Mount a laser on a mill?

Hello, I have been trying to search the net for the answer to this but so far I haven't seemed to find it. I am in need of a very cheap laser engraving setup that can engrave fiberglass. I've been looking around Ebay, etc and I've seen some cheap lasers like the Neje($100) that mark wood fine but I'm not seeing them mark fiberglass. I came across another machine in the $400 range that says it can even lightly engrave metal which would be superb since sometimes I need to mark metal too and right now I'm using an electrolytic/acid process.

Well with buying cheap you get what you pay for so I assume the longevity wouldn't be good. I own a Taig cnc and I was wondering if I can mount a laser to it. I figure this would eliminate a lot of the parts that might fail, and I'd just have to worry about the laser head itself. By not buying the full machine and just the head I could spend the extra on a slightly stronger laser.

When I search for people doing this I keep coming up with people saying its not feasible because of the need to place mirrors, etc. I'm guessing that maybe the laser they wish to mount is a more powerful(CO2?) version than what I am interested in because the cheap Chinese engravers I am seeing don't have much in the way of visible mirrors.

I do not need to cut material, nor do deep marks on metals. I simply need to be able to mark fiberglass, and wood...and if possible lightly mark steel...but thats not essential, just a bonus.

Are these lower powered laser heads a different animal that wouldn't be hard to mount on a cnc mill?

Thank you for any info you can provide!

No $400 laser diode or even a $1000 one will engrave metal. I had one and it was a waste of time. It was rated at 5 watts and I was running at 4. Had nearly $500 or more invested. Do not believe the hype on eBay or from Chinese venders here. Its great at wood and paper.

So how big is the piece you need to engrave?

I have two machines right now, the Ray Fine fiber could do the job but it was over $5000. The co2 might, maybe do fiberglass for you, and it can mark metal with Cermark coating first. The LightObject 40 watt co2 was about $3k and its a first class machine. Yes, the co2 lasers have mirrors and a water cooled glass tube.

IF you want to explore the options of mounting a 3 watt diode laser to your mill then take a look at what JTech has to offer... but again no metal engraving except to burn the anodizing off aluminum. The diode machine add on will run so s l o w you can take a nap running a job.

[QUOTE=. I own a Taig cnc and I was wondering if I can mount a laser to it. I figure this would eliminate a lot of the parts that might fail, and I'd just have to worry about the laser head itself. By not buying the full machine and just the head I could spend the extra on a slightly stronger laser.

...

I do not need to cut material, nor do deep marks on metals. I simply need to be able to mark fiberglass, and wood...and if possible lightly mark steel...but thats not essential, just a bonus.
Are these lower powered laser heads a different animal that wouldn't be hard to mount on a cnc mill?
Thank you for any info you can provide![/QUOTE]

i have a 2w 454nm diode laser on my taig.
see how it does on some things here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...S4OuAg5pRmRXEF

If I were you guys, I will not tangle around with this kind of laser! It is very dangerous due to the unique wavelength spectrum that a beam reflection may burn your retina without proper google wearing!
The blue or the green laser is synthesized by applying an infrared 808nm laser beam through a crystal. The 808nm is nasty and we shouldn't touch it at all. It could ended up losing your eyesight or damage to some extend.
Unless you have it installed in enclosed system, otherwise stay away!

Marco
LightObject.com

well... speedy- let me correct you on ... everything...
this is a 445nm blue laser diode.
it is essentially monochromatic- it has no spectrum
it is not synthesized by a crystal
there is no 808nm light anywhere in it.

the only thing you said that has any truth is this:
you can burn your retina with any high power laser.

It may not be 'true blue' but closed to UV. But the green laser is coming out from 808nm though thats what the manufacturer in China told me about it.
I did find an article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_laser
May be I was wrong but again, I won't play with green laser or blue laser unless necessary.

Attachment 371922

https://sites.google.com/site/dtrlpf...45-m140-didoes

next time cite your source so you don't have to make apologies for publishing misinformation - attribute.

No big deal to make an apology when made a mistake. And it is a good altitude and no shame to admit a mistake. We are all human and we made mistake. :stickpoke

admitting and correcting is how one earns a big S tattooed on one's chest and it stands for 'sapiens'.

I think you didn't get the point of my post. What most important I tried to bring up was that using green laser and blue is dangerous without caution. To know where the blue or green came from is secondary in that matter. May be my info was not totally right, but the dangerous of using green and blue laser is insisted. You can keep playing with your blue laser and have fun and I have no objection. But the way of showing blue laser in the video without telling the risk is irresponsible.

in other news - you can burn yourself on the stove...

Stove doesn't need FDA approval but a laser does! LoL
Stove doesn't burn you if you don't touch it but laser burn you even you just look at it
Stove burned is recoverable but retina burned is permanent.
Stove is considered legal to be used in open public area but I dare you not to fire up your 2W laser in the public (nigh time), or you will be handcuff in 10min by the police! LoL

Anyone trying to import laser pointer need FDA clearance.
Any laser over 5mW is not allowed to use in the public without FDA certification.
If I am ring (sorry by assuming), the laser power you have was purchased on eBay, right?
FYI, those seller declared the laser as a "Flashlight" to pass US Custom, otherwise it was illegal to send laser pointer without FDA access code. If I'm wrong, mind to share with us where did you get your 2W laser?

If you want to know better, please go to FDA official website to do some research

I have done enough chat here. I don't want to 'kidnap' this post for the unnecessary out of subject discussion. Have a great day!

The blue light laser is much more dangerous than a standard co2 machine, When I had mine I had two pair of safety glasses available and a shields to go around the machine. Same holds true to my fiber laser, both can damage eyes from the reflected beam.
Go here for some real world warnings and help on your blue diode laser > https://jtechphotonics.com/

Duplicate

been there. there are better sources of information, I think - for example:
Wavelength Optimization in Femtosecond Laser Corneal Surgery | IOVS | ARVO Journals
you will notice that the transmittance of 445nm light thru the cornea is somewhat less than it is for 808nm IR.
Attachment 371932
there are many more scholarly articles that demonstrate the same thing.
you are invited to present any data to substantiate your assertion.

i do note that jtech sells a variety of 445nm lasers. man are those prices high!!!!!
https://jtechphotonics.com/?product=...-power-adapter

gcz I do not know why your posting all this. The question was are blue light diode lasers dangerous, and they are, can they be used on a milling machine, yes they can. So l guess subject has been covered. Jtech sells quality, if you don't need that then don't buy. This is my last post on this subject..

yeah, that's a tough one, isn't it? why would anybody reply to a comment?
but now you're just being mendacious.
there was no question of whether any laser can cause damage (it's what they do, right?) - but let me just quote you:
"The blue light laser is much more dangerous than a standard co2 machine,"
lying is bad, mmk?
nor was there any remark about jtech quality; only about price. this is not a matter of opinion and i will happily post a list of much cheaper alternatives if you insist.
can i drop the mic now? you've been enough of a nuisance, don't ya think?