I was getting some strange chatter in comms between the Dell laptop and the laser. It’s better, but I am hoping new pumps/fans I have ordered to test will do a better job.

For now I am using an inline pump (12v) and piping the smoke out of the garage using an extension tube. ExhaustĪs mentioned, the air filter didn’t really filter anything. My airbrush compressor would not switch on, regardless of how I set the pressure dial, plus the connections were of the wrong type.įortunately, I have an air pump that runs off D batteries for inflating, well, inflatables. Now, some experts say you don’t want to do it this way – the air should blow horizontally – but for now it will be an improvement on no air.Īnother speed bump here. To mitigate the charring and smoke, which is not just an issue on the workpiece, but also damages the lens, I bought an air-assist nozzle. engraves), then you compensate appropriately for deeper cuts. This is the sweet-spot for “top focus” (ie. Once I had removed the bed, I could cut a focus-tool and stack material under the workpiece to allow me to position the piece 50.8mm from the base of the lens. The K40 comes with a metal bed that seems like a good idea, but in fact it makes focusing the laser more difficult, because your z height is not adjustable, and obviously focus is vital if you are going to get clean, strong cuts. Right away I seemed to get more power and cleaner lines out of the machine. I went ahead and bought some not-top-of-the-line-but-good ones. Cleaning is essential to get the best out of a 40w laser

I bought a lot of moist cleaning wipes, but really I needed new mirrors and a lens. Also, from what I could tell, the optics were not the best. While the laser was meant to have been unused, I did notice some wear, either from actual use, or just as likely, testing. Grey-Scale Control Using the Smoothie Board and LightBurn Optics Upgrade

Read about the purchase in the previous article.

I am happy to say, while the filter still feels a let-down, the Smoothie board has been a fantastic success when combined with the LightBurn software. Previously, I bought and installed a new mainboard of electronics, and a filter for the pungent smoke. I am on a mission to make my Chinese K40 Laser Engraver work like a much more expensive USA name-brand machine.

K40 lightburn board