[zhouxiaohua]

Hi all
I just got my 150w co2 laser two weeks ago, had a few tries, it seems not enough power to cut 3/4" plywood. I was told by the seller it can cut up to 3/4" wood and almost 1/8" thick steel, but it can only burn the surface of the plywood and nothing happen to the steel. Has anyone ever used it to cut plywood and steel with similar laser tube? Btw, I set the power almost to max and speed very slow, still not getting good result. does anyone has any idea? Does it has anything to do with amount of air that it add in? If i double the amount of the air will it help to increase the power? also, a stupid question, the air pump for the machine, is it CO2 or O2(oxygen)? the seller said it can cut 2mm thick steel with oxygen, so I am confused about what he gave me. Any experience sharing or suggestion will be appreciated.

[Rolf_K]

From what I learned in the past six months preparing for my new laser hobby, plywood is much harder to cut then wood because of all the adhesive. I am pretty sure that air stream is there so that the smoke does not impede the laser beam. How does it cut quarter-inch and half inch plain wood?
Seems like the seller suggest that you can cut steel by adding oxygen, imitating a plasma cutter, I have never seen anybody even suggesting this. I think the steel had to be heated red-hot before the oxygen is introduced to have any burning of the steel. I can only imagine this happening if the laser XY motion is not moving for several seconds at the beginning of the cut.

Hi all
I just got my 150w co2 laser two weeks ago, had a few tries, it seems not enough power to cut 3/4" plywood. I was told by the seller it can cut up to 3/4" wood and almost 1/8" thick steel, but it can only burn the surface of the plywood and nothing happen to the steel. Has anyone ever used it to cut plywood and steel with similar laser tube? Btw, I set the power almost to max and speed very slow, still not getting good result. does anyone has any idea? Does it has anything to do with amount of air that it add in? If i double the amount of the air will it help to increase the power? also, a stupid question, the air pump for the machine, is it CO2 or O2(oxygen)? the seller said it can cut 2mm thick steel with oxygen, so I am confused about what he gave me. Any experience sharing or suggestion will be appreciated.

[jimcolt]

Industrial C02 lasers that are designed to cut steel would use about 1.5 killowatts to cut gauge to 1/4" steel with reasonable cut speeds. 3 kW is good to about 3/8", you need 5 to 6 kW for 3/4" steel productive cutting. A 1.5 kW complete (with cnc machine, fume controls, ready to cut) will start at about $350k.

Jim Colt

Hi all
I just got my 150w co2 laser two weeks ago, had a few tries, it seems not enough power to cut 3/4" plywood. I was told by the seller it can cut up to 3/4" wood and almost 1/8" thick steel, but it can only burn the surface of the plywood and nothing happen to the steel. Has anyone ever used it to cut plywood and steel with similar laser tube? Btw, I set the power almost to max and speed very slow, still not getting good result. does anyone has any idea? Does it has anything to do with amount of air that it add in? If i double the amount of the air will it help to increase the power? also, a stupid question, the air pump for the machine, is it CO2 or O2(oxygen)? the seller said it can cut 2mm thick steel with oxygen, so I am confused about what he gave me. Any experience sharing or suggestion will be appreciated.

[lrob]

Quite honestly, 150w seems a little light for 3/4" Plywood. What is the focal length of the lens that you are using?

[zhouxiaohua]

Thanks Irob, I believe the focal length of the lens that I am using is about 65mm, if I change it to longer focal length lens will it make it stronger?

[lrob]

A longer lens would definitely help. I use a 63mm for 1/4". I would try a 100mm. Not sure that would be enough. The 100mm lens will not make the laser stronger. Just give you a longer focal length.

Here is a good link to explain it all.

Frequently Asked Questions about CO2 laser lenses for cutting

[frank wang]

Hi ,all

i think the seller do not tell you the truth . 150W co2 laser tube can not do that kind of job of 3" plywood.
first what is the Brand of 150W co2 laser tube ? length and diameter of the tube ?

Yes , if the tube is 150W ,it can cut steel with oxygen ,however ,the normal laser head can not do .
this is kind of machine ,the laser head is desighed up and down automatically when cutting .

And the air pump with the normal co2 laser machine is used for protecting the lens and also for preventing burning .

Frank

[cinematic2]

To cut 3/4" plywood with reasonable quality you need 2x150W chinese laser (150W up and 150W down) or 250W RF laser.
Professional companies uses 2x200W RF.
250W RF is minimum power cut start thinking about cutting very thin steel.
Check Synrad Power Calculator

[thunderlaser]

Hi
I think that the 150 Watt laser tube should enough power to cut 3/4'' plywood, but it will need to match up the air compressor and the water-oil separation.
they will would prevent the plywood catch fire when the laser is working.
At the same time, i suggest that you would a 3'' or 4'' lens to cutting the 3/4 plywood and it will get a better result.
But even if you used a 65 mm lens, and it also can cutting the 3/4'' plywood though when it is fixed up with the air compressor and water-oil separation.
If not, you should re-check the best focal length is what? then used the best focal length of lens to cut it again.
Then if you want to cutting steel, and i think that it might be can cutting some of thin steel like 0.5 mm with oxygen, but it should be not to cutting 2 mm even though match up oxygen.

[zhouxiaohua]

Thanks Thunderlaser, what should be the right amount of air? I use 1 bar or 15 psi of air, is it enough? what is water-oil separation? I just cut 3/4" plywood today at very slow speed, 250mm/min, it did cut through but I think at that speed it's too slow to get the job done. also even it didn't catch fire but a lot of smoke. Is there any way to stop the smoke?

[stonecarver]

zhouxiaohua,
Make sure that the plywood you are trying to cut is an interior grade.The waterproof glue used in exterior grade makes laser cutting virtually impossible.It can be cut but the speed is so slow that you scorch the surrounding area and it's an awful mess.

[thunderlaser]

Hi Zhouxiaohua
You're welcome
I used a 2 bar of air to cutting the 3/4'' plywood. and it will stops the most of the smoke.
And what is water-oil separation, please click here for visit more detail information:
4? laser head and air compressor sets

Yeah, i also would cut it through at very slow speed, 4mm/second, i think that it might be hard to get a higher speed to cut it through.
So what about the cutting result? i had tried to do it many time before, but the results is still not so perfect.