5 Laser Facts BEGINNERS need to know | Reviewing Sculpfun SF-A9 40 Watt Laser
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2024
- This week I’m review the Sculpfun SF-A9 40 Watt laser. At the time I’m sharing 5 things you must know as a beginner and someone looking to get into Lasering. Using a laser engraver can be dangerous and there are lots of misconceptions out there. This week I solve these problems with facts and also go through the precaution you need to take when operating the laser. This laser has fantastic features like being able to quickly switch from 40W to 20W in power.
Sculpfun SF-A9 Purchase link: shrsl.com/4cst5
Check out what tools and gear I in the Small Fry Workshop:
Australian: benable.com/Smallfrycreations...
Non Australian: benable.com/Smallfrycreations...
🎬Skip Ahead
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Disclaimer and SF-A9 setup
1:05 - Speed and Power settings
2:19 - Laser lifespan
4:12 - Diode cutting clear acrylic
5:09 - Dangers
7.29 - More power = better results
11:00 - Laser review and wrap up
---------------------------------------------------------
Happy building and if you like to stay up to date with what I'm currently working on be sure to follow me on social.
Facebook: / smallfrycreationsanddiy
Instagram: goo.gl/bWWnQe
Etsy: www.etsy.com/au/shop/SmallFry...
_______________________________________________
FTC Legal Disclaimer - Some links found in the description box of my videos may be affiliate links, meaning I will make commission on sales you make through my link. This is at no extra cost to you to use my links/codes, it's just one more way to support me and my channel! :) 
Хобби
Thanks for the video. I had a 1.5W engraver that I just upgraded to this 40W machine. Love the way you laid the video out. Thanks!
Thank you. Wowzer thats a big nice upgrade. love it :)
Love your work 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Good tips 😊
Hey Sumo!! So nice to hear from you. Thank you for stopping by. Hope you are well.
Very practical tutorial for beginners on diode laser engraving machine!
Hope everyone can happily use the diode engraving machine. 😘
Of course, Sculpfun is a very good choice. 👏
Thank you. Sculpfun is a great choice :)
Useful vulcan knowledge shared.
I grabbed a s30 ultra with a 33watt laser thats on its way here. I also grabbed the s30 extension kit for the frame, though didn't know it wasnt adaptable to the s30 ultra, but its adaptable to all other variants of s30 or s10 even, s9 too if I remember correctly.
I will need to source out a stepper motor that either exactly matches the motor the ultra uses, or try to source out 2 exactly balanced matching motors if to use the extension kit, or order a cheaper s series than the ultra and make that the larger capacity rig. I want to try to get the s30 ultra to use the extension kit though rather than two rigs. There was confusion generated at time of purchase due to the marketing of the s30 and the extension kit, they really could've went with a less confusing name to differentiate and to make sure it wouldn't result in probably many extension kits being sold yet not able to be used. Someone else i noticed bought a ultra and the extension kit and spent ages trying to get it to work for them, due to the differences of the stepper motors being used. He was frustrated and because he tried asking sculpfun so he could get the exact proper motor so to sort out his requirements and getting the rig to work, but they chose to not give him the info, he felt they were treating the s30 ultra motor specs as if some kind of trade secret! That caused some cortisol spiking just reading that, and to think they seemed to have created additional adventurous mystery, in a otherwise layman's terms framework of corrective care.
I do dig the design of their machines because of the adaptive type of extrusions they use with the s-9 s-10 s-30, and seeing that extension kit really made me hit the Buy Now button.
Thankyou for helping explain the viability of lasers in comparision to marketing, your real world evaluations and your pointing out how achieving results really depends on variables that marketing often does not include.
We should encourage them to produce a additional extension kit that would include the certain motor of the ultra, because the ultra was designed for the added weight of a heavier laser mounted to the rig. Or they should at least let people order the exactly required motor config without having to order a entirely other s-9 s-10- or s-30.
Thank you. I agree it is annoying that the extension frame doesn't work for all models. I was hoping Sculpfun over the last 12 months would start to standardize for the laser head connections and frames to make upgrading much easier and more appealing but it just hasn't happen. They are great machines and I love them and agree the naming could be better to make everyones life a little easier :) Thanks for stopping by
Great video Ainslee and good advice too, anyone wanting to cut through 18mm material should really be using a CNC
Thanks Vic. 100% agree with you :)
Fantastic info Ains.... one day :P
Thanks. You won't know yourself when you do it :)
How is your makita saw and dust extractor working for you? Just watched your video from when you got them and was hoping for a follow up video on them!
Found your channel through looking for reviews for the extractor and wanted to say they are great quality videos!
Thanks
Hey Thank you. The makita vacum is extremely strong. It does an ok job. Like all miter saws the dust collection is not awesome or perfect. I don't use the blue toothsystem as you have to reconnect it everytime you use the saw and I don't use it often enough so its annoying to have to reconnect. If I did it again I wouldn't waste the money on it. The saw is awesome and works really well. The 40V battery lasts a really look time which is handy. overall I'm happy with the set up. I think a dust cover over the saw like I use to have it really the only way to contain all the dust but this setup is better then the last so thats an improvement :)
Todo muy bien hasta ahora pero seria bueno que sculpfun adpate modulos de 33 o 40 w para los que tenemos el s30 pro max ya que asi podemos aprovechar la máxima extensión de 90*90 cm para trabajar mejor trabajos grandes.
I agree with you and hopefully it will be something they look at in the future
Pedantic point: the laser is penetrating the clear acrylic just fine - that's why it can cut the coating underneath. The problem is that it penetrates _too well_ (because the acrylic is essentially transparent to the frequency used by the laser).
