Unfortunately it’s rarely mentioned by people making laser videos … chlorine is found in a lot of material people cut, and mainly in PVC or vinyl. I experienced it myself when cutting pvc believing it was PET. One other tip : plastic made of PVC tend to get white when folded, it’s a very quick test for transparent sheets for example. PET or PMMA don’t get white and are way more safe to cut. And more generally laser manufacturer should warn users about what king of gaz is exhausted when a certain material is cut , for example , PMMA creates CO2 and OC, which can also be harmful when you have no proper ventilation or exhaust system. Also , don’t cut ABS (contains styrene) , expansed polystyrene, chrome leather (only veg tan leather are safe) vinyl, resins (polymérised , like epoxy ones for instance ) , and a lot of websites will tell you it’s safe but they re just reckless and stupid) Those material are toxic. And be aware of other materials that can catch fire easily (polycarbonate …)
Thank you. Bought some binder cover material to cut some stencils and all it said on the packaging was "frosted poly" so I wasn't sure. I even called customer service and no one there could tell me. You got a new subscriber.
Spongeworthy Glad you found a way to test your material. Wish every test was as quick and easy. More laser cutting hints to come very soon. Stay safe and welcome aboard! 🙏
I've used this method to test materials for my laser. Most manufacturers of lasers will even void your warranty if materials containing chlorine were cut in the laser. Great tip!
I didn't realise that most laser manufacturers will void the warranty due to laser damage. Another great reason to test for chlorine before your cut. Thanks!
@@LaserLivestream Glad to help. When PVC is heated it releases chlorine gas, this mixes with the moisture in the air and the result is hydrochloric acid. It is toxic to humans and corrosive to most anything it comes in contact with.
Please mention cyanide as well before saying a material is safe to cut. :) I know that there are no easy test methods available, but with the materials around it's tempting for many makers to try to laser cut/engrave PU, PA, ABS or other nitrogen-containing polymers and those should not be considered safe. With the extreme toxicity of cyanide the amounts emitted when burning/laser cutting those materials should be considered dangerous!
Very true Milo. Thanks for putting that information out there. I plan to do a video about all the risks from materials being cut in a laser cutter. Given that this test is quick and fast, and can protect the user form Chlorine has exposure, we wanted to share this testing method first. 🙏
Indeed, there is many more things than chlorine gas to look out for. The issue with the chlorine gas itself isn't so much inhalation, but rather that it combines with moisture in the air and forms hydrochloric acid, which will corrode the inside of your laser cutter. Just because it doesn't contain chlorine doesn't necessarily make it safe. Teflon (PTFE) for instance is absolutely toxic when burnt, and inhalation can cause polymer fume fever (also called Teflon flu) and acute lung injury. The only way to know for sure is to find the MSDS on your material and look up which products are created when burning. It's a standard part in the MSDS. If you find anything like chlorine, cyanide or anything else especially harmful to either you or the machine, do not laser it. One of the absolute worst things you can cut, as far as I've researched, is kevlar. It releases hydrogen cyanide. Yum!
This is a great tip. One more item that I’ve seen lasered that has chlorine is vinyl records. There’s a photo floating around the Internet from someone who used a laser for some about of time cutting the record. It was trashed. Totally unusable.
Yes, I think I saw that image. I was given a laser unit to test and when I was engraving an image I discovered that the lines would have a visable “wave” to them. It took some time to work out that the rubber tracks in the unit had been desolved by someone using the unit to cut vinyl which had melted the rubber tracks onto the cogs. Took some time to work out the issue, but once that was replaced the laser was gold!
Thank you, Gil. Extremely useful and potentially life-saving information presented in a very easy to understand and use manner. This is why I subscribe to your channel.
Great idea, the only issue I can see is that from my experience working in a copper smelter is that when copper is subjected to heat the copper oxides burn green, so this could give a false positive for chlorine.
I'm curious at what temperatures are copper smelted at? I believe the risk of a false positive is greater at high temperatures, but I'll do some research. Every time I have done this test, I do use a control piece to make sure the results are accurate. Will add that to a future video! What have you tested using the test Shawn?
