Material Supplies

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bobg
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Re: Material Supplies - Depron

Post by bobg »

Hi I've just tried cutting 'Depron' on the laser and it seems OK. It is polystyrene based so I think is safe to laser?

Available in 2mm to 6mm thicknesses from Depron.co.uk it is foam-like but tougher and would be really useful for cutting out high releif letters etc. We're using to clad G-Scale model railway buildings after scribing brickwork into it. Now I can laser it this opens up many other possiblities.

Hope useful

Bob
LS3020 used for hobby - making model railway buildings/signals etc.
Daven
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by Daven »

Polystyrene is toxic Bob I would check with the suppliers on the best way to cut it. Fumes can be cancerous and gives of carbon monoxide as far as I know!

Dave
Using two LS3060's and an ex 3020 user
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
bobg
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by bobg »

Dave - thanks for that. Couldn't just see the list of 'OK' materials and wondered about polystyrene. Luckily I only cut a couple of small circles to try it so I'm still here to make a nuisance of myself!

Probably best deleted from this section of the forum then?

Bob
LS3020 used for hobby - making model railway buildings/signals etc.
Daven
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by Daven »

Hi Bob - I think it depends on the polystyrene and the filter/extraction you have. I won't delete the post as it serves as a warning to check with your material supplier and your extraction/filter system specs first.

Lets be careful out there guys ;-)

Best

Dave
Using two LS3060's and an ex 3020 user
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
bobg
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by bobg »

Hi Dave

I've had a good look on-line since my last post and there are lots of references to lasering polystyrene, mostly the hard stuff rather than the foamed. Most comments are about it not lasering very well and the edges rounding rather than noxious gases. I do have a good home-brewed extraction system to the outside through a hole in the house wall, uses the 3020 fan, a £70 in-line fan bought off e-bay, and a cooker hood (don't ask!). Very little smell in the room provided when I take material out of the machine I put it under the cooker hood for a few minutes until material has cooled and stoppped vapourising.

I suppose a good common-sense approach is 'if you can smell it then it's probably doing you harm'.

Bob

PS. Initally fitted cooker hood to extract fumes from airbrushing models.
LS3020 used for hobby - making model railway buildings/signals etc.
Daven
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by Daven »

bobg wrote: I suppose a good common-sense approach is 'if you can smell it then it's probably doing you harm'.
Apart from carbon monoxide which is odorless and tasteless and will certainly do you harm. ;)

Yeah the high impact stuff is ok as far as I know. The cooker hood is a good idea :-)

Best

Dave
Using two LS3060's and an ex 3020 user
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Spooky
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by Spooky »

And potassium cyanate, by the time you smell it you are already dying and unlikely to be retrievable ;)

best wishes

Dave
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
PhillyDee
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by PhillyDee »

What does it smelll like?
http://www.tmbelectronics.com - Electronics, tools, hobby tools, power tools, and much more!

An ex LS3020 user now playing with an LS6840PRO (60W) and an LS1290PRO (80W)
bobg
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by bobg »

I'm just off to the pet shop to buy a canary and a cage I can keep near the laser!

Bob
LS3020 used for hobby - making model railway buildings/signals etc.
Daven
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Re: Material Supplies

Post by Daven »

Get two Bob - one for the lighter than air gases, hang high and another for the heavy gases and put it on the floor :D

Phil potassium cyanate has no smell either ;-)

Dave
Using two LS3060's and an ex 3020 user
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
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