omtech Polar 350 50W Desktop Laser Engraver Part 2 Using Lightburn Camera And First Cuts
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- Опубликовано: 18 янв 2023
- This is the second of a series of videos documenting my experience with the brand new omtech Polar 350 Laser Engraver. This one is getting it working with lightburn, trying to get the camera calibrated, and some first cuts. Some sound level info, air assist thoughts and a switch issue I had. Should have said 60% power not speed would not cut 6mm. 65% power was fine. This machine was provided to my channel to be used in videos to document from unpacking to how it stands up over time. I will on only produce honest videos about the setup, use, and maintenance of this machine that are all my content to hopefully help you decide if this type of machine will fit your needs for home or small business use. I think this may be the best offering in this class of lasers available today based on price, capability, Laser tube life, offline operation, and quality. I am new to Co2 lasers so we all will be learning together.
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I can't wait to get this machine, gonna be a massive upgrade from my xtool d1 10w pro, my business has gotten so busy that it just can't keep up, I wish I could've bought one of the big machines but sadly space is an issue so this will hopefully suit my needs :) thanks for the video as always!
Space is my problem also. Along with a 32 inch entry door. This has the same capability as a larger machine for parts up to about 12" x 20". The rotary is limited but raising the machine about an inch lets it handle tumblers. Xtool lasers do do a great job and I find I can get darker images with mine. The Co2 burns deeper with a lighter shade of brown. Great to have both plus this opens up clear acrylic work. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for posting what you find works etc. 👍
It definitely does a beautiful job. lack of documentation does cause some head scratching. I think they rely on Facebook forums for support and I as many of my viewers don't do Facebook could be part of the problem. My first experience with a Co2 laser so I am also learning as I go. It's a perfect starter setup. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023
Yeah I'm not a Facebook person myself either.
I am surprised many manufacturers rely on free social media platforms for support. Facebook could shut them down for no reason in a second.
Oh man - that switch under the honeycomb board? I seriously spent 2+ hours in frustration trying to figure out why my Polar wouldn't start the cut for the calibration in the same spot. There isn't any troubleshooting anywhere for this, so thank you!
So far I have found 3 reasons it will just stop, The switch, lines over 200m/sec, and lightburn overruns when close to the limits. I also have spent hours figuring them out. I have a Ruida control panel on the wat from China that's supposed to plug right in and give errors, focusing, laser fire fot alignment, and file run from comtroller without a pc. Will do a video when it arrives because it will reallly be a great addition. Thanks for watching.
Think you're right, it definitely needs more documentation and some tweaks to the machine as well.
It does do great work once you got it going. If I do get in to working with a laserbthis would be a machine to consider when the time comes. The one thing I did notice it doing well from the start was smoke evacuation.
It definitely does beautiful work. The camera calibrating is really a lightburn issue and should be easier with instructions. There is zero smoke or smell in my shop when this is running. They did a great job with that by using a proper fan with variable speed. The biggest frustration is when something goes wrong with a file. There is no feedback so it can take some investigating to figure why it stops. Just some minor issues to work out and it's a complete simple Co2 laser that will be hard to beat for getting started that doesn't take up a ton of space. Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for this video: You saved me from Disaster. I think I am going to look into the Aeon Mira 5 or the Epilog Maker , subed.
I just did an update about setting the camera up in 10 minutes per a Gweike video. They did not use the Lightburn instructions and did it with the lid open. For the price this is hard to beat and is a great starter Co2 with a long warranty. Trouble is instructions are lacking at this point. I plan on upgrading to one of the big 100 watt Omtechs someday for larger items like doormats. Thanks for watching.
Thank ya brother!
Thanks for watching.
Ed, have you thought about laminating a enlarged photo onto some thin plywood and then custom cutting a puzzle as a gift idea (or option). I would imagine you would have to seal the artwork to the surface first or else the artwork might be prone to flaming. Just a thought!
I have not tried that. l bet laminating to heavy cardboard would work best because that cuts very clean at higher speeds. I may have to try that. Thanks for watching.
Hey Ed, I had a question with respect to the lens. I believe the Polar comes with a 2mm lens, I'm interested in getting a 1.5mm for finer detail engravings. Is it pretty cumbersome to swap back and forth between a 1.5 and a 3 say? Also I see on the OMTECH website, "12mm ,18mm, and 20mm" each one having a 1.5, and 2inch available. How do I know which of the options is right for me? Thanks! I'm having a lot of fun with the polar and learning a ton about what i can do and I can't do.
I also ended up geting an Xtool to try it out the diode/infrared module, super curious to see how that one is.
