No you cannot sketch any kind of metal unless its coated from the molecular level or having it coated individually. However there are some types of coatings (Thermark and Cermark) that you can use to coat the steel so that you will be able to use our laser machine to sketch any metal.

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I know you cant cut it but can you etch stainless steel with the laser?

Yes, I was intending to design a medium sized laser cutter and engraver but the project was put on hold. I will start the design in a few weeks (around mid Dec 2017).

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Do you think you would want a horizontal machine, or a slanted, more vertically oriented machine?

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For the work I plan to do, I would need a horizontal bed. I will be doing some work with cutting small pieces and can not afford to have any drop during a raster or another vector cut.

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Ok. Thanks.

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Can you design and sell a laser that is medium sized? The Black Tooth is too small and the XL is too big. I need about 36" x 24" cutting space minimum. 60x40 is ideal.

If you need a new laser controller for CO2, we can definitely supply one.

This is the laser controller that we sell: https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Laser-Component-Laser-Control-System

The laser controller works with a program called LaserCAD and is compatible with most typical file types.

The laser controller will work with any laser tube and laser tube power supply that requires 5V digital signals and PWM.

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can you supply a new board and a better software program for a CO2 laser cutter and engraver

We offer a laser/spindle Z-axis attachment for our 4x8 greenBull CNC. The blackFoot 4x8 does not have a large enough gantry to accommodate the 40W laser tube.

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We do sell the parts to convert your CNC milling machine to a laser, but you will need to develop the mounts that will hold all of the laser parts to the machine, if the machine was design and built by you.

We can offer guidance for this conversion.

The laser parts can be found here:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/LaserComponents.aspx

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I already built a 4 x 8ft carving machine, I would like to modify for laser cutting wood. Do you sell a conversion kit? I use Mach3 software and steppers. Thanks Ray

Currently our only location is in Katy, Texas at this current time, we can help you assemble the machine and if any issues occur we can always help you with the problems, but will have to be managed through email or phone (which ever is your preference).

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I live in China and my company would like to buy the 40w laser cutting machine. I am wondering if you can help us assemble and maintain the machine in China? Do you have any service point here? Thank you

Yes, if you wish to get help with a product that was not purchased at buildyourcnc.com, you can go to this link and purchase a token:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/sub-assemblies-Technical-support-token

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[541] I need some help, can I pay you for your time? I have a old Golden Laser has 2 co2 lasers 80 watts each, trying to put a new Ruida 6445G contorller in it.

If you would like to add a laser to a plasma table, you will need the following parts:

Laser tube at 40 watts:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Laser-Component-Laser-Tube-CO2-40Watt

Mirror mounts (this will depend on the way you mount the laser tube):
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Laser-Component-Mirror-Mount-20mm

Mirrors for the mirror mounts:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/Item/Laser-component-20mm-mirror-25mm

Laser Tube Power Supply:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Laser-Component-Power-Supply-CO2-40W

Laser Focus Lens:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/laser-component-20mm-lens-2-inch-50!80mm

Mirror and Lens Mount and Nozzle:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Laser-Component-Nozzle-20mm-lens-mirror

High Tension Extension Cable:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Laser-component-Power-Supply-High-Tension-extension-wire

Laser Control System:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Laser-Component-Laser-Control-System

Screw Posts (to connect the high tension and return wire to the laser tube, highly recommended as the leads on the laser tube are fragile):
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/laser-component-newbiehack-connectors-screw-terminal-binding-post

Safety Eyewear for CO2 laser wavelength:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/laser-components-goggles-safety-tinted

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I have an Eagle Plasma table and I want to add a 40 laser. Can you supply me a list of what I need to make this happen.

A CO2 laser will not be suitable for cutting steel. You would likely need a very powerful fiber laser to cut steel, and even then you have to take into consideration the reflective properties of steel which can pose danger to the machine.

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Trying to cut 24, and 26 G steel sheets in various shapes. Will CO2 laser be enough? And will it cause alot of heat in the product?

CO2 lasers at the wattage we offer will not cut steel. However, if you are considering adding a spindle to the laser, then you can use that to cut the steel (similar to our spindle/laser combo head.

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I have built a 100% self designed 3d printer, I now want to build a laser cutter Cnc, will your products cut steel?

The laser tube is a consumable item in all CO2 lasers, unless the laser tube can be recharged. My laser tubes will most likely work as long as the mouts are the same size. Let me know the mount diameter and the length of space for the tube in the Epilog Laser Cutter and Engraver and I will let you know.

