> On Aug 27, 2024, at 2:37 AM, Adrian Godwin <[email protected]> wrote: > > You can only cut the acrylic with a laser cutter because the material is > somewhat opaque to the laser light. It absorbs it and is melted. If the > material were as clear to IR as it is to visible light, it would be very hard > to cut because the light would pass right through without giving up any > energy to the plastic.
I have one quibble with your highly informative posts. Acrylic doesn't melt, it burns just like wood. There are other materials that you might call "plastic" that do melt and are tricky to impossible to cut using any wavelength. Many of them also give off toxic chemicals and can catch on fire. Here are some lists of what you can and cannot burn: https://makermade.com/blogs/resource-articles/laser-cutting-engraving-materials-list <https://makermade.com/blogs/resource-articles/laser-cutting-engraving-materials-list> https://www.troteclaser.com/en-us/learn-support/faqs/unsuitable-materials-laser-processing <https://www.troteclaser.com/en-us/learn-support/faqs/unsuitable-materials-laser-processing> Avoid PVC like the plague. The chlorine with damage not only your lungs but also machine parts and the copper traces on the PC board. Titanium Dioxide melts. It's extremely white but absorbs the light anyway—somehow. On ceramic bathroom tile it turns black and fuzes into the glaze permanently. If you have a laser engraver and run the exhaust outside be sure to put the business end up high. You don't want the neighbors to call the FD every time you burn something. Terry Bowman, KA4HJH "The Mac Doctor" https://www.astarcloseup.com Edward R. Murrow: “Who owns the patent on this vaccine?” Dr. Jonas Salk: “Well, the people, I would say. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?”—See It Now, 12 April 1955 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/1DF5B2FD-E6F7-42C6-81C1-B1CB9AED84F1%40gmail.com.
