how it works long term.
Amazon link to machine: amzn.to/3vfB9Bb
Enter the following code to get 5% off price through the above Amazon link: TAXAJCRM.
#ad (NOTICE: As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases)
Laser machine link on Shopify: (I earn a small percentage commission for sales through this link):
zaclaser.com/KIT-652
At checkout be sure to click "discount code" and then type: "KIT-652" into the text field (no quotes).
CONCERNING THE SMOKE DESTROYING THE LENS: This machine comes with a little bendable straw that is designed to blow smoke away from the lens. I didn't include it in the video because it obstructed the view of the workpiece and the straw requires an air compressor to generate the air flow. The noise of the compressor and the view being ruined made me think that a quality video was worth sacrificing a lens. By the end of this video there was indeed a foggy spot on my lens due to cleaning the greasy cookie sheet. The sheet spattered some grease onto the lens and the spatter absorbed enough heat to etch the glass a bit. I should have mentioned the straw in the video but I was so excited to get this out there I simply forgot to. If you buy a unit like this use the straw to prolong the lens life. Be safe!!!!
Interesting pulse laser lectures:
• Pulsed laser radiation I
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/ @suburbanbiology

[@killingtimeitself]

halfway through the video, you might mention it later, but it's critical PPE to have properly rated laser goggles when using high power lasers. A stray beam reflection can instantly blind you if you aren't careful. Shit's scary, likewise minimizing the effects of potentially blinding someone else would be advantageous. much like you mentioned with it potentially melting through it's own lense. Your eye is a lense, that is essentially made out of gelatin and meat particles however. Much less resistant. I'm unsure off the top of my head of the safety of these lasers in specific, but i believe both styropyro and backyard scientist have videos on these, which are likely to include some form of related information. Styro in particular.

[@mitchv.7492]

Totally agree as a college EH&S teacher and safety officer

[@suburbanbiology]

Good points. I mention safety glasses in my other laser video about the manifold but I totally forgot to do that in this one.

[@MrWinsbert]

😊

[@toiletfx5679]

Its crazy that such a useful machine now fits into a backpack. I think I saw one of these on TheBackyardScientist but his machine was way bigger.

[@suburbanbiology]

Yup. His was the video that I saw about two months ago that first made me aware this stuff even existed. He did a great job. Thanks for commenting!!

[@ericc1375]

The larger ones are water cooled.

[@secondengineer9814]

This is a totally off base comment so I apologize for it in advance. I feel like your look, with your backyard and your hat and glasses, is pretty unique. At least, when I see you I think "Oh yeah! That's the really cool guy who did the earthen rocket mass heater and the incredible rainwater collection system and the GOAT. But when I saw this thumbnail, I didn't recognize that. I think if you potentially had a picture of yourself in your iconic outfit, (either on your profile pic or the thumbnail), I might have a better chance of recognizing it! I am kicking myself for not realizing this video that popped up in my feed was you until 2 days had past! Anyways, I'm by no means an expert, just giving you my two cents. I love your projects, and the way you record them! Thanks for being so inspirational!

[@suburbanbiology]

That’s good to know. It hadn’t really occurred to me. I’ll see if I can think of a different version for a thumbnail. Thanks for the feedback and for your support!

[@jocelynchen6031]

Hi, I am a laser cleaning salesperson. Warm reminder: You need to wear protective glasses when using the laser cleaning machine to prevent laser radiation from causing damage to your eyes.😄

[@suburbanbiology]

I included that disclaimer in my first laser video but totally forgot to include it in this one. You are absolutely correct. Thanks for commenting!!!

[@jocelynchen6031]

@@suburbanbiology Thank you for your approval. Wearing protective glasses is very important. If you have any questions about laser cleaning, you are welcome to contact me at any time and I will be happy to discuss it with you.😄

[@vetoland92]

When there's something strange, in the neighborhood. Who ya gonna call!? SuburbanBiology 😂😂???

[@suburbanbiology]

Don’t cross the lasers…..

[@robinhutchings8865]

I have an upright piano that I want to refinish so but scare of how long it would take to use the normal chemical stripper. I found the laser method a few months ago, so I was excited to see a longer video on how they work. Even if this one isn't able to remove stain.

[@suburbanbiology]

I attempted to remove some stain from some old cabinet doors. My particular doors had been coated with polyurethane. I found that the polyurethane wound up kind of burning. I have seen other videos of laser, cleaners removing wood stain. I did not take the time to research how to do this. I’m not sure if I had the wrong settings punched in or if the polyurethane just made it impossible. From videos online though it seems like some units can do it. Perhaps a bit of research would lead to me realize that this machine is actually more capable of it than I realize??? Thank you for commenting and for subscribing.