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My Epilog Summit (3.3) only works from Windows Millenium and 98. Notconsistently from WXP, but sporadic raster and vector combined does happen. I can't get it to work right w XP through Harvard Draw, Corel,Image Folio, Stika, DrawMagic or anything else I have. But Millenium isOK except for the advanced mapping to colors function is very difficult.When it does rarely accept a graphic from my XP system from CorelDrawEssentials or 8.0, it will allow complete control for photo etching -speed, power and shade mapping. It is the same driver for both mysystems but the control panel page looks different in the 2 computers. The laser takes 45 seconds to initialize after power on. You can use a USB to Parallel adapter cable for your laptop or modern computer connection. The laser needs the old style printer connection. Test your laser by holding all 3 power/focus/speed buttons until homed. Close the lid. "Online" for lase, any other button for laser off. Should be an audible beep every few seconds while your laser is functioning. This is not a motion test -only laser firing.

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I have a 25 watt Epilog Summit Model 2000/25 laser engraver. I believe my tube is going bad due to limited vector cutting and no raster. Do you think there is a way to retrofit with your products to make it work well. Mirrors are new and mechanical is good. Thanks.

Cutting metals with a CO2 laser is nearly impossible with just the laser by itself, no matter what the power. The wavelength that a CO2 laser outputs is not best for cutting metals.

However, if you add oxygen as a cutting assist in the cutting process, metals can be cut, but we do not advise this as it is very dangerous.

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What metal sheets can I cut with the 80W laser? What thickness, alumium, steel? What about the 100 or 130W upgrades?

How did you test the laser tube? One of the two mirrors or the laser tube end may be damaged.

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[550] What could be wrong when the CO2 laser tube fires a beam inside but it doesn't go out of the tube?

Sure, come on by! You can come and see some of our machines in action; pose difficult questions and hopefully we can answer them; and even have some tests done with stuff you bring.

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I am in Houston. I will use this to make cabinets. Do you have a location I could see one in use cutting similar products?

To use a touch plate on any controller, all you need is a conductive flat material with a known thickness and some wire and alligator clips. Solder a wire to the touch plate and connect the other end of the wire to the free input terminal of the controller. Connect a wire with an alligator clip to the ground of the controller (on the Mach3 USB controller, this ground is the DCM terminal, or the digital gnd on the 24VDC power supply). Connect the alligator clip to the end mill.

You can either use a script to serve as the probe, or you can use the ref all home button and setup the touch plate as a home switch.

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I connect wire to cmd- and to in2. I cant getbit to work, what arecthe corresponding ports and pins to usenin mach3? Please help.

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[575] Can you tell me where to find a script (for Auto Tool Zero button) to zero Z axis from a touch plate?

Yes, we can supply the parts for a machine that will turn pipes so they can be cut as they are turning. Are you intending the machine to cut using a milling process, or a plasma process?

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I want to cut the ends of steel pipes circularly as preparation for welding by plasma cutter , can you supply small machine?

We have one in the works. It is a 4'x8' machine that will house the 80w laser tube on the gantry. The machine is bout 2 months out as of 1/7/2014.

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Do you have a larger kit for the Blacktooth Laser? I need a laser with at least 80watts of power.

That is a good question. We have not tried to weld thermoplastics using our CO2 Lasers. It is possible since the laser outputs a heat source and at the right intensity and speed, the thermoplastic can be heated and melted rather than instantaneously vaporized and off gassed. I have done research to see if CO2 laser can weld thermoplastics with positive results.

Our CO2 lasers are typical of other laser cutters on the market, so if their literature, or examples you have found, successfully weld thermoplastics, then ours will probably be able to as well.

In some cutting test with different speeds and intensities, the kerf has welded back together; however, this was caused by an unintentional process rather than an intentional one.

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Can a CO2 CNC laser machine be used for welding of thermoplastic materials?

We can supply all of the laser components, but you will need to determine how to mount the components.

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Alternatively, you can purchase our greenBull machine that has the laser/spindle combo head. You can see the laser/spindle head here: https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/cnc-machine-laser-spindle-combo-head

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Can you supply a "KIT" to convert my 4060Z CNC to a Laser Cutter? What is the difference capabilities between the 40Watt and 80Watt?

We can supply all of the laser components, but you will need to determine how to mount the components.

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Alternatively, you can purchase our greenBull machine that has the laser/spindle combo head. You can see the laser/spindle head here: https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/cnc-machine-laser-spindle-combo-head

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Can you supply a "KIT" to convert my 4060Z CNC to a Laser Cutter? What is the difference capabilities between the 40Watt and 80Watt?