Hi @@LaserLivestream, Honestly mate I am only just getting started with laser cutting as I have made a career change away from mining and smelting and starting my own business, and your video was part of my research. Copper melts around 800⁰c The concern I had was the copper oxides will burn with a flame as they're essentially the oxidised copper residues on the outside of the wire in this case. Would stainless steel be a better option as from my limited knowledge has a far higher meting temperature and also isn't as susceptible to oxides giving a potential false positive. Just something that I thought of 🤷♂️
@@LaserLivestream As a retired Physics and Chemistry teacher, spectral flame analysis has been done many times. However, I would suggest using nichrome wire (aka resistance wire) rather than copper wire
@@paulbrinkley9674 No, the test works by the PVC converting copper oxide on the wire into copper chlorides. Unlike the copper oxides, the copper chlorides are dissociated in the flame and give it a green colour.
@@LaserLivestream Hello, I do not have a cnc laser yet, I am just checking out a bit beforehand, one thing is certain is that I want one lol. I'm building my house right now and saw someone customize their tiling, I thought it was awesome. There is a lot to do with this cnc laser :) and luckily there are people like you to teach us the dos and don'ts (Google translate 😆).
Vinyl emits chlorine gas when cut with a laser. Original record artwork were done on a CNC machine. I would stay away from any type of vinyl in a laser cutter personally. Stay safe!
Hi Gil i wish i knew this sooner. Ive cut pvc and yep lots of corrosion, it ceased my xy axis h runners. Ive fixed the runners with some 400 grit sandpaper and wd 40 the oiled it and its free and working now but the laser is trying to go beyond the bed both on the xy axis. Have checked the sensors and a is workin ok. Im using lightburn and all seems to be ok there, Could the smoke from cutting the pvc make the sensors not work even though it all seems to be working? Any trouble shooting thought would be appreaciated
Sounds like a hard lesson to learn, but Im glad to hear your safe. Check your laser electronics board for corrosion. Especially where the sensors are attached. Chlorine likes to attach PC boards. Let me know what you find. Keep safe and keep lasering!
Laser Cutting these products creates chlorine gas when using the following materials (including but not limited to): ★ PVC ★ Pleather ★ Vinyl ★ Artificial leather There is a very quick test you can do before using any material in your laser cutter to check for chlorine. Called the Beilstein test, this test uses very basic equipment and can be done in seconds.
Interesting and a concern. Just heating a piece of random new copper wire bought from an electronics hobby shop without even melting it into a piece of PVC it gave off a green flame. That would say it already had some kind of chlorine based coating maybe.
Hi Peter, I can't comment on the copper you are using, but some have a clear sheath around them that could be made with PVC. As for copper burning green, yes if you put copper in a flame and leave it there, it will produce a green flame. This test returns a positive result almost instantly as the chlorine accelerates the reaction with less energy needed. If your interested in why this happens, check out the messages below. Have fun and stay safe when using your laser.
That could be an answer when it comes to removing shrine from the air, but I have seen machines that have had their electronics destroyed by the chlorine particles attacking PCB tracks and components. In the end, you have to decide if the risk is worth the trouble. I just don't want people hurt because they didn't know what their material was made up of.
Proper ventilation is all you need. Most of the electronics on a good laser cutter aren't even located in the printing space. Sure, if you are using an Ortur that's sitting on your dining room table and your burning anything.. its unsafe. Put that Ortur in a box that has a good fan sucking the air out of the box and blowing it outside and you are fine. This is a tool. Precautions should always be taken. Anyone who is using a laser should have enough common sense to make sure its well ventilated. Even if your burning wood... paper.. anything.. ventilation, its combustion for crying out loud.
Not all materials are made the same way. While I can test the materials you have requested, there is no guarantee that what you will receive is the same. Best way to be sure is to test everything you put into your laser. Stay safe and laser often :)
I just realized that I was using Vinyl Records for a long period now, first I manually cut them and the I used a Laser CNC to do it. I wish I know this before. Can you point out another plastic materiale like that I can use to laser cut? Plexiglass is not an option because I use a diode laser based so the beam just pass through transparent materials.
Diode lasers can cut solid colour acrylic. My go-to for creating something that would look like a vinyl record would be solid black acrylic. I cut 3mm black on my diode laser all the time. Let me.know if you use the black acrylic or end up using some other type of material 👍 Stay safe!
@@LaserLivestream I will look for black acrylic to use from now on. I just realized that I used for around 2 hours my new CNC to cut vinyl records and I sow some rust on all the bolts and nuts inside the enclosure I made, also on the V-slot wheel for the axis. I thought it's moisture but is the chlorine as you said. Don't know if there is any method to get rid of it or if it's going to get worse.
As explained in other comments, if you burn the copper under extreme heat, it will create a green flame. The torch does not create that kind of heat, and you only need to put the sample in the flame for a few seconds to see an answer. If there is no reaction, the flame doesn’t change colour.