[@SophiaLi-nw4lw]

The pulsed model laser cleaner can clean rust paint graffiti oxidized layers of oil welds etc. on both metallic and non-metallic materials without damaging the substrate.

[@oilyvio]

this machine is absolutely incredible!! thank you for the explanation btw, very thorough :)

[@suburbanbiology]

I’m glad you enjoyed it.!Thanks for commenting!

[@plainnpretty]

I never seen anything like that . Pretty cool machine . Thanks

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank YOU for watching! And for subscribing!

[@TheCommonGardenTater1]

Exceptional Video, Thank You.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank YOU for watching and commenting! 🙏🏼

[@TheCommonGardenTater1]

Hi. Really, thank you. I am an older man (65) and in my prime before a serious injury, I would build from scrap and reclaim and re-purpose anything for the sheer creative joy of it. Now through like minded people like you, I can still enjoy my old life, with a "New Tech Twist". So again, Thank You.@@suburbanbiology

[@TheCommonGardenTater1]

Hi. Really, thank you. I am an older man (65) and in my prime before a serious injury, I would build from scrap and reclaim and re-purpose anything for the sheer creative joy of it. Now through like minded people like you, I can still enjoy my old life, with a "New Tech Twist". So again, Thank You.@@suburbanbiology

[@wascadoo8946]

Very cool Mate. Been looking to get 1 of these for a while now Thanks👍🇦🇺🍺

[@suburbanbiology]

Glad you enjoyed it. Links in description if you want to check out this particular model. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@mitchv.7492]

Amazing video as always. Quite funny that you start whilstling "So fresh and so Clean" by Outkast at exactly 4:20 😂

[@suburbanbiology]

Thanks for noticing! It was crazy to think how “old” that song is now. Still feels new in my head.

[@Kenniii3]

Love it! I want one too.

[@suburbanbiology]

They aren’t cheap…..but they ARE fun! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Kenniii3]

@@suburbanbiology love your videos. It’s my pleasure. Keep making more.

[@SophiaLi-nw4lw]

If you want to know more about laser cleaner you can contact me!

[@Flameb0yant]

nice video! I really appreciate the effort you put into it! :D

[@dheerajsharma5297]

At least watch it first

[@suburbanbiology]

I appreciate the comment. The first minute of film always winds up being the bulk of my tedious effort to edit. Thanks for your support!

[@suburbanbiology]

😂 I appreciate BOTH of you commenting!!!

[@Flameb0yant]

@@dheerajsharma5297 Yes of course. I watched enough to know it was worth a comment :) Now that I'm done watching it I'm even more certain about my original take.

[@dheerajsharma5297]

@@Flameb0yant fair

[@KubotaManDan]

Seems great for removing rust from hard to reach area's like the vise and table, but I was concerned it may have a lead base paint and your breathing the fumes. For the big flat surfaces a palm sander would be way faster. Cool video I seen someone else use a similar device on YT.

[@suburbanbiology]

I had on a carbon respirator but I must admit I could smell a bit of the smoke. My silly beard out to get me. I would normally turn a fan on to blow the smoke away but the air shook the camera. Sacrificing health for a good shot 😂

[@killingtimeitself]

homie the lead base paint is the least of the concerns when using a strong laser. That shit will blind you faster than you can make a joke about going blind without proper safety attire.

[@zarahofshiloh7537]

It is interesting. I wonder how you could use it under tight spaces safely, like a frame of a trailer. With car oil and all it would not be safe to use around a vehicle but maybe work trailers and camper frames to remove rust.

[@suburbanbiology]

With thick enough oil coated on anything you’re correct. This would definitely ignite thick layers of grease and oil. It would be a good idea to have a lot of ventilation and a fire extinguisher very close by before you attempt anything like that. Thanks for commenting and for subscribing!

[@moineagu1]

Brilliant project Congratulations CAN BE USE FOR CUTTING TREE I THE FOREST???

[@suburbanbiology]

Technically a stronger version of this laser could be. A channel called backyard scientist showed that. Thanks for commenting and for subscribing!

[@secondengineer9814]

Could you hook the device up to a cnc machine? Obviously it would be better to have a dedicated machine, but it might make it useful?

[@suburbanbiology]

I had the same thought. I’m sure it would be possible to attach to a CNC. I don’t have room for one so I probably won’t be able to try it but I definitely think it’s possible. Thanks for commenting twice!!!

[@ScottCannon4SmartBiz]

Looks like attaching this thing to a CNC Gantry would make a lot of sense if you had a lot of material to clean. That way you could both optimize the Z axis and reduce the need to manually carry, hold and move the darn thing.

[@ScottCannon4SmartBiz]

Sure for odd 3D shaped objects this wouldn't work great, but, for mostly 2D surfaces like beams and other materials it would make sense.

