Editing Laser Cutter/Full Spectrum Laser 40W/Unofficial Manual

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If your bucket has a crusty film marking where the waterline previously was (due to loss from evaporation) consider rinsing the laser with distilled water and and a small amount of vinegar; rinse with distilled water; then replace the reservoir water with clean distilled water.
If your bucket has a crusty film marking where the waterline previously was (due to loss from evaporation) consider rinsing the laser with distilled water and and a small amount of vinegar; rinse with distilled water; then replace the reservoir water with clean distilled water.


Also, run your water for about 30 minutes after you are finished cutting with your laser, to ensure that it is sufficiently cooled and to prolong the laser tube's life.


== Rails and Bearings ==
== Rails and Bearings ==
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== Vertical alignment ==
== Vertical alignment ==
remove the lens from the carriage head and replace it with thermal paper as was used in previous alignment steps, ensure that the test fire pattern of the laser hits the middle of the hole where the lens would be; the darkened paper image should have no half-moon shaped, non-darkened areas.. if this is the case your angled mirror will need to be shimmed before you will get decent cuts.
  remove the lens from the carriage head and replace it with thermal paper as was used in previous alignment steps, ensure that the test fire pattern of the laser hits the middle of the hole where the lens would be; the darkened paper image should have no half-moon shaped, non-darkened areas.. if this is the case your angled mirror will need to be shimmed before you will get decent cuts.




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The laserhead has 4 plastic wheels. These attach to an eccentric pin through a small Phillips (crosshead) screw. If you rotate these eccentric pins then it will tighten or loosen against the aluminum X axis rail. These eccentric pins are held in position by a set screw with a hex head 90degrees from the top Philips screw. Remove the setscrew before attempting to adjust the eccentric pins. The eccentric pins need to be adjusted by inserting an extremely short FLAT head screwdriver through the BOTTOM. If you adjust the crosshead screw from on top it will have extremely limited motion for adjustment. Tighten the top crosshead screw then do all further adjustments from the bottom. To remove the pins, turn from the bottom to loosen then push from the bottom to remove.
The laserhead has 4 plastic wheels. These attach to an eccentric pin through a small Phillips (crosshead) screw. If you rotate these eccentric pins then it will tighten or loosen against the aluminum X axis rail. These eccentric pins are held in position by a set screw with a hex head 90degrees from the top Philips screw. Remove the setscrew before attempting to adjust the eccentric pins. The eccentric pins need to be adjusted by inserting an extremely short FLAT head screwdriver through the BOTTOM. If you adjust the crosshead screw from on top it will have extremely limited motion for adjustment. Tighten the top crosshead screw then do all further adjustments from the bottom. To remove the pins, turn from the bottom to loosen then push from the bottom to remove.


# Loosen the 4 eccentric pins by using the short screwdriver from the bottom. The laserhead will not be clamped to the X axis gantry anymore.
1) Loosen the 4 eccentric pins by using the short screwdriver from the bottom. The laserhead will not be clamped to the X axis gantry anymore.
# Adjust the top 2 eccentric screws so they that the laserhead is straight with the X axis. Since they are eccentric you want the laserhead platform straight otherwise the belt will be pulled at a angle.
2) Adjust the top 2 eccentric screws so they that the laserhead is straight with the X axis. Since they are eccentric you want the laserhead platform straight otherwise the belt will be pulled at a angle.
# Adjust the bottom 2 eccentric screws so that the laserhead is as loose as possible but all 4 wheels are just barely still rolling.  
3) Adjust the bottom 2 eccentric screws so that the laserhead is as loose as possible but all 4 wheels are just barely still rolling.  
# Insert the 4x set screws with the hex heads back and tighten. Note that by putting the set screws back in it will tighten the eccentric pins slightly so that is why we say adjust as loose as possible but still rolling in step 3.
4) Insert the 4x set screws with the hex heads back and tighten. Note that by putting the set screws back in it will tighten the eccentric pins slightly so that is why we say adjust as loose as possible but still rolling in step 3.
# Test it out and ensure the X axis is not binding during rastering. If you would like you can insert some WEAK thread locking glue on the screws.
5) Test it out and ensure the X axis is not binding during rastering. If you would like you can insert some WEAK thread locking glue on the screws.