As far as I know a green flame indicates the presence of copper, which is indeed true as the wire is made out of that. In order to conduct a proper flame test you need to deposit the material on a ni-cr or platinum wire, pure or in a hydrochloric acid solution. But even then I don't know how telling this test would be on this kind of material, in fact chlorine does not emit light in the visible region when flame tested. That's what I know, I'm not an expert so I may be wrong.
The small amount of Chlorine accelerates the chemical reaction and show a green flame as shown in the video. If you placed copper in a heat source and brought it up to extremely high temperatures, you are correct, the flame would turn green. With the Belstine test, the few seconds (3-10 seconds) will show you if chlorine is present. For more on this test, check out en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beilstein_test
Gil Poznanski All of it, Gil. Your video was one of the main reasons I bought one. I’m a bit slow on this kind of tech though... so I’m still yet to cut anything. 😬
There is a possibility for a false positive if the test is done incorrectly or if the test substance itself contains copper. Various copper compounds also yield a green flame, so if you do not use clean copper wire or test a substance that contains copper you may see a green flame even when the test substance does not contain chorine (or more formally, organic halides).
Never had an issue with a false positive. I guess when you heat the copper up, you should be aware of a green colour in the flame. If that happens before testing your material you would know that the copper you are using is contaminated. Thanks for the info!
vinal is spelled vinyl. This is not meant to be nit-picky for trolling purposes, but since this is a safety video, you don't want someone thinking they are ok because their stuff doesn't say vinal.
I have a question ❔, is there any book 📗 that could show me how to build a laser cutting machine ? I have seen a few videos on it on youtube but a book 📗 would spell out the names of the materials and RIGHT devices used to build one that would be done correctly. I need one with at least 400 watts of power on a relativity small bed say 💭 33 inches to 5 to 6 feet. Also one that will cut Lexan plexiglass tubes into rings on a rotary device that I have seen. I know that's a separate device and motor driven. I also think making one would cost less. Thanks !
i use core cut some foam mat materials which i dont know what materials it is. now with this video, i can test is there any cholride inside or not. thx for sharing this video.
Ted Sun Thanks for the feedback. So many new laser users out there, just want people to be able to test their materials and be safe. What do you make out of your core cut foam?
I thought it was cyanide gas which people need to be wary of when using a laser cutter. Chlorine is present in everyday bleach and doesn't harm in small amounts.
In liquid form chlorine is not going to be an issue. When it is atomised by a laser, chlorine attaches itself to the moisture in the atmosphere and becomes chlorine gas. In a gaseous form, chlorine enters to body alot easier. Stay away from cyanide too. But chlorine is readily found in products that people happen to place in laser cutters.
Vinyl and leather and lather like materials are what a lot of people engrave on I have seen in videos. Are there sellers of materials that are aware of this and sell non-Chlorine products? Is that a hint of NZ in your accent?
I can't talk about others, but I always check the safety sheet when buying my material. If I cant get one, then I do the test as show in the video. Do you use vinyl and leather like materials in your laser? Curious to hear what you make with them...
@@LaserLivestream Thank you! I started following Jimmy after I began watching his Netflix show. I love the relaxed?, unorthodox? casual? way he goes about making his creations!
Hi Gil, Great video! I want to use my laser for cutting out stencil, i thought i would use oh/overhead sheets, or can you recomennd something else :)? //Gustav
Not all material is made equal, so test it first before putting it in your laser. :) I have used the same material for a project, just found one that was not PVC based. What will you be using your stencils for?
This is not limited to wavelength, but material cut and vaporised. When the chlorine in the material is cut it releases chlorine molecules that combine with water in the air to become Chlorine gas. So the answer is both. Please stay safe.
Hi Gil, i have just seen someone in the UK who makes table lamps from plastic pipe, which have an intricate design laser cut into them. Is there a plastic pipe which is not PVC, and doesnt emit chlorine gas?
If the pipe is made of a plastic that is not PVC, there would be no issue using it in the laser cutter. Do you have a link or picture of the plastic pipe?
@@can5projects563 Fantastic. Love to see your work. If your in to sharing, check out the Laser Livesteams where we talk about methods and look 👀 at completed projects :)
Great question. Unfortunately a lighter flame will not heat the testing wire got enough to do the test. I tried and never got a positive result. Using a flame torch or bunsen burner, and hearing the wire in the blue (hottest) flame is the way to go.
