1. Stupid Things

    Tue 16 July 2024: Laser

    You can press the laser button on the control panel to turn the laser on and then press the direction buttons. This lets you cut straight lines, like when the laser doesn't want to cut for some reason, but it engraved something that you like.

    You need to lift up …

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  2. Thank you Eryck

    How to engrave a picture

    'Engrave only support 2-bit bitmap'

    Filled the transparent area with white.

    Converted to Greyscale than back to RGB

    Saved as JPG

    Try: Optix by Plaskolite, INC Extruded Acrylic maybe 1/8"? Engrave 300x22 Cut 30x80

    Engrave not very distinctive. Cut did not work-did two more …

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  3. Shop Boxes

    In the Global Connections lab at NASA Ames research center we used these yellow shelf bins.

    And I adopted that as my personal standard.

    yellow shelf bins

    But not everyone likes them. Christine rightly points out that it is basically impossible to keep them clean.

    My friend Tom Yoder made these great shop …

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  4. Costs

    How much have I spent?

    6/25/2024 $1,000 Cash for the laser 7/14/2024 $92.94 Mendo Mill Electric and distilled water 7/14/2024 $33.66 Amazon Power splitter and outlet cover

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  5. First Light!

    cover image

    First Light!

    first hole!

    I went to the lodge to keep Sweetie company, and things went late, but we got home and I went back to the shop. And I fiddled and faddled and I had success!

    The first hole cut by the laser...by pushing 'laser' on the control pad.

    Laser Love and Beer

    First …

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  6. Setup and Operation

    Sun 14 July 2024: Laser

    Setup

    • Run 220 power for Laser, Chiller, and air compressor
    • Set up chiller. I believe, and YouTube agrees, that input goes to laser output, and output goes to laser input, emergency wire to laser, connect to power.
    • Air compressor connect to laser
    • connect laser ground wire
    • Setup up computer, connect …
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  7. Tightening the 220 connection

    Sun 14 July 2024: Laser

    I got a splitter for the dryer outlet, so I can use the same outlet for the laser and the dryer. I can probably use them both at the same time. That outlet is provisioned for a lot of power!

    I made my 220 to normal outlet pigtail, because the …

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