==X-Axis==
==X-Axis==
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== Lens ==
== Lens ==
While its not mentioned anywhere.. the lens in the hobby laser is essentially free floating, cushioned only by a rubber washer in the head, this can cause problems in the print quality later if the lens doesn't settle flat; or if the lens wiggles due to vibration during cutting. The method i used to solve this was to make an ABS glue using acetone and small chunks of natural colored ABS feedstock  from my makerbot which resulted in a thin white glue.  Using three very small dabs around the perimeter of the lens  was more then enough to hold the lens in place.. and daily breaks away from both the metal and the glass lens when its time to replace them.
While its not mentioned anywhere.. the lens in the hobby laser is essentially free floating, cushioned only by a rubber washer in the head, this can cause problems in the print quality later if the lens doesn't settle flat; or if the lens wiggles due to vibration during cutting. The method i used to solve this was to make an ABS glue using acetone and small chunks of natural colored ABS feedstock  from my makerbot which resulted in a thin white glue.  Using three very small dabs around the perimeter of the lens  was more then enough to hold the lens in place.. and daily breaks away from both the metal and the glass lens when its time to replace them.




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= Changing The Laser Tube =
= Changing The Laser Tube =
On my 40-watt hobby laser, I noticed that the laser beam was losing power, and engravings that used to be darker were now very light to almost nonexistent at the same power settings. I also heard what sounded like electricity arcing (a buzzing sound) somewhere in the machine when I test-fired the laser, which, while being a vary bad thing, also indicated that power was not going through the tube, but bypassing it. (If you hear an arcing sound, do not press the test button anymore, because, if you haven't done it already, you will most likely fry the USB circuit board, among other things, which is exactly what I did.)
Rather than spend $300 on a 40-watt CO2 tube from the company, I bought the exact same tube on ebay from china for less than half the price. It arrived at my house in about a week or so.
To change the tube, I first unplugged the machine (make sure to do this) and carefully took off all of the cooling water hoses, noting exactly where they attached to the old tube. Next, I cut the wires connecting the machine to the old tube. After loosening the straps holding the tube to the machine, I lifted it out, and replaced it with the new tube, making sure not to touch the beam-emitting end of the tube. Next, I cleaned the terminals and stripped the wire-ends, so that fresh wire was exposed. Before twisting the wire around the terminals, I slipped a piece of silicone tubing over the wires, so that, after I attached the wires to the terminals, I would be able to pull the silicone tubing back over the exposed connections. Heat-shrink tubing will also work in a similar way.
NOTE: It may be necessary to connect the new tube outside of the machine, due to the lack of working room for one's hands inside.
There is more than one way to connect your terminal-ends to the wiring. The best way is to solder these connections. Soldered connections don't become weak with oxidation. The main problem is that the terminals are very thick, and difficult to heat up sufficiently with a soldering iron. There is also the possibility of overheating the terminal and cracking the glass tube, which would be no fun.
To solder the connections, you will need something that can really heat up the ends, so that the solder, with the help of some flux, will stick to the terminals and fuse to the wire, causing a bond. I went the quick and dirty way and wrapped my wires around the clean terminals, then pulled the heat-shrink tubing over them, which I then shrank with a lighter. After this, I pulled the silicone tubing over the heat-shrink tubing and temporarily taped the silicone tubing in place onto the laser-tube before filling the silicone tubing with 100% silicone caulk around the connection as an added insulator and as an adhesive. My goal was to keep the connections from oxidizing over time and to insulate them so that electricity didn't arc to the body of the machine when the current ran through the connections. After letting this dry, I re-attached the water tubes to the proper nipples, and tested my tube, which is still working fine, several months later.
There is some possibility that you will need to realign your beam. Before adjusting your mirrors, I recommend that you re-position your tube into the same place that the old one was before, which should line it up correctly with your mirrors, since they were already lined up with your old tube.


= Quality Testing Procedures =
= Quality Testing Procedures =
== Raster Speed and Alignment ==
== Raster Speed and Alignment ==
Raster engraving QR codes at full speed and low power into wood or cardboard can be used to test how well the head is positioning itself. To perform this test:
Raster engraving QR codes at full speed and low power into wood or cardboard can be used to test how well the head is positioning itself. To perform this test:
# download SVG file and print it using Inkscape
    1) download SVG file and print it using Inkscape
# print at a low enough power not to burn the test material, but enough to brown; but be sure to print at 100% speed.
    2) print at a low enough power not to burn the test material, but enough to brown; but be sure to print at 100% speed.
# check the alignment of the laser engraver by looking at the finished engraving along the edge's  a well aligned laser head will have perfectly straight lines along both dimensions;  
    3) check the alignment of the laser engraver by looking at the finished engraving along the edge's  a well aligned laser head will have perfectly straight lines along both dimension;  
# if you have any wobble, or wondering in the test pattern, adjust your X and Y belt tension, in general tighter is better
    4) if you have any wobble, or wondering in the test pattern, adjust your X and Y belt tension, in general tiger is better




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