The test is based on the reaction of chlorine with copper compounds at the high temperatures found in burner flames. These conditions produce excited, green-coloured copper atoms or ions that cause the normally colourless (or very slightly blue) flame to flare brilliant green (or sometimes blue-green). www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/beilstein-test-organic-polymeric-materials.html
Polycarbonate strongly absorbs infrared radiation! This is the frequency of light the laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate. While it does not have chlorine in its chemical makeup, Polycarbonate will create stringy clouds of soot that float up, ruin the optics and mess up the machine.
@@LaserLivestream I work at an award shop so we mostly use it for trophy plates, plaques and acrylic awards. We recently got a new more powerful laser and I've started laser anodizing my titanium knife scales.
Just started playing with lasers and materials, I did not know this. Thank you very much!
Unfortunately it’s rarely mentioned by people making laser videos … chlorine is found in a lot of material people cut, and mainly in PVC or vinyl. I experienced it myself when cutting pvc believing it was PET.
One other tip : plastic made of PVC tend to get white when folded, it’s a very quick test for transparent sheets for example. PET or PMMA don’t get white and are way more safe to cut.
And more generally laser manufacturer should warn users about what king of gaz is exhausted when a certain material is cut , for example , PMMA creates CO2 and OC, which can also be harmful when you have no proper ventilation or exhaust system.
Also , don’t cut ABS (contains styrene) , expansed polystyrene, chrome leather (only veg tan leather are safe) vinyl, resins (polymérised , like epoxy ones for instance ) , and a lot of websites will tell you it’s safe but they re just reckless and stupid)
Those material are toxic.
And be aware of other materials that can catch fire easily (polycarbonate …)
PET will go white too. On the other hand colored vinyl foil will not.
@@Suluu00 thx for the tip
Obrigado
Thank you. Bought some binder cover material to cut some stencils and all it said on the packaging was "frosted poly" so I wasn't sure. I even called customer service and no one there could tell me. You got a new subscriber.
Spongeworthy Glad you found a way to test your material. Wish every test was as quick and easy. More laser cutting hints to come very soon. Stay safe and welcome aboard! 🙏
I've used this method to test materials for my laser. Most manufacturers of lasers will even void your warranty if materials containing chlorine were cut in the laser. Great tip!
I didn't realise that most laser manufacturers will void the warranty due to laser damage. Another great reason to test for chlorine before your cut. Thanks!
@@LaserLivestream Glad to help. When PVC is heated it releases chlorine gas, this mixes with the moisture in the air and the result is hydrochloric acid. It is toxic to humans and corrosive to most anything it comes in contact with.
Thank you Gil! What a fun and simple test. Just finished my diy laser and enjoying it, but was hesitant on some unknown “found” materials.
Just test found material and have fun! What have you been making on your laser?
Please mention cyanide as well before saying a material is safe to cut. :)
I know that there are no easy test methods available, but with the materials around it's tempting for many makers to try to laser cut/engrave PU, PA, ABS or other nitrogen-containing polymers and those should not be considered safe.
With the extreme toxicity of cyanide the amounts emitted when burning/laser cutting those materials should be considered dangerous!
Very true Milo. Thanks for putting that information out there. I plan to do a video about all the risks from materials being cut in a laser cutter. Given that this test is quick and fast, and can protect the user form Chlorine has exposure, we wanted to share this testing method first. 🙏
Indeed, there is many more things than chlorine gas to look out for. The issue with the chlorine gas itself isn't so much inhalation, but rather that it combines with moisture in the air and forms hydrochloric acid, which will corrode the inside of your laser cutter. Just because it doesn't contain chlorine doesn't necessarily make it safe. Teflon (PTFE) for instance is absolutely toxic when burnt, and inhalation can cause polymer fume fever (also called Teflon flu) and acute lung injury.
The only way to know for sure is to find the MSDS on your material and look up which products are created when burning. It's a standard part in the MSDS. If you find anything like chlorine, cyanide or anything else especially harmful to either you or the machine, do not laser it.
One of the absolute worst things you can cut, as far as I've researched, is kevlar. It releases hydrogen cyanide. Yum!
This is a great tip. One more item that I’ve seen lasered that has chlorine is vinyl records. There’s a photo floating around the Internet from someone who used a laser for some about of time cutting the record. It was trashed. Totally unusable.