Less pedantic: I really have enjoyed your reviews on the laser cutters. Would love one myself, but can't justify it as a hobbyist.
Thank you very much :) They are lots of fun
Hi and thanks for the information ,I have bought a Sculpfun A9 in January so very new to laser cutting and engraving . After watching a stack of videos and reviews I decided to go for the 40W/20W A9 expecting to get the cutting results advertise but just like you have said I can,t get the same results and after watching what you are getting I am thinking I have some setting that must be wrong , on 3mm Ply with white glue in between layers the best I can cut at is 550mm/m at 100% in 40W mode . I would love to know what your setup is and what drivers you were able to get and use , this is all new to me and downloading file to run the laser was a bit of a stretch for me. I was disappointed with Sculpfun and the small honeycomb panel they bundle with the A9 , I have been in contact with them and explained that the 400mm x 400mm cutting size the advertise is outside the honeycomb and you end-up cutting into the frame if you cut to the machines limit. The air assist still runs when turned off in Lightburn I have been told it pump less air to keep things clear but I get better results if I pull the cable out before engraving and putting it back for cutting so wondering how you work with yours and if there is also problem with drivers I need or not. Keep up the videos the more information we get the better and as some wise person said knowledge is no weight to carry, thanks Laurie ( I am up on the Sunshine Coast QLD)
Hey Laurie!! Firstly well done for diving into lasering. It does take some getting use to but lots of fun once you get the hang of it. I run lightburn off a mac laptop, I haven't had to install any drivers. It works for me out of the box. Very strange that with 3mm you can only go as fast as 550mm/min. Just make sure in the settings in lightburn you are on mm/min and not mm/sec. I should be able to get speed double for 3mm. If your still getting bad results I would try changing the cable as the one it comes with is sometimes cheap. The only thing you want to do is keep the lens clean. If you get build up around the end of the nozzle this will affect the power. With the honeycomb. I hear you and its annoying. All companies for what ever reason have the honeycomb smaller then the cutting size. I'm guessing it must have something to do with the manufacturing process as they all do it. I would run a material test on the 40watt setting and see what you get. With the air assist. I know they do still pump out a little air when its turned off. I haven't had an issue with it but if your getting better results pulling the air tube out then I say stick to it. Just keep a close eye on it as the air being pumped out is a method that use to keep fires from happening.
Thanks for the reply I will have a look at the speed settings and I will keep the nozzle clean. The lenses will be on the Sculpfun site early March so I will buy some then and thinking I will buy a 600mm x 600mm bed to make things easyer.
Hi you use ipa as I under stand this is not good for the lens I use a cleaner used for glasses and it work very well what is your thoughts on this.
Steven 🇬🇧
My understanding is Isopropyl is what is in glass cleaner. I have been using it for years and haven't had any issues. Hope this helps
@@SmallFryCreations Hi thanks for the reply the glasses cleaner I use is a non alcohol based one and it is meant to a eco friendly cleaner so it dos not degrade the film on the lens
@@steven67856 OO thats good to know. I will do some searching and see if I can find one as being eco friendly is much better and if its going to do the same thing thats better. Thank you for the tip and I will be sure to have a look around :)
thinking of buying a laser but I will have trouble understanding lightburn Is it as hard as it seems bearing in mind I am 80 years young
Hey I understand. I would recommend you can download Lightburn on a 1 month free trial. Before you buy the laser I would download the software and have a play and see what you think before taking the plunge. Hope this helps
thank you @@SmallFryCreations
@@kevinrees3811 There is a freeware simpler type interface to consider. LaserGRBL is what I will start with. Lightburn has some features, though depending on what you are wanting to do, you might be able to get away with the basic simpler freeware to bridge your computer to the laser rig.
Nice to hear you are into being creative, 80 isnt too old really. Cheers brother from a probably taller mother.
followed your advice and downloaded lightburn but it seems that some programs are not available with out a laser printer l will give it a go any way
@@kevinrees3811 hmm, not sure why my reply to you was blocked. I was being nice even, lol.
with this S-9 Sculpfun has introduced many upgrades: laser head with selectable power; new and simplified focusing system; double set of feet to raise the structure; initial assembly has been facilitated; possible connections in WiFi, BT and USB; the straps will NO longer need to be adjusted and the cables are largely gone. As if all these improvements weren't enough, the S-9 is one of the least expensive machines on the market (for the same power) and also for this reason I would say that they have come close to putting the ideal Diode Laser on the market.
I agree with you. I think put it in an enclosure and it would be the perfect desktop machine.
Hi Ainslie, the purchase link for the laser doesn’t seem to be working. Cheers
Thank you so much for letting me know. I think I have now fixed it :) Thanks again
Hi Ainslie, the filter mask doesn’t seem to be on your list. Do you recommend?
@@howardbecdove9780 oooo yes I do. I should add it to the list. Tomorrow when I’m back in front of my computer I will add it in. It’s awesome and can’t smell a thing and also when you want a break and some fresh air you don’t have to remove the whole mask. The font can just flip down. Will get a link updated tomorrow 😀
@@howardbecdove9780 I have checked this morning and I'm hvaing trouble find the same one I have. The mask I use is a 3M branded mask and is called a Quick Latch Half face respirator and then you purchase the filters you need. I use the ones for spray paint and I can't smell any fumes. If you're in Australia I got mine from Seton otherwise I would recommend googling that name and you should be able to get it to come up :)