I am using Cloudray 15mm lenses from ebay in mine. There is another video showing how I had to knock the original from the lens holder and super glue the new one in place. I bought a dozen and they were $12.00 each compared to the $65.00 for an Omtech assembly.
I think going with the longer focal distance lense in the spare lens tube that was supplied with the Polar will give a finer cut with less power but haven't tried it. You will have to drop the honeycomb and run tests for the new focal point though. It would be best to shoot Omtech support an email to see what they recommend and if any other options are available now and how to setup the longer lens.
I am thinking about buying a fiber laser to try in the future but the capabilities of that xtool infrared module are almost as good. Thanks for watching.
What settings are you using to cut 3mm birch? My mom just got the Polar and had a glowforge. She can't get anything to cut. No one seems to want to help. I have 2- Omtech 50w machines but the polar is different. Any help would be great!
I have been using the settings in the book. Sounds like what happens with a dirty lense or focus issue. If you cut or engrave acrylic the lense can get dirty in a couple minutes, especially if the air assist line gets kinked where it enters the head. I would start with a full alignment of the mirrors and lens. then run a ramp test and verify focus length. I made a gauge for mine to verify focus before each cut. Just lower the nozzle to it and no longer try to use that auto offset. Be sure the air assist comes on during the cut. I had good luck getting help using the email system. I have another video about how I am using cloudray lenses to save money but American photonics has a nice easy to clean setup for them now. Let me know what you find.
Question, my machine keeps raising my z axis every time I hit run. I lower the z and set the offset yet it keeps raising it back up every time. Any suggestoins?
Sounds like you changed the machine settings in the controller. Mine only homes at startup and then I use lightburn to move it down in the z move box to focus it before running. It will stay there untill the machine is turned off and then back on to home. Also in lightburn when you enable z move there is a check box below it that can cause this if checked. The auto focus on this machine isn't really autofocus. They have excellent support if you need help to straighten it out. Thanks for watching.
I have a question. I just received my polar 350 yesterday completely new to laser world. I was cutting a Apple Watch jig using 3mm basswood that came with my laser but my settings must be off because it’s not cutting through board completely
First check the laser beam alignment to be sure it didn't shift during shipping. Then check to be sure the mirror and lens are clean. Next be sure you are moving the lense to the correct focal distance per the instructions of the offset that must be entered. Also for cutting the air assist must be turned on in lightburn for best results. Also check under the cover that the air assist line isn't kinked cutting off flow. Best to send Omtech an email or call if its a new machine and they should be able to walk you through getting started. Power and speeds they give are a good starting point but not always perfect. Good luck. They are an amazing little machine once setup. Thanks for watching.
Did you ever find a fix for the slight burn marks from the fan delay?
I plan on working on it in the fall. Definitely just needs a 2 stage air assist. Just finishing up some garden and P2 videos first. Thanks for watching.
Can you use LightBurnSoftware wirelessly including seeing the camera?
I have not tried that yet but supposed to work for the laser. It's a Ruida controller that should work. Best to send Omtech an email to verify it will work with your equipment. The camera is powered off the usb cable separately so I don't think the camera would be available without a computer. Thanks for watching.
There should be a way to create a delay where the pump turns on then the machine starts cutting right?
I think so. usually a post processor handles that in the cnc world. It's a pretty big long hose from the pump. You can see how beautifully it cuts once pressurized. Some simple things to work out that willl make this a perfect machine. I sent them the info and hopefully it's a simple firmware change. I know nothing about this type of controller. Thanks for watching
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 if your outputting a g-code, then yeah, it would be in the post processor. Looks fun...
I literally just replied what you said, its late, I'm tired, I'm off to bed... PEACE ~
This laser printer is not yet available on market?
No, new product that has recently started shipping. Can be ordered on the Omtech site I have placed a link in the description to. Thanks for watching
Have you tried any metal?
No. This is a co2 laser and needs Ceramark or something similar to mark metal. I have tried anodized aluminum business cards and it does a good job removing the anodize on them. Fiber lasers are best for marking raw metals. Thanks for watching
The audio of the last couple videos you made drops out with clicks. This happens randomly about 1 to 2 times per second. It’s difficult to understand what you are saying.
I just rewatched it HD and 4k and don't have that issue. Could be the RUclips feed because they reprocess it after uploading. Thanks for watching.
I watch your videos on a cell phone. Watched on a desktop just now. The clicks are there also but not as apparent with a larger speaker.
I am not getting any of that on my pc at 4k or tablet at lower resolution. I have no idea what it could be.
Sounds like the audio was post edited with a software to reduce noise in between words. It clips a lot, the audio is hard to listen to