Yes, I think I saw that image. I was given a laser unit to test and when I was engraving an image I discovered that the lines would have a visable “wave” to them. It took some time to work out that the rubber tracks in the unit had been desolved by someone using the unit to cut vinyl which had melted the rubber tracks onto the cogs. Took some time to work out the issue, but once that was replaced the laser was gold!
Thank you, Gil. Extremely useful and potentially life-saving information presented in a very easy to understand and use manner. This is why I subscribe to your channel.
Thanks for the tip. I'm going to start doing this simple and easy test from now on. 👍
Very happy to hear 👍 Stay safe!
I don't have a laser cutter (YET!!) but this is great advice, I will definitly come back to this video when I get one!!
Glad you found it helpful and stay safe when you create with light...
Great info! I had no idea about this! Thanks for keeping me from killing myself...
Neither did I till I did some research. Glad you now know and can share this info with others! Stay safe!
Great idea, the only issue I can see is that from my experience working in a copper smelter is that when copper is subjected to heat the copper oxides burn green, so this could give a false positive for chlorine.
I'm curious at what temperatures are copper smelted at? I believe the risk of a false positive is greater at high temperatures, but I'll do some research. Every time I have done this test, I do use a control piece to make sure the results are accurate. Will add that to a future video!
What have you tested using the test Shawn?
Hi @@LaserLivestream,
Honestly mate I am only just getting started with laser cutting as I have made a career change away from mining and smelting and starting my own business, and your video was part of my research.
Copper melts around 800⁰c
The concern I had was the copper oxides will burn with a flame as they're essentially the oxidised copper residues on the outside of the wire in this case.
Would stainless steel be a better option as from my limited knowledge has a far higher meting temperature and also isn't as susceptible to oxides giving a potential false positive.
Just something that I thought of 🤷♂️
@@LaserLivestream As a retired Physics and Chemistry teacher, spectral flame analysis has been done many times. However, I would suggest using nichrome wire (aka resistance wire) rather than copper wire
@@paulbrinkley9674 No, the test works by the PVC converting copper oxide on the wire into copper chlorides. Unlike the copper oxides, the copper chlorides are dissociated in the flame and give it a green colour.
@@lucaswilkins9217 I should have watched the whole video. Thank you
Thankx Gil i am totally added this to my space as a proceedure for unknown materials
Alexie Kola so happy to hear that you are adopting this in your space!
Wow 😳 I never knew that plastic had chlorine in it.
Thank you very much for the tip.
I use this test all the time. I was told about this test by the tech that did my training when I bought my laser.
Great to hear Bob. Keep safe and keep cutting! :)
Wow great tip to help us remain safe. I will definitely keep this in mind when introducing new materials. Thank you
Thank you. I almost use vinyl to seal my granite before engraving so that I can easily spray paint the wordings.
Glad this video was helpful. What was the granite sign for? Was it going outside in the weather?
Thank you. I just got my Ortur a couple of weeks ago and would not have thought of this. Like your channel. Regards, Gary
Thanks Gil for another great video, you rock, thanks from South Africa
Thanks for the feedback Vaughan! Much appreciated. What are you using your diode laser to make?
Getting my first laser soon. Thanks a lot for the heads up
Glad to be of help Jim. What are you planing to use your laser for?
@@LaserLivestream I'm retired and plan on getting into the craft fairs. This will help add to my "crafties"
Thank you my friend
Great work Gil. That’s a neat tip mate 🍻
Thank you Aaron! 🙏 I love when science enables you to create safer than before! :)
Thank you for the info! Idk if I would have, but just got a laser and do have some PVC around. Might have tried if you did not mention!
Glad you know the risks now. What are you planning to make with your new laser? Stay safe and make cool stuff👍
thanks, it's very interesting to know this.
thanks you thanks you thanks you, safety is the number one priority.
Thats a big part of my focus. Making cool things is fun, but not when it might harm someone. Stay safe. What do you make with your laser, Zero?
@@LaserLivestream Hello, I do not have a cnc laser yet, I am just checking out a bit beforehand, one thing is certain is that I want one lol. I'm building my house right now and saw someone customize their tiling, I thought it was awesome. There is a lot to do with this cnc laser :) and luckily there are people like you to teach us the dos and don'ts (Google translate 😆).
@@Dumbc0mment I look forward to seeing what you make! Good luck with the house build :)
Cool tip Gil
Thank you sir!
Great video Gil. What about Etching vinyl records ? We see more & more laser etching vinyl records.
Vinyl emits chlorine gas when cut with a laser. Original record artwork were done on a CNC machine. I would stay away from any type of vinyl in a laser cutter personally.
