Air Assist - Engraving Etc. Forum

From:	Button (LASERCHICK)	20 Aug 2005
To:	ALL	1 of 5

1799.1

Since I purchased my laser for making Italian Charms, I did not purchase the air assist. Now that I am needing to expand, I know that I need an air assist. Can anyone help me out with this? I know that I have the black tubing, but what do I buy to attach it it? I have heard a pump, but what exactly is the pump? Is it a compressor? Does anyone have any ideas on what is the best, but most economical way to go?

I have any epilog 24tt 45 watt laser.

Tracy Anderson
www.catchthemoment.us
www.ldscharms.com

From:	John (ICTJOHN)	20 Aug 2005
To:	Button (LASERCHICK)	2 of 5

1799.2 In reply to 1799.1

Tracy,

Do a search on "air assist", there have been several posts and a couple of compressors mentioned to use - anywhere from a small hobby type compressor to the large industrial sizes. I feed off of a 6ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â½ hp, 80 gallon tank set-up that I use for my ribbon equipment. You will not need anything of this size if your only use is the laser.

The search feature is located at the lower left bottom of this page.

hth,

John www.creative-awards.com email: creativeawards@msn.com

From:	Engravin' Dave (DATAKES)	20 Aug 2005
To:	Button (LASERCHICK)	3 of 5

1799.3 In reply to 1799.1

Tracy,

Here is a link to a good thread on the subject. Happy reading!

http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=1707.1

From:	logojohn	20 Aug 2005
To:	Button (LASERCHICK)	4 of 5

1799.4 In reply to 1799.1
Just curious what makes you so sure you need an air assist. Will you be doing a lot of cutting. Since your laser is a 45 watt it is not all that powerful to creat a lot of excess heating. I only have a 25 watt and don't do much cutting, mostly just lasering pre made items. But I have a built in air assist and never use it. I tried it at first but it seems to scatter the smoke onto the item on some things more than it helps. I finally removed the metal nozzle by the laser head. I scratched several acrylics when I bumped up against it when removing them. There are a lot of people here that use the laser more for cutting and fabricating pieces so they might have better imput of whether you need it if that is what you will be doing. lj http://logojohn.webhop.net/

From:	ray (RMV0215)	21 Aug 2005
To:	logojohn	5 of 5

1799.5 In reply to 1799.4

I do a lot of cutting and etching, from wood to acrylic. About the only time I don't use the air assist is when I am etching on Rowmark Material. The air assist deposits the etched debris back on the hot material where it sticks. However when cutting oak, cedar and acrylic I always use the air assist. In certain spots on the wood there might be more fresh "sap" which flames up. and on the acrylic, every once and a while it will craze the acrylic.
I am using an Epilog Legend 32EX 40 watt.

Ray

EDITED: 21 Aug 2005 by RMV0215

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