Darkly Labs emblaser - affordable laser cutter - review

[monkeysarefun]

Obvious question sorry , but is  it just that particular sheet, ie do you have other examples that you can now try in order to see if it is material or machine related? 

I'm asking cos the only ply I could initially get down here was hardware-shop quality  which was very variable - some bits were knife-thru-butter, then the next bit would be impossible to cut. I put it down to the patchiness/quality of the  adhesive used in the ply manufacture  and the lasers ability to cut through that. 

[Giles]

May I ask where you got the matetial from?

 

I regularly use 2mm laser grade MDF from hobarts with no problem,  but I bought somewhere of 1mm laser MDF from 4D model shop, and have never been able to cut it!

[nick_bastable]

The other thing I have noted is the weather always harder to cut etc on damp cold days (just a thought)

 

Nick B

[GWR57xx]

Thanks for the replies.

 

On 08/04/2021 at 00:00, monkeysarefun said:

Obvious question sorry , but is  it just that particular sheet, ie do you have other examples that you can now try in order to see if it is material or machine related? 

I'm asking cos the only ply I could initially get down here was hardware-shop quality  which was very variable - some bits were knife-thru-butter, then the next bit would be impossible to cut. I put it down to the patchiness/quality of the  adhesive used in the ply manufacture  and the lasers ability to cut through that. 

 

I only have the one sheet of this, bought to test before committing to buying lots.

My confusion is because it is the same sheet that initially cut very nicely at 100%, 5mm/s, 5 passes (almost through after 4).

These are my test cuts:

 

The painted walls came out of the four cut out squares top right (the individual bricks were the first test to determine the best settings for cutting). I was very pleased with these results, so went off to design a full wall panel. When I came to engrave and cut these pieces (left side) the engraving went well (100%, 6mm/s, 2 passes to give a deep mortar line to make painting easier), but cutting failed completely (100%, 5mm/s and gave up at 15 passes). 

 

It was nowhere near cutting through, as can be seen from the other side of the sheet:

 

I broke the two large panels trying to get them out, didn't bother with the others. 

 

I then spent several days taking the EB1 to bits, checking everything and finding nothing obviously wrong.

I drew up a focus helper tool and managed to break the dial part out, which was usable after cleaning the edges.

Proceeded to refocus the lens:

 

160gsm (0.2mm) card (this is just plonked down for the photo).

The lens was first focussed approximately by finding the smallest dot using the DL focus tool.

I started (bottom far right) trying to use the single straight line method that you used, but couldn't tell the difference between the results, so decided to cut a pentagon shape instead. If it falls out it's good, if it doesn't it's isn't (much easier for my eyes to tell the difference!). By turning the lens each way first 90, then 45, then 30, 15 and finally 5 degrees clockwise & anti-clockwise I could home in on the optimum point. I also increased the cutting speed as I got closer and they were all falling out. 100%, 10mm/s, 1 pass cut cleanly at best focus (yellow or white card of the same weight cut easier than this pink, blue not so well).

 

Going back to the ply with focus now optimised, I tried again but still unable to cut through after 20 passes when previously 5 passes had worked well.

 

Now very confused...

 

 

On 08/04/2021 at 08:24, Giles said:

May I ask where you got the matetial from?

 

I regularly use 2mm laser grade MDF from hobarts with no problem,  but I bought somewhere of 1mm laser MDF from 4D model shop, and have never been able to cut it!

 

Kitronik 2mm birch laser ply: 

https://kitronik.co.uk/collections/materials/products/3215-20mm-birch-laser-plywood-600mm-x-400mm-sheet

 

 

If at first I'd got the results I'm now getting with this ply, I would have given up and assumed the EB1 couldn't cut it.

But since my first attempts were so good I know there's nothing wrong with the material.

 

 

On 08/04/2021 at 09:20, nick_bastable said:

The other thing I have noted is the weather always harder to cut etc on damp cold days (just a thought)

 

Nick B

 

I'm cutting this indoors at the moment, so conditions were near enough identical, but good to know for the future when I think I'll be banished to the back yard. No smoke or flames, but it smells like someone's been striking matches all day!

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

Edited February 11 by GWR57xx
restore images

[GWR57xx]

PS: I've been avoiding using MDF because I've read that the fumes will fog the lens much quicker than paper, card, ply etc, and I don't relish the thought of trying to clean the lens given the dire warnings in the user manual.

[Simond]

On my CO2 laser, I cut lots of MDF, it makes horrid smoke which condenses on everything to leave an unpleasant sticky residue like oxidised oily coupling rods. 

 

Looks ok on a loco but needs cleaning off the lenses and mirrors of my laser.  And I have an ENORMOUS extract system.  So big it's ridiculous.  (but free...)