Stay safe!
Its insane that there are several ABS engraving sheets that are specifically marketed for lasers, even though ABS is toxic. 🤯🤯🤯🤯
I am not aware of such products. Do you have a link??? Let's put the word out so people don't take unnecessary risks.
Great tips and advice Gill 👏🏻😊
Kirstie Pervin-Davies Thank you Kirstie 🙏
Thanks
Cool stuff. Thanks!
Thanks, great video.
Thank you. Stay safe.
Hi Gil i wish i knew this sooner. Ive cut pvc and yep lots of corrosion, it ceased my xy axis h runners. Ive fixed the runners with some 400 grit sandpaper and wd 40 the oiled it and its free and working now but the laser is trying to go beyond the bed both on the xy axis. Have checked the sensors and a is workin ok. Im using lightburn and all seems to be ok there, Could the smoke from cutting the pvc make the sensors not work even though it all seems to be working? Any trouble shooting thought would be appreaciated
Sounds like a hard lesson to learn, but Im glad to hear your safe.
Check your laser electronics board for corrosion. Especially where the sensors are attached. Chlorine likes to attach PC boards.
Let me know what you find.
Keep safe and keep lasering!
Good advise and video! Keep it up!
Thank you. More coming soon. :)
I use this all the time.
Good information. Thanks!
Thank you Fred. Be safe when using your laser and let us know some of the results you are achieving!
Thanks
Laser Cutting these products creates chlorine gas when using the following materials (including but not limited to):
★ PVC
★ Pleather
★ Vinyl
★ Artificial leather
There is a very quick test you can do before using any material in your laser cutter to check for chlorine. Called the Beilstein test, this test uses very basic equipment and can be done in seconds.
Nice video. Great job and great information.
Thank you for your feedback. Means a lot :)
Thank you for this trip
Interesting and a concern. Just heating a piece of random new copper wire bought from an electronics hobby shop without even melting it into a piece of PVC it gave off a green flame. That would say it already had some kind of chlorine based coating maybe.
Hi Peter, I can't comment on the copper you are using, but some have a clear sheath around them that could be made with PVC.
As for copper burning green, yes if you put copper in a flame and leave it there, it will produce a green flame. This test returns a positive result almost instantly as the chlorine accelerates the reaction with less energy needed. If your interested in why this happens, check out the messages below.
Have fun and stay safe when using your laser.
Thanks for the safe tip
What about simply having good ventilation? (An enclosure with negative air pressure pulling out the bad stuff.)
That could be an answer when it comes to removing shrine from the air, but I have seen machines that have had their electronics destroyed by the chlorine particles attacking PCB tracks and components.
In the end, you have to decide if the risk is worth the trouble. I just don't want people hurt because they didn't know what their material was made up of.
Proper ventilation is all you need. Most of the electronics on a good laser cutter aren't even located in the printing space. Sure, if you are using an Ortur that's sitting on your dining room table and your burning anything.. its unsafe. Put that Ortur in a box that has a good fan sucking the air out of the box and blowing it outside and you are fine. This is a tool. Precautions should always be taken. Anyone who is using a laser should have enough common sense to make sure its well ventilated. Even if your burning wood... paper.. anything.. ventilation, its combustion for crying out loud.
Thanks for the information, it's very useful.
Stay safe and test often! Will you be testing your unknown materials from now on?
@@LaserLivestream I'm just start working with laser cutter.
Béla Tóth Glad to be of service. Keep in touch and share what you create! :) Have you worked out what laser you might buy?
@@LaserLivestream Not yes, I'm hesitating between a used 60x40/50W and a new 30x20 cm/40W.
Good tip!
Thank you K... We aim to please!
Good information
thank you!!!
You’re welcome. WHat do you use your laser to create? Stay safe!
how do you test pleather or fake leather? Will it melt onto the wire or do I burn a small piece?
Exactly like I showed in the video. The plastic elements will bond with the copper for testing. Stay safe.
great video ...please test the fake gold and silver leaf sold on ebay,wish and amazon...Thanks
Not all materials are made the same way. While I can test the materials you have requested, there is no guarantee that what you will receive is the same. Best way to be sure is to test everything you put into your laser. Stay safe and laser often :)
I just realized that I was using Vinyl Records for a long period now, first I manually cut them and the I used a Laser CNC to do it. I wish I know this before.
Can you point out another plastic materiale like that I can use to laser cut?
