IR Laser (from cd_burner) CNC

[advthinker]

? can you improve the cut, or is it just because the plastic melting that makes it look jagged.

[Fredasp]

@advthinker yes, I can improve it. The main cause of it, is the mechanical part. I´m doing a new CNC and this (d)effect will desapear.

[KeithWasHere1]

laser seems alittle out of wack,lines arent exactly straight...what are you uisng to power the laser with?

[Fredasp]

@KeithWasHere1 I´m using a LM317 (aka DDL Laser Drive - google it) Very simple and easy to do and use.

[j5themrbravo]

what kind of cd burner did u use? ive searched half the world looking for a ir cd burner

[Fredasp]

@j5themrbravo Any DVD/CD burner have those powerfull lasers. The CD burner use IR and DVD use red diodes. As I could see, the IR are more strong than Red in some cases...

[SettimaLegione]

Question: for CNC purpouses is OK to keep the entire head (laser+lens) "as is"?

The lens is magnetically driven, but if you remove the head form the CD unit, it stands in "released" position... what is the focus distance, then?

[Fredasp]

@SettimaLegione In fact, I never tried turn on the laser with the entire stuff around - I

always taked off the diode, but i belive that is possible to do what you

propose.

What I did, was put the `end lens` near as possible to the laser diode and

manually find the focus. Tip of the day: There are diferent focus distance

for each `end lens`. Some lens have 1mm, other like this in the video,

much more - and is better to watch the job. =]

[SettimaLegione]

@Fredasp Thanks. I have a CNC but never sperimented with laser.

Search for video "laser diode burns Foxracing logo on wood"... This guy used a collimated lens grabbed from a laser pointer. Follow the link to his homepage and look the works on round surfaces (the cellphone, for example)

Interesting, isnt it?

[Fredasp]

@SettimaLegione. Yes! I saw that video and it's very good too! Will you try to put laser in your CNC? Please.. do a video and post as `response` here... I bought a pendrive and I wrote my name with it. The hell was to do it for each friend after they saw mine! lol

[SettimaLegione]

@Fredasp: I'm studing how to do. Focused solution (like you are doing) probably works well only on plane surfaces... There is the advantage its safe for eyes (because laser it's out of focus after short distances)

By the way: does infrared laser cut white paper? Probably not... What if a black contour is previously printed?

[Fredasp]

@SettimaLegione My advice is: take off everything and reassemble again in a simplest way. You will need only the Laser Diode and the focus lens. Don´t waste your time in entire system.

[matstermind]

was it a standard laser? i pulled one out and it had 12 pins.

[Fredasp]

@matstermind Yes. It was. 12 pins??? Normaly it have 3 pins... Where did you get that?

[matstermind]

@Fredasp out of a 32,24,32 burner, it's weird. i don't know what pins to connect!

[lavawolf666]

what is thes software that u use

[matstermind]

k thanks

[matstermind]

what speed CD drive did you use?

[Fredasp]

@matstermind I don´t know exactly, but actualy, any CD burner will have a "powefull" IR laser. I measured this laser last month, and this in the video, archived 100 mw.

[Fredasp]

@matstermind I'm not sure, something about 32x... anyone today will do the job easily.

[LazorLad]

hey very nice im going to but a 1 watt laser on a cnc machine ill upload a vid

[Fredasp]

@LazorLad Please, don´t forget to send-me the video´s link! I´m doing a better CNC... and I will do better things... Good luck dude!

[LazorLad]

@Fredasp thanks i'm just accumulating the parts right now and we need a new cable for the cnc... how did you program that thing?

[terorvlad]

what is more powerfull ? cd burner or dvd burner ?

[Fredasp]

The black plastic seems absorb more IR (cd) than red (DVD). To burn, I prefer the IR, but to have fun with light, I use the DVD Laser.

To know which is more powerful, you must have a meter, and I don´t have one to answer you with precision.

[hammarbyar]

@terorvlad  dvd

[Fredasp]

@terorvlad I had the oportunity to measure my lasers and what I got: red 18mW and (this) IR - belive: 100mw - so, answering you again: IR is more porwerfull!

[mapleguy1029384756]

So were you wearing special IR blocking goggles?

[Fredasp]

@mapleguy1029384756 I´m not wearing special IR, and it isn´t a good way to work. My eyes now are more sensitive to IR than when I started to play with. Damn!