 

IPA cleans it ok.

 

atb

Simon

[GWR57xx]

36 minutes ago, Simond said:

On my CO2 laser, I cut lots of MDF, it makes horrid smoke which condenses on everything to leave an unpleasant sticky residue like oxidised oily coupling rods. 

 

Looks ok on a loco but needs cleaning off the lenses and mirrors of my laser.  And I have an ENORMOUS extract system.  So big it's ridiculous.  (but free...)

 

IPA cleans it ok.

 

atb

Simon

 

Thanks Simon, you've affirmed my choice to avoid MDF!

If I can return to whatever setup I had when this 2mm ply cut well, it is a nice material to work with and gives good results. Maybe a bit pricey compared to some alternatives, but so be it.

Cheers,

Peter

 

[Simond]

I’d certainly not cut MSF in the house, without a good extract system unless you want your house to look like an old chippy...

 

my laser is in the garage and I clean it every 5-10 hours of use, and I have the mother of all extract fans....

[Giles]

I have a hood over my Emblaser 1, with an in-line fan and flexible hose extracting through what was an air-brick. With that running I do get a smell but not much more - certainly nothing to create dust etc.... running it without any extraction would certainly leave a film of dust over everything - but not the lens.... I never have to clean the lens. In the very early days I did try making an enclosure from a plastic box, and everything inside got filthy - including the lens! (The laser is in the house..... I get away with it....)

 

 

 

With an enclosure you need a lot of airflow to prevent any dust from being recirculated - which I think has always been a problem with the E2.

[Simond]

Mine doesn’t make dust, just smoke!

[Giles]

Yeah - but you've got a proper one!  

[Simond]

[monkeysarefun]

I have a large covered outside area and the weather that allows year round outdoor use. The only issues are high winds - great for fume extraction but a bu99er for  blowing all the tiny laser cut bits off and away as soon as  they are cut out!

Edited April 8, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Giles]

I've had a phone call from Joanne at Trotec UK, who has been really nice and helpful throughout.  She has had a response from Austria (the factory who actually manufacture the ADA stuff) .

 

They have tested it and pronounced it fine - on CO2 lasers - which is what they are now saying it is intended for, and that I was 'lucky'  that earlier batches worked with a diode laser. Joanne was rather embarrassed at having to deliver this message. There is no intention to make anything suitable for the diode laser. 

 

This means that Trotec is 'out' for the likes of us, which is a great shame, as I used it more than any other material - even down to axles for vehicles. It may be that Rowmark do something we can use, I shall try to look into it, but I'm rather knackered.

 

Do please pass the word to interested parties.

 

Best

 

Giles

[nick_bastable]

1 hour ago, Giles said:

I've had a phone call from Joanne at Trotec UK, who has been really nice and helpful throughout.  She has had a response from Austria (the factory who actually manufacture the ADA stuff) .

 

They have tested it and pronounced it fine - on CO2 lasers - which is what they are now saying it is intended for, and that I was 'lucky'  that earlier batches worked with a diode laser. Joanne was rather embarrassed at having to deliver this message. There is no intention to make anything suitable for the diode laser. 

 

This means that Trotec is 'out' for the likes of us, which is a great shame, as I used it more than any other material - even down to axles for vehicles. It may be that Rowmark do something we can use, I shall try to look into it, but I'm rather knackered.

 

Do please pass the word to interested parties.

 

Best

 

Giles

did your thoughts rhyme  with rowlocks ?

[Greengiant]

Very frustrating Giles.

I am off to Hobart’s tomorrow to pick up some batches of a new material to them called PolyBak, it is a resin impregnated laserboard coming in 0.9mm and 0.6mm thicknesses. Will let you know how it cuts and performs.

PolyBak

 

Martin

[NinOz]

On 08/04/2021 at 09:00, monkeysarefun said:

I'm asking cos the only ply I could initially get down here was hardware-shop quality  which was very variable

https://plyco.com.au/pages/laser-cut-plywood-collection

https://koenigmachinery.com.au/collections/all

https://www.naturallycraft.com.au/products/finnish-birch-laser-plywood

https://www.engraving-supplies.com.au/

[Greengiant]

Finally had a chance to have a play with some PolyBak, early trials look promising.

It is not super smooth like MDF but has a texture only detectable by touch, rather like some heavy weight cards.

I bought a batch of 0.6 mm and 0.9 mm thick and did some very rough timings on cuts.

 

The first was the 0.9 mm which I ran at 2.5 mm/sec, 2 passes, 100% power, 0.45 mm Z-axis drop. I did try 3 mm/sec but the parts needed a gentle push to pop them out.

 

 

The second was the 0.6 mm which I ran at 4 mm/sec, 1 pass, 100% power, 0.3 mm Z-axis drop, the cut dropped out. I did try 5 mm/sec and the parts needed a gentle push to release them.