[@suburbanbiology]

That would be awesome. Maybe someday. I need a bigger workshop 😂

[@21trips]

Also good for removing unwanted leg hair.

[@suburbanbiology]

lol. AND tattoos!

[@franknunally8098]

Forgive my ignorence on this subject, but I am curious about something. Obviously, this device is faster than a sand blaster/media blaster, but is it cheeper to operate?

[@suburbanbiology]

Cheaper to operate, yes. Cheaper to purchase maybe not. I guess it depends if you buy a sand blasting cabinet or not. Thanks for commenting and for subscribing!

[@alexanderkonczal3908]

completely unrelated question - do you think the metal fabrication/machining industries would be a sustainable career change choice for someone in their 30's with 4 kids?

[@suburbanbiology]

I have a hard time, imagining the future of such an industry right now. I follow the development of the robotic space fairly closely. Even though most people don’t seem to be aware of it, at this time, it seems likely that humanoid robots may be on a tipping point toward becoming very “helpful” in the next five years. if humanoid robots, do indeed, become actually useful in the next several years, I could see that disrupting industries where things are welded on a massive scale. Assembly lines, especially. If you are talking about an industry of metal fabrication, where items are made at low volume, I think there’s a better chance that this industry may remain stable. I think, assembly lines in general, are going to be very disrupted in the next decade. I would certainly encourage everyone to pursue metal fabrication as a hobby to some degree. It is an incredibly powerful skill set. I just don’t know as far as being a new career. If you are considering changing to this career, I would advise having a diverse skill set where you would have the option to produce low-volume products. I hope that makes sense. Thank you for your thought-provoking question.

[@zaskarclf]

Ghostbusters ASMR. 😊

[@suburbanbiology]

lol. I should have named the channel THAT! 😂 thanks for commenting!

[@Parkerdonat]

Does a laser take any metal off like sand blasting?

[@suburbanbiology]

Technically yes. The very surface is slightly removed. But it’s so superficial that you can barely even tell. If you leave the gun still for too long you can see a slight depression where the laser repeatedly scoured into the metal. Thanks for commenting and for subscribing!

[@Parkerdonat]

About subscribing… I love your channel for DIY projects, steel work, and welding. Keep it up! In my past life I learned how to MiG weld but today I don’t know where to start concerning purchasing, safety, and if MIG is the way to go? Could you possibly post a video on where to start or what you use?

[@paulsharpe3794]

Hi there sorry but I've already subscribed but I have hit the lick button

[@suburbanbiology]

I appreciate any and all buttons. Thanks! 🙏🏼

[@mitchv.7492]

"lick" button 😝😂

[@teddysponsler6220]

Be great to weld on where the laser has cleaned that area

[@suburbanbiology]

That’s the main reason I wanted it. To prep irregular surfaces before I weld them. Sometimes a grinder can’t get into nooks etc.

[@teddysponsler6220]

Can it cut threw steel ?????

[@suburbanbiology]

Only if you hold it REALLY still for a very long time 😂

[@oldreprobate2748]

Concerning the smoke getting to the lens. I think the use of a fan could prevent that when using in doors.

[@suburbanbiology]

This machine actually comes with a little bendable straw that you can hook up to an air compressor to blow the smoke away from the work Peace. For the sake of this video, I thought that that obstructed the view of the workpiece too much though. By the end of the video I had already slightly damaged one of the protective lenses. I probably should’ve mentioned that in the video body. Maybe I will add that to the description right now just for the sake of clarity. Thank you for commenting, and for subscribing.

[@mitchv.7492]

​​​@@suburbanbiologyThe use of a fan (even worse a blower) is always a bad idea with airborne contaminants (you just spread them and/or put them back into the air for several minutes/hours depending on the aerodynamical diameters). It's better to suck the smoke near the surface with an industrial (fireproof) vaccuum that has an HEPA filter.

[@laurentgagne892]

ive you tired metal that was oil painted?

[@suburbanbiology]

I’m pretty sure the primer on those steel beams is oil-based paint. If you are asking if I have tried metal that is coated in grease and oil. Yes I have. This laser works well on both. Like I said in the video it takes a little bit of time, but for small, very irregular surfaces it works incredibly well

[@laurentgagne892]

@@suburbanbiology i mean like metal fences with oil paint

[@waxore1142]

Lmao you don't have to explain why you fast forward it. We , i appreciate it.

[@suburbanbiology]

I just didn’t want to be accused of over-reporting the machine’s abilities. Thanks for commenting!

[@TW-im2bp]

Can you provide the approximate cost of the machine?

[@suburbanbiology]

Link in description. The price fluctuates but full price last I checked was near 10k.

[@SophiaLi-nw4lw]

If you want to know more about laser cleaner you can contact me!

