[KwartzLab] Laser Party! Tues, Jan 10

Chris Bruner cbruner at quadro.net
Mon Jan 9 16:00:27 EST 2012


So, what you are saying is that using a sharpie or something coloured, 
on aluminum will allow you to etch the sharpie away and that process 
marks the aluminum?
On 1/9/2012 3:48 PM, Jeff Schmidt wrote:
> Good points!
>
> I have etched aluminum on a laser before, at Waterloo Engraving.  And 
> by etch, I mean mark the anodized layer.  In that case, I had a matte 
> black anodized case which was etched with a raster image.  The black 
> anodizing turned nearly white, while the smoothness of the metal was 
> unaffected.
>
> This time around I have a red and a blue anodized piece.  They are 
> slightly more reflective than the black.  I am hoping that they will 
> "etch" white as well, though.
>
> Once the etching is done I'll drill the holes in the panel with a 
> drill press.
>
> - Jeff
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     *From:* Cedric Puddy <cedric at ccjclearline.com>
>     *To:* Jeff Schmidt <digitalfalcon at rogers.com>; KwartzLab Public
>     Discussion List <discuss at kwartzlab.ca>
>     *Sent:* Monday, January 9, 2012 2:35:05 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: [KwartzLab] Laser Party! Tues, Jan 10
>
>     It's going to be interesting to see how well it does on aluminum;
>     I was talking with James, and he thinks it will just ablate the
>     aluminum oxide layer, and will not be successful in marking the
>     underlying pure aluminum.  I'd be happy to try just in the name of
>     "science" (wherein "science" is a word we use to refer to the act
>     of "checking to see if James is right again").
>
>     James went on to say that there are "marking compounds", which
>     small etching shops and whatnot use, in which they paint the
>     compound onto the area to be laser etched.  My assumption is that
>     the compound comprises a ready supply of atoms that require a
>     relatively modest amount of power to drive into a chemical bond
>     with the underlying metal, so when you hit them with a relatively
>     small laser, you get an effective permanent chemically bonded mark.
>
>     Interestingly enough, apparently Yag lasers are far more effective
>     on metal than CO2 (we have a CO2 at the lab), but are less popular
>     on account of being completely ineffective against organics (such
>     as paper, leather, wood, etc).  Word has it that there are dual
>     tube units in the world that have both a CO2 and Yag source able
>     to supply the beam line, and able to be electronically switched.
>
>     -Cedric
>
>
>     On 2012-01-09, at 2:13 PM, Jeff Schmidt wrote:
>
>     > Cool, thanks.
>     >
>     > In the mean time, do any members want to laser my panels for
>     me?  I'll buy you some pizza at Pepi's in exchange.  :)
>     >
>     > - Jeff
>     >
>     > From: Darcy Casselman <dscassel at gmail.com
>     <mailto:dscassel at gmail.com>>
>     > To: Jeff Schmidt <digitalfalcon at rogers.com
>     <mailto:digitalfalcon at rogers.com>>; KwartzLab Public Discussion
>     List <discuss at kwartzlab.ca <mailto:discuss at kwartzlab.ca>>
>     > Sent: Monday, January 9, 2012 1:27:05 PM
>     > Subject: Re: [KwartzLab] Laser Party! Tues, Jan 10
>     >
>     > We don't know yet.  Non-member laser use policy is up for discussion
>     > at the next board meeting.  We'll let you know!
>     >
>     > Darcy.
>     >
>     > On Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 11:57 AM, Jeff Schmidt
>     <digitalfalcon at rogers.com <mailto:digitalfalcon at rogers.com>> wrote:
>     > > I'm sad I won't be able to attend.  I've got some aluminum
>     panels that I'd
>     > > love to have engraved.  Perhaps next week!  What's the cost to
>     use it for
>     > > non-members?
>     > >
>     > > - Jeff
>     > >
>     > > ________________________________
>     > > From: Darcy Casselman <dscassel at gmail.com
>     <mailto:dscassel at gmail.com>>
>     > > To: KwartzLab Public Discussion List <discuss at kwartzlab.ca
>     <mailto:discuss at kwartzlab.ca>>
>     > > Sent: Monday, January 9, 2012 10:49:03 AM
>     > > Subject: [KwartzLab] Laser Party! Tues, Jan 10
>     > >
>     > > That's tomorrow,
>     > >
>     > > Sorry for the short notice. It's been discussed in person, but
>     not so much
>     > > on the list.
>     > >
>     > > Our official laser cutter ribbon cutting will happen tomorrow
>     night during
>     > > TON.  We'll have talks and demos and it'll be awesome.
>     > >
>     > > (It is my hope that we can get the laser cutter to cut its own
>     ribbon, but
>     > > as I'm not a trained laser cutter operator, I can't make that
>     promise...)
>     > >
>     > > Darcy.
>     > >
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-- 
Chris Bruner

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