Plexiglass is not an option because I use a diode laser based so the beam just pass through transparent materials.
Diode lasers can cut solid colour acrylic. My go-to for creating something that would look like a vinyl record would be solid black acrylic. I cut 3mm black on my diode laser all the time.
Let me.know if you use the black acrylic or end up using some other type of material 👍
Stay safe!
@@LaserLivestream
I will look for black acrylic to use from now on.
I just realized that I used for around 2 hours my new CNC to cut vinyl records and I sow some rust on all the bolts and nuts inside the enclosure I made, also on the V-slot wheel for the axis. I thought it's moisture but is the chlorine as you said. Don't know if there is any method to get rid of it or if it's going to get worse.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it. What do you make Arkipita?
I thought copper wire itself produces a green flame? Right?
As explained in other comments, if you burn the copper under extreme heat, it will create a green flame. The torch does not create that kind of heat, and you only need to put the sample in the flame for a few seconds to see an answer. If there is no reaction, the flame doesn’t change colour.
As far as I know a green flame indicates the presence of copper, which is indeed true as the wire is made out of that. In order to conduct a proper flame test you need to deposit the material on a ni-cr or platinum wire, pure or in a hydrochloric acid solution. But even then I don't know how telling this test would be on this kind of material, in fact chlorine does not emit light in the visible region when flame tested. That's what I know, I'm not an expert so I may be wrong.
The small amount of Chlorine accelerates the chemical reaction and show a green flame as shown in the video.
If you placed copper in a heat source and brought it up to extremely high temperatures, you are correct, the flame would turn green.
With the Belstine test, the few seconds (3-10 seconds) will show you if chlorine is present. For more on this test, check out en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beilstein_test
@@LaserLivestreaminteresting, thank you very much for your explanation!
I love your videos! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful Paul. What part did you find most informative?
Gil Poznanski All of it, Gil. Your video was one of the main reasons I bought one. I’m a bit slow on this kind of tech though... so I’m still yet to cut anything. 😬
Why can’t you just exhaust the fumes?
There is a possibility for a false positive if the test is done incorrectly or if the test substance itself contains copper. Various copper compounds also yield a green flame, so if you do not use clean copper wire or test a substance that contains copper you may see a green flame even when the test substance does not contain chorine (or more formally, organic halides).
Never had an issue with a false positive. I guess when you heat the copper up, you should be aware of a green colour in the flame. If that happens before testing your material you would know that the copper you are using is contaminated.
Thanks for the info!
are these materials safe to laser cut... PU, PE, PP, CPP, OPP, BOPP
I love chemestry.
vinal is spelled vinyl. This is not meant to be nit-picky for trolling purposes, but since this is a safety video, you don't want someone thinking they are ok because their stuff doesn't say vinal.
Thanks for the heads up. Corrected
👍 THX ...
I have a question ❔, is there any book 📗 that could show me how to build a laser cutting machine ? I have seen a few videos on it on youtube but a book 📗 would spell out the names of the materials and RIGHT devices used to build one that would be done correctly. I need one with at least 400 watts of power on a relativity small bed say 💭 33 inches to 5 to 6 feet. Also one that will cut Lexan plexiglass tubes into rings on a rotary device that I have seen. I know that's a separate device and motor driven. I also think making one would cost less. Thanks !
Thank you !
You are welcome. What do you use your laser to create?
@@LaserLivestream Nothing yet. I want to cut Lexan plastic with one. Product I want to produce is a Christmas 🎄 Decoration.
i use core cut some foam mat materials which i dont know what materials it is. now with this video, i can test is there any cholride inside or not. thx for sharing this video.
Ted Sun Thanks for the feedback. So many new laser users out there, just want people to be able to test their materials and be safe. What do you make out of your core cut foam?
@@LaserLivestream i make a flip flop sandle to replace my old one :)
@@tedsun2736 That is so cool! Wish you could post a picture of your results. Love to hear how people use their laser to answer a problem :)
I thought it was cyanide gas which people need to be wary of when using a laser cutter. Chlorine is present in everyday bleach and doesn't harm in small amounts.
In liquid form chlorine is not going to be an issue. When it is atomised by a laser, chlorine attaches itself to the moisture in the atmosphere and becomes chlorine gas. In a gaseous form, chlorine enters to body alot easier.
Stay away from cyanide too. But chlorine is readily found in products that people happen to place in laser cutters.
@@LaserLivestream But I doubt that lasering certain materials would release much chlorine gas because the laser beam is minuscule.
