[Insect]

Hi,
I am building a CNCRP 2x4' machine, and I have plenty of CNC experience, however lasers are new to me. I want to cut birch plywood, up to 6mm thick. It seems trivial for me to:

1)attach a laser head to my cnc router with a simple fixture
2)set a toolpath that lands it at the correct focal length
3) Activate the laser with like a flood lubricant command, etc.
4) Run the workpiece up on wood 2" so as to not damage router bed, and voila. What am I missing?
5) Shield my eyes with proper glasses and perhaps a shield plate while job is running.
I will be rolling my CNC outside to do this on fair days, all fumes go out.

Questions:
1) A lot of vendors are selling 50w tubes, and 50w power supplies, how about a bundled kit with everything needed?
2) Is the laser going to be safe 2" up from the router's aluminum deck, losing it's collimated beam once it hits the router deck, if my workpiece sits 2" high?
3) I am thinking a 50w co2 laser is proper, other suggestions?
4) Does any of the above seem prudent, or is this more complicated/unsafe than I am making it seem?

The project is an airplane I am designing/building, I don't necessarily want to become an expert at laser, just wish to be safe, competent, and use my money/time wisely. Answers to the questions above are greatly appreciated.

[Dean448]

I use a 50w laser for airplane parts like balsa and lite ply. All the other plywood’s need to be cut with a router. So don’t think that this machine will cut anything. Router you have to hold parts down and deal with inside rounded corners. Lasers you worry about warped plywood
It’s good your thinking about the smoke. Your biggest challenge is to maintain power and alignment over that size.


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[Dean448]

[QUOTE=Dean448;2368676]I use a 50w laser for airplane parts like balsa and lite ply. All the other plywood’s need to be cut with a router. Router you have to hold parts down and deal with inside rounded corners. Lasers you worry about warped plywood
It’s good your thinking about the smoke. Your biggest challenge is to maintain power and alignment over that size.


I'm modifying that post. not sure where that extra sentence came from.