[@xHyperElectric]

I’m not sure if I misheard something, but I thought the laser cleaner was ≈ $1,000 but the one you linked to is $10,000

[@suburbanbiology]

Unfortunately no it was not 1,000. I don’t think I said that anywhere. Maybe the title?? Thousands was spelled with a dollar sign instead of s. It was meant to grab attention not to mislead. I got it about half priced due to slight damage to the machine. Prices are still high. My guess is that prices will come down rather rapidly over time. Thanks for commenting!

[@denniscarlson5191]

So did cost thousands ?

[@suburbanbiology]

Indeed. I got it around half priced since it was a bit banged up. Still works great though.

[@DanLee1969]

Was yours 100 Watt, or 200 Watt?

[@suburbanbiology]

I have the 100 watt model.

[@Tsnafu]

I've been a coded welder for 40 years, and I don't think even I could get value from a machine like that. I'm not saying that it wouldn't occasionally have been useful, but it would never have been 10 grand useful.

[@suburbanbiology]

I must admit that the 10k price tag is still high which is why I got a ding/dent version. The prices seem to be falling rapidly which is part of why I didn’t mention price in the video. I’m betting it will be like many technologies where in 5 years it will 90% off. Just curious do you think this thing would be 1k useful or not even that?

[@Tsnafu]

@@suburbanbiology Personally, not for me. I can do 99% of what that machine can do with a 4 inch grinder and a flap disk, faster, way cheaper and lighter. I notice it has a 1 year guarantee (except for misuse) on everything except the laser source, so I wouldn't expect it to last much longer than that if used in an industrial setting, and even at $1k, that's still not good value for my use case.

[@atsimas]

Use specialized glasses when using it and do not use it around others. See what Styropyro wears.

[@suburbanbiology]

I included them in my other laser video but forgot to mention safety gear in this one. I do indeed use special glasses. Thanks for commenting!!

[@Crftbt]

What does it taste like breathing in the fumes from that without a face mask? :)

[@suburbanbiology]

This is the second comment that seems concerned about me not wearing a respirator. I am confused why folks are asking. unless I missed something I wore a respirator with an organic vapor cartridge in every scene that I was using the laser. Which scene are you referring to? Thanks for commenting!

[@mitchv.7492]

​@suburbanbiology ...with a beard and probably without a proper and valid fit test and instructions, might I ask ?

[@user-zk4vi5hw6x]

I worked with Laser from 82-89. Stop the job b/c i had saved enough to by me a farm the thing I really wanted What u have there is an engraving laser with all it innards made small and a focal point that is much further away then the ones I used. Yes this lasers I used were bought in 81. U could blast something of the medal or etch in the medal. I would love to have one of those but 10K is just to much And did u actually pay 10K for that thing.

[@suburbanbiology]

It was about half price due to dings and scratches etc. thanks for commenting!!!

[@GOOGLE-ADMlN]

Cook a steak or a hot dog next please.

[@suburbanbiology]

lol. It would take a while. Maybe a tiny hot dog could get heated. I saw tech ingredients do a steak but that was with a HUGE laser diode. Thanks for commenting!

[@GOOGLE-ADMlN]

@@suburbanbiology oh yeah he did. Thanks for the video. You never went into the prices of these machines. Used or new. Also are you concerned about the laser's lifespan?

[@chuckjacobs8517]

Can you start a fire in your fire pit with it

[@suburbanbiology]

Yes I could 😂 thanks for commenting!

[@Tangaroa775]

It’s 10 grand for that machine you must be loaded

[@suburbanbiology]

I got a scratch and dent version without a battery so it was marked down significantly.

[@leituvaatoalaki2202]

Very slow process 😂😂😂

[@user-zk4vi5hw6x]

well I can see u have done no time with ur Uncle Sam. The fled load for a soldier is about 120lb with some going with as much as 150lb. This u wear with a little break every now and then when u can take some of it off for up to 20 hr a day 20lb ani,t shit even when I am 75. By the way English major still say ani.t is only used by less eded ppl. sorry English majors but those of us with Master in other fields use ani't all the time. We do this in the presents of English Majors just to fu'k the up. Yes i do not like English majors b/c they think they know it all when all they really know is one language and use their knowledge of it to put down others that saw no need to take any more English after HS then that required by our degrees. For me that was 2 hr of technical writing something English majors hate b/c here we are taught to write in as few words as u can and dont worry if u dont have a completed sentence in the lot Technical writing is to inform others in ur field of what u are doing and so proper English is not needed.

[@suburbanbiology]

Thank you for your service. I assume from your knowledge here that you served. Thank you and cheers 🍻

[@mitchv.7492]

My man, what's the point of your comment and how is it related to this video ?! 😂

[@mrmudslide5676]

If I have to look it up to get a price then this is nothing more than clickbait and you get an F

[@suburbanbiology]

Left a link for you in the description.