Vinyl and leather and lather like materials are what a lot of people engrave on I have seen in videos. Are there sellers of materials that are aware of this and sell non-Chlorine products? Is that a hint of NZ in your accent?
I can't talk about others, but I always check the safety sheet when buying my material. If I cant get one, then I do the test as show in the video.
Do you use vinyl and leather like materials in your laser? Curious to hear what you make with them...
@ about 0:18... is that Jimmy Diresta?
Maybe.... 🤔 ruclips.net/p/PLjiwC274p6MlOdwlvEgwwH8IU0ntDueIP
@@LaserLivestream Thank you! I started following Jimmy after I began watching his Netflix show. I love the relaxed?, unorthodox? casual? way he goes about making his creations!
@@JapanScott1 It is a fun show. As you now know, Jimmy and I have know each other for some time. :)
Hi Gil, Great video! I want to use my laser for cutting out stencil, i thought i would use oh/overhead sheets, or can you recomennd something else :)? //Gustav
Not all material is made equal, so test it first before putting it in your laser. :)
I have used the same material for a project, just found one that was not PVC based.
What will you be using your stencils for?
@@LaserLivestream just gonna do some signs :), thnx for The answer :)
@@gustavandersen7830 Love to see what signage you create
Mylar sheet.
Did you actually say Chlorine Gas was used on the battlefield BEFORE World War One?
Please reply with Where? & When?
You caught me. I did say before! What I meant was chlorine gas was used during WW1. Thanks for the pick up.
Quick question, doesn't copper burn green?
Quick answer - no :) when it reacts to chlorine, the flame turns green at this low temperature.
@@LaserLivestream Awesome thanks 👌 I have some unknown clear plastic to test.
Does this apply to UV, IR or both?
This is not limited to wavelength, but material cut and vaporised.
When the chlorine in the material is cut it releases chlorine molecules that combine with water in the air to become Chlorine gas.
So the answer is both. Please stay safe.
Hi Gil, i have just seen someone in the UK who makes table lamps from plastic pipe, which have an intricate design laser cut into them. Is there a plastic pipe which is not PVC, and doesnt emit chlorine gas?
If the pipe is made of a plastic that is not PVC, there would be no issue using it in the laser cutter. Do you have a link or picture of the plastic pipe?
new subscriber here love your videos ty.
Thank you! What will you be making on your laser?
@@LaserLivestream key chains coasters Ho scale buildings
@@can5projects563 Fantastic. Love to see your work. If your in to sharing, check out the Laser Livesteams where we talk about methods and look 👀 at completed projects :)
You cant cut Polycarbonate either!
You are correct! Thank you for sharing!
Does it have to be a gas flame torch? Will a regular lighter not work?
Great question. Unfortunately a lighter flame will not heat the testing wire got enough to do the test. I tried and never got a positive result. Using a flame torch or bunsen burner, and hearing the wire in the blue (hottest) flame is the way to go.
@@LaserLivestream Thanks for the easy test tip. So I can heat up that copper wire on my gas stove when I don’t have a torch?
@@aragorndedolor4171 A gas flame will allow you to heat up the sample and see the result. 👍
But copper makes flame green...
The test is based on the reaction of chlorine with copper compounds at the high temperatures found in burner flames. These conditions produce excited, green-coloured copper atoms or ions that cause the normally colourless (or very slightly blue) flame to flare brilliant green (or sometimes blue-green).
www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/beilstein-test-organic-polymeric-materials.html
@@LaserLivestream wow, thanks for explanation!
We are trying to cut a thin sheet of polycarbonate with a laser cut. Does anybody knows if it is dangerous to cut it that way?
Polycarbonate strongly absorbs infrared radiation! This is the frequency of light the laser cutter uses to cut materials, so it is very ineffective at cutting polycarbonate.
While it does not have chlorine in its chemical makeup, Polycarbonate will create stringy clouds of soot that float up, ruin the optics and mess up the machine.
@@LaserLivestream is polycarbonate plexiglass? I just bought a plexiglass sneeze guard I wad going to use... but maybe I cant
@@lorirodriquez6100 plexiglass is acrylic and can be safely cut with a laser
Great information, Thank you!!
Thanks! Very useful video.
Thank you! I'm all about people learning how to use their laser safely. What do you make with your laser?
@@LaserLivestream I work at an award shop so we mostly use it for trophy plates, plaques and acrylic awards. We recently got a new more powerful laser and I've started laser anodizing my titanium knife scales.