Hello from L4SER

[L4SER]

Hello I am new to the forum and indeed forums. What brought me to the forum was the thread on laser cutting gold. My interest is self promotion as I have a laser capable of cutting gold and silver. I have started working for several people recently and I am looking to do more work in this area. The work I do usually is generally for the engineering world.
If you are interested please contact me.
:~:

[Dennis]

Hi, I guess you are unable to post a link as yet, so I have looked at your site. It would be helpful to know whether you can also do 3D shapes, what quantity would make a viable order and some ball park prices. Dennis.

[medusa]

Hi, I guess you are unable to post a link as yet, so I have looked at your site. It would be helpful to know whether you can also do 3D shapes, what quantity would make a viable order and some ball park prices. Dennis.

Site? I see no site. how did you know where to look?

and hello from me!

[Dennis]

Yes Liz, I am trying to be charitable here, but i feel quite strongly that if http://www.l4ser.co.uk/ is trying to sell something here a little help from them would not come amiss. Bossy or not?

[medusa]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SVZqobeDZkU/TMTTjHJdAxI/AAAAAAAAAEw/0FzAqt9irAY/s1600/the-simpsons-d-oh-mini-posters-71133.jpg
never even occured to me to try it as a website :D

and there was me thinking you had special magic powers.

[Dennis]

Quote: there was me thinking you had special magic powers. I say steady on old bean!

Riot Averted.

There has been a threat to public order in Central London, when a group of goldsmiths together with the makers of a new fancy saw frame marched down Park Lane to demonstrate in support of traditional piercing.

They were resolutely opposed by the advocates of laser cutting. But police were able to separate the two groups by a process known as kettling and they were soon reconciled over a cup of tea, milk and two sugars.

Remember you saw it here first.

[medusa]

If I didn't know better, I'd say there is a wiff of the luddite about.

[L4SER]

Hello Dennis,

I am sorry for not putting any contact details. You did well to find the web site. It is new and not finalized yet.
The intention was not to go for a strong sell but see if there was an interest.
To give you an idea of what is possible, the machine I have has a bed size of 300mm square, with z movement and a rotary. This allows 3D work to a fashion, depending on complexity of the job. 15 years of experience means a lot is possible.
Price is normally based on cut length, the material, thickness and programming require. Minimum order charge is £40, if you email, sale@l4ser.co.uk, a drawing with quantity I will give you a quote. Or ring John at L4 Laser on 0116 2833400.
John

[medusa]

I think there will be lots of interest! when you say minimum order is £40 is that per piece? or what?

<is a total technophobe and have no understanding so use simple words!

[L4SER]

It would depend on what you order. If it's a very complex piece, it might be more than £40, but I've done a reasonable quantity of some very simple shapes for around £4 each. It will also make a difference as to what format the drawing comes in. I can work from a hand-drawn sketch, but there will be a charge for programming. If you can send an electronic drawing file that I can use to programme the machine straight off (dwg or dxf are best for this, but ask about others) then that will help with the price. For the work I've done so far, the material has been free issued and I return all scrap. Hope this helps.

[Kwant]

dwg and dxf are generally cad formats, what other formats can you accept?

edited to add for 2d work?

[L4SER]

Hello Kwant,

The software that runs my machine is cad based hence the dwg and dxf files. It is easier to program with them. It is possible to work from dimensioned drawings (pdf, jpeg or sent in the post) or from a sample piece with me drawing it on a cad package.

John

[ps_bond]

I've seen some software that'll convert from raster (e.g. jpg) to dwg/dxf, I haven't seen anything that can go from vector formats. What dictates whether a design is complex in terms of your system? Overall line length, number of vertices...?

[L4SER]

Hello Peter,

The conversion software I have seen gives a very rough image, spiky, which needs a lot of cleaning up. These generate very short vectors rather than sweeping curves, increasing the number crunching and other problem of brakes in lines etc.

The complexity referred to is, in the case of 2D job, the shape. A square is easy to draw as is a circle but multiple lines and arcs are harder. With 3D jobs it is the same again with an add dimension. If the drawing is in dxf format then it is easier to process. Otherwise I will produce a dxf from a drawing or sample piece.

John

[ps_bond]

The conversion software I have seen gives a very rough image, spiky, which needs a lot of cleaning up. These generate very short vectors rather than sweeping curves, increasing the number crunching and other problem of brakes in lines etc.

Yeah, they're a bit prone to the classic staircase problem from what I've seen. And, as you say, discontinuities.


The complexity referred to is, in the case of 2D job, the shape. A square is easy to draw as is a circle but multiple lines and arcs are harder. With 3D jobs it is the same again with an add dimension. If the drawing is in dxf format then it is easier to process. Otherwise I will produce a dxf from a drawing or sample piece.

Are there any tools around to estimate complexity? Or would you just generate a Gerber and do a line count on it?

[L4SER]

The complexity meter comes in the form of the software for the machining. It takes the drawing, produces a cut path, which it measures and with a cut speed, depending on material and thickness, gives a cut time and costing. All very clever, providing you have a dxf to feed it with.

John

[Kwant]

Thanks you for your response, I think I might look into the software Mr Bond spoke of as the nearest thing to cad I have is the free version of sketchup and it is only the pro version that allows saving to your preferred formats.

[ps_bond]

Inkscape (http://www.inkscape.org/) supports some limited DXF output IIRC - it's a free vector-based drawing package that might be worth a look.

[Kwant]

Oooh thanks Peter, bookmarked and will give it a look tomorrow, if I start now I will be up all night :0)

[josef1]

If found you get better results with the quality of the dxf file when drawing freehand in Inkscape if you have the smoothing around the 32 mark any lower things get a bit jagged

[DragonflyLynne]

Hello, nice to meet you! :)

[caroleallen]

Just wanted to say that John from L4ser has cut out some small pieces for me and has done a brilliant job.

[Dennis]

Just wanted to say that John from L4ser has cut out some small pieces for me and has done a brilliant job.

I'm sure you will too, Carole. May we see what you eventually make of your lasered pieces? Regards, Dennis.