[nosiriwonthaveapples]

What is it connected to. Its apparently not hand held

[msilveirabr]

Hi, looks like the CD diode is more powerful than the DVD diode?? Is it possible to cut through acrylic?

[Fredasp]

Hi! In some cases, yes, the IR diode is more powerfull, but it´s not a rule. No, isn´t possible, you will need much more wattage. =]

[msilveirabr]

Hi, thanks for the quick response :)

Huh... Sorry, I didn't mean cut, but engrave (melt) like in this video... have you tried this with acrylic (such as CD cases) or any other non-black material? I'm still in the process of learning about optics/lasers. I got mad when I couldn't melt polystyrene (isopor)!

[msilveirabr]

Hi Fred, thanks for the quick reply. I meant melt/burn, not cut; sorry. I mean... have you tried this with translucent/non-black material? I got mad when I tried the DVD diode with polystyrene (isopor) and it didn't burn!

[Fredasp]

Agora q reparei q vc é brasileiro tb!

Bem, esses lasers (infra ou vermelho) são forte sim, mas nao o bastante para fazer mais do que está no video aí. isso pq o material é preto (logo absorve quase q 100% da energia) e derrete. Em materiais claros, muita da energia é refletida. Por exemplo, tente usar uma lupa no sol com isopor branco e outro preto (pintado serve). abraços!

[Lokivoid]

For cutting anything (effectively ie clean cuts not melting into the surface) you would need a much higher wattage. I would say minium a 30w co2 laser. If really wanna get into lasers check ebay for tubes and powersupplys, you will allso need good water pump and radiator.

[Fredasp]

Maybe IR can be more efficient in black plastics than red, so, in some cases yes, it can be more powerfull (note a rule). No is impossible this cd/dvd diodes cut acrylics. you will need more watts.

[Pulli88]

nice but it makes weird noises

[hostilityy]

why can they burn into this but they dont burn marks into the cd in in cd player ??

[Fredasp]

It marks CD too... take a new CD or DVD, and burn less data that it can archive and you will see the part burned. The lightscribe do the same, but at a special ink, more sensible. If you would like burn CD like this black tape, you will need a more powerfull laser! =]

[legomaniac150]

What type of metal are you engraving in this video?

[stuntboyNRG500]

can you send me picture or link where is this sceme i have both dvd burner diode and cd burner,lm317 too.?

[Fredasp]

You can find all information about it here in comments. I already told about it =]

[PoppinCheese]

what if you use 9 volts for it? is it too much?

[AlienRelics]

It isn't the voltage, it is the current. Since he's using an LM317 wired up as a current regulator, changing the input voltage should not change the drive current, within limits.

[Fredasp]

Notice that 9 Volts bateries holds feels Amps (200 mA +/-) than others bateries like AA NiMH or LiPo (1500 mA .. )

And you will lost a good charge in heat, ´cause the diode needs only 2/2.5 volts.

[AClarke2007]

`Soon turns black once the Lazers on it!

[dwayne515]

wats the output wattage of ur laser?

[damnfoile]

hey i'v seen the coments on this page and i gues i have enough information to build myself one but the only thing i'm missing is the voltage you put on this diode can you help me with that?

[Fredasp]

Hi. The ideal voltage to apply at the drive, is 7.2 Volts. The diode 'gets' some about 2.5 volts.

Good luck guy!

[cseedf5]

where the hell did you get an ir laser from i thought cd burners used red laser diodes

[EuGenX55]

no dvd burner uses red lasers

cd burner uses IR lasers

[kierovnick]

I have just took my lite-on cd burner apart and there was a red diode.

Now i am looking for the right magnyfying glass

[Termi87ITA]

Another question: what is the wavelenght of CD burners laser diodes?

[Termi87ITA]

But this laser burns only dark objects, right?

The near-visble wavelenght of CD burners laser diode is reflected by white objects like paper, i suppose.

[CHLORODOSTAPIK]

SO you used a laser from a CD-BURNING-ROM and not the laser from a DVD-BURNING -ROM right?

[ideegeniali]

Why do you raise and lower the laser head? Simply switching on and off doesn't work?

[skierplaterandy]

it looks like an ingraving machine fitted with a lazer. the origonal machene would have a spinning head that needs raised above the work. the spinning action replaced with lazer action cuts it.