 

 

I am yet to try gluing and painting but I think this material shows great promise, particularly useful for stock bodies made up from various overlays.

 

Martin

PS No idea what is going on with the forum software it keeps uploading one photo twice!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by Greengiant

[Giles]

interesting..... is it a fibre based material?

 

on a slightly different note, I've tried shoving Trotec through the Stepcraft, which deals with it very well at 30mm/sec. The two drawbacks are: 0,8mm cutter is the smallest I can go; and the double sided I use for holding materials down on the Stepcraft is rather savage, and I'll have to find something a bit gentler. Sorry - three things..... If I want to engrave, I'll need to change the cutter, which is a pain.......

[Greengiant]

2 hours ago, Giles said:

interesting..... is it a fibre based material?

 

on a slightly different note, I've tried shoving Trotec through the Stepcraft, which deals with it very well at 30mm/sec. The two drawbacks are: 0,8mm cutter is the smallest I can go; and the double sided I use for holding materials down on the Stepcraft is rather savage, and I'll have to find something a bit gentler. Sorry - three things..... If I want to engrave, I'll need to change the cutter, which is a pain.......

 

It is a resin impregnated fibre board, I believe very similar to laserboard.

I have some wagon containers to make for the crane, I think this might be ideal for the slimmer framework.

Be interesting to see how it behaves when laminated together.

As a sheet it is quite flexible, but once cut into small pieces seems quite firm, rather like a thin MDF.

Sounds like you are able to make use of the Trotec.

 

Martin

Edited April 29, 2021 by Greengiant

[flubrush]

My Emblaser 1 has stopped working.  Well the mechanics are fine and the laser diode is working but I have lost program control of the laser.  If I press the laser button to set the laser on for cutting,  the laser diode comes on at what looks like full power but the light by the button doesn't blink after a second and doesn't stay on when the button is released.  

 

I've tried a message to the Darkly Labs forum but I'm not holding out much hope since there hasn't been any traffic on the E1 forum for a year or so.   I've looked at their spares but there is nothing for the PCB where I suspect that the problem is.   Anyone heard of anyone else with a similar problem?

 

I've started having a look round the web to see if there are any GRBL/Arduino bits which might be a substitute - maybe. :-)   I don't really want to wtite of a piece of gear that's just over four years old.

 

Jim.

[GWR57xx]

Try an email to support@darklylabs.com, they are very helpful and sorted out my E1 issue recently.

[JCL]

Completely agree with @GWR57xx, I've had to use them a couple of times over the years and their support has been first class.

[Greengiant]

As has been said, email their support team,  they are very active. Their tech support guy Lliam is also a regular on the ‘Emblaser 2 laser group’ Facebook page, which also covers the Core and E1 and eventually the new E3.

 

Martin

[flubrush]

Emailed support last night and got a response from Liam this morning.  He pointed out a possible cause and he was right. :-)   I haven't been using the Emblaser for almost two years for a lot of reasons and I had forgotten a few things to check out.  In this case it was the laser cover which had been displaced slightly to open the safety micro switch.   Re-seating the cover has got everything back working.  I suspect that the cover had caught on one of the cutout sections on the last job and got displaced slightly.  I was cutting 0.8mm ply which does warp and I suspect that one of the cutout parts had popped up enough to hit the guard.

 

Just to put a bit of content in the thread,  The work I was doing was some test cuts to prove the construction of a large warehouse for an N scale layout.  The prototype is the B&O warehouse at Camden yards in Baltimore.

 

The prototype :-

 

 

...and a closer look at the detail :-

 

Here are the first test cuts to prove that I could make the building from sections between window centre lines :-

 

 

...and the lot stuck together :-

 

 

The bricks are a bit overscale for N.  With my laser kerf being a natz under 0.2mm it made the mortar lines look oversize with a scale sized brick.  So I upped the brick to an approximate scale 12" x 5" x 4" and it looks not too bad on a large building and the 5" depth is a fair match for the 0.8mm ply for doing interlocked corners.

 

The bricks are etched at  one pass at 10mm/sec at 10% power.   However I draw my bricks as rectangles and etch round each rectangle so each mortar line finishes up getting two passes and these settings give a fair relief depth.  I've yet to experiment with how I'm going to paint the thing,  so I might vary the etch depth.

 

Cutting out is done with eight passes at 95% power at 15mm/sec. and that cuts through cleanly.  Seven passes is not quite enough.

 

I have to confess I didn't clean the lens after the machine was lying dormant for almost two years,  so pass counts and speeds might vary when I actually get round to a bit of cleaning. :-)

 

Jim.

Edited July 12, 2021 by flubrush