[Fredasp]

skierplaterandy is right. It was a simple test. I will do a drive to do what u said. :D

Tnks skierplaterandy.

[ideegeniali]

Do you rise the head out-of-focus so that it stops burning without being switching off?

Or just too lazi to modify the toolpath, and kept the up-down movements even if they're not needed for a laser?

Do you have to focus on surface or not?

[Fredasp]

Yes. I have to focus on surface. This focus is set at the lower place of 'Z' axis.

I switching on and of manualy for a while.

I can use the information of 'go up' and 'go down' of Z axis to switch the laser.

[ideegeniali]

Yes, you may use a post-processor to add M commands for the laser. Or put a mechanical switch on the machine wich will switch the laser according to Z movements. Or just keep the laser on, if it doesn't burn surface when out-of-focus. Thanks for your answer.

[vanepico]

i took an old cd rom drive apart to do some testing, i have found the laser, it has a circle of contacts soldered to the board, are two of them power contacts?

[Fredasp]

This kind of power laser, you only find at DVD RW above 8x. CD RW = IR Laser (dangerous, as u can´t see it) and DVD RW = Red Laser (Dangerous if u point to your eyes anyway.

[vanepico]

if your stupid enough to shine a laser into your or someone elses eye you don't deserve site :)

[Fredasp]

LOL. Funny but is true!

[cruddiestcrudever]

Someone pointed a laser at my eye once at school, luckily there was 2 pieces of glass between me and him, and boy did he get told afterwards :)

[avraham1]

this is the only post that made me laugh SO hard that i almost fainted

[damagestar19]

iR Cd Burner is only for proffisi

[UMFhardy7rule]

i have 32x dvd burner diode 2 batterys and lm317 what next?

[UMFhardy7rule]

please can you help me again i have lm317 and dvd burner laser what i do next please say!!!

[teslatrooper85]

try searching google. If you can't even look for a suitable laser driver, then this might be too dangerous for you

[UMFhardy7rule]

what i have to put between the laser and diode?are some controls?

[UMFhardy7rule]

does cd burner really burns plastic??

[UMFhardy7rule]

hi do you know why my cd burner diode goes hot what ever with 9v batteri and my homemade 3v batteri??

[Fredasp]

Every Diode Light Emiter is current dependent. Those LEDs will take the volts that they needs. But the current most be controled. Do u use some kind of current control like LM317 ? In this video, i´m using the lm317 and drive the cd burner diode at 120 mA.

More than this, and it´ll be very hot and burns itself.

Never put batteries directly on your diodes!

[UMFhardy7rule]

does cd burner diode work???

[Fredasp]

Yes. But be carefull... is very dangerous!

[DXm8]

hi could you pm me and tell me how you got this cnc plotter?

[OzOnisatOr]

did you really used a CD burner laserdiode ?

and i think u used the whole optics of a CD burner , because that focus point is really small !

i hope i can manage to get my lasers to burn currently i burned the diodes , those have een from a crappy old cd burner, and i cranced upt the current too much (i use a lm317 current regulator)

[Fredasp]

Hi!

I used only the last lens (focus the beam to burn CD/DVD). That lens concetrate all power in a small point.

A DVD diode is much more powerfull, so i´m wait to get onde to test.

I´ve burned 2 DVD before this overloading current too.

When u setup a new diode to burn, post a video and show me ok? Cya!

[OzOnisatOr]

i managed to get a perfect laser diode housing with a really fine adjustable lens and i hope i can get a really small beam with a small divergence

and my dad hast a broken plotter (motor burned...) and i think i can replace the motors wiht modern stepper motors (those have been common brushed motors with position sensors xD)

so i might be able to produce some really cool pics like your CNC

[Facudejota]

On what materials are the machine engraving??

Where can i find information for the laser system. I am building a cnc but I don't know how can i do to make the laser head and how can manage this.

Greetings

[Fredasp]

Hi! The material is a black (obviously) platic. It´s hard or impossible engravig in diferent material. It isn´t soooo powerfull, but do somethig to start.

I use the LM317 as current constant source to drive the diode.

To turn-on/off I´ll use a relay, but now, I do it by myself as u can see some times.

[Fredasp]

It´s a black plastic. This laser is POORwefull lol

U need a powerfull laser (CO2) to cut metals.