I watched a RUclips video of a guy who uses these in his day job and for doing long, straight lines he used a straight edge like a power tools guide rule with a raised edge to run the laser welder nozzle along and used half the width of the nozzle as a guide where to clamp the straight edge so it was the perfect distance ensuring the laser hits the gap for the weld. He'd lean the laser into the straight edge and run a perfect weld every single time. The most super straight welds you'll ever see. These are game changing bits of kit. Subbed.
Thanks for the tip! I definitely want to figure out some kind of method using a straight edge…my wobbly hands were the only thing preventing me from getting amazing results
This is how TIG welding dies. I have a 2000W laser welder and I no longer touch my tig torch. It kind of makes me sad that my skill and my tig welder are no longer valuable but I'm quite happy with the ease of use and the practicality of the laser. Just wanted to add that there is a special wire feeding tube for laser welding aluminum its much shorter and it is graphite coated and its about $20 but it made a huge improvement in my aluminum welding experience. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for the tip about the graphite tube, I’ll try that! I’m in the same boat…years of honing my craft as a digital artist, now you can simply type into a text prompt and AI will spit out a better image in seconds.
Congrats man. It’s really an amazing machine. Just a tip, rest the gun really lightly onto the tip of the filler wire. Pull the trigger and let the filler wire push you back. Don’t push against it. Let it push you while you just guide it. It basically just lays the filler wire down and then the laser comes along and fuses it to the base material. One thing with laser welding is you cannot add more filler wire to the weld pool to build up a larger fillet, for example. If you need to add more filler then have to go thicker on the filler wire. Or have dual filler wires. That’s why you see some laser welding machines with dual wire feeds.
If you rest your right hand on your left and slide your left along the table it won't jerk as much, you can then control your speed better and get a thicker and stronger weld, also hesitate for a second at the end to build it a little thicker at the end, this is where it will start cracking under stress, otherwise it is working great, from a longtime mig, tig, and stick welder !
They said MIG welding is a metal hot glue gun, but this really is a metal hot glue gun. Small tip: don't press down too hard and let the wire feeder push you backwards. That's the trick to getting those perfect-looking welds. Also, next side project: manual linear rail stabilizer holder doodad for long linear welds or cuts? :)
I think you're supposed to use argon on aluminum and nitrogen on stainless. For steel, we just use compressed air. If I'm wrong, please let me know. Congrats on the new tool, we love our Skyfire laser welder.
Covert Gass's work which these are You can even mix gass's THey have a Tri Mix as well ITs been 30 yr since ive been out of it but some things you dont loose.
Small tip: Watch the angle you setup your camera at. Laser reflections off your weld piece will burn the sensor or individual pixels. Any time you can see the laser light in your footage, you are getting stray reflections. You should also be welding behind a tarp to prevent passersby from getting eye damage. It only takes a split second flash to blind someone. I Germany you are required to work in a locked room for safety when using these because of the danger.
@@diyfiberlaser By the way when welding aluminum you can damage the laser optics in the gun if you point straight down at the metal. Due to the reflections the lenses can get damaged, so it is important to keep it at an angle.
Extremely fortuitous video. My 2000w laser welder will be arriving in 2 weeks! Couldn't be more excited Edit: I've been trying to figure this out on my own, but an amazing project I have no doubt you'd be able to tackle is converting this continuous wave (CW) laser into a pulse wave (PW) laser, which is better for cleaning surfaces without damaging the substrate. The biggest challenge is figuring out a way to collect the laser energy. Based on my research, implementing "q-switching" or "gain switching" is how typical systems work, but that's all I know about it as the technical knowledge is beyond me.
I saw that for laser cleaning you must always use compressed air to blow the smoke away from the gun because it all sticks to the lens and when you fire it again it burns straight on the lens. So with a blast of air you can keep it fresh and clean for a long time.
Nice toy! I think there might be a problem with that settings chart at 12:29 -- the wire feeding speed seems absurdly fast. They range from 50-80 cm/s (19.7" - 31.5" per second). Edit: I see on the actual feeder display it's really cm/min.
Suggestion. You should use some teflon tape on those threads just in case you have a small leak. The fittings are brand new so you shouldn’t have any leaks but it’s always good practice.
For laser cutting, I have to use nitrogen at 5 bar (72psi) to get a good result. Also make sure you are using a "pressure regulator" and not the more common "flow regulator" that are used on most welder setups. For welding you can reduce the pressure to 3 bar (43.5psi).
See if the spool mount has a bushing that can slide off for the small spools, most welders have provisions for both sizes. Also if we got one of these units, could we somehow use the same laser source for a cnc build?
How is the strength of welds on the aluminum? Turn up the 100% argon to 20 cfh for aluminum. Does this unit have a variable voltage on the trigger or on/off? Try using your other ‘gloved’ hand to keep the torch hand steady.
great video trav. I am wondering what the practicality is in car restoration...like welding car panels. does the metal get insanely how and warp at all? Great video as usual. Have a great new year.
Theres a kickstarter project for mini laser cutter / welder / cleaner units called XPhotonics Xlaserlab , like these but way smaller and capable of sheet metal welding. These are really going to start to go mainstream. What do you think of the feasibility of the cutting attachment being strapped on a CNC gantry for a lower tech cutting maching?
Yes, I've seen there are already many low-power air -cooled machines out there. I don't remember the RUclips channel, but there already is a guy that has strapped it to his CNC machine.
What do you think about mounting this to something like an avid cnc gantry for a large format laser cutter? Do you think there is any major drawbacks vs the dedicated laser source you used on the last laser cutter?
Travis, Great video, I have an idea you may be able to help, try using your laser to heat bend and weld plastic try it on a 10mm plastic cutting board as example, could you try for me please, it may work, that would fantastic, all the best to you. Allan
Keep practicing. I have noticed you either go too fast or too slow depending on the weld and the material you are joining. The same applies when you want to cut with it; the speed will affect the results of the cutting action. With a laser, you need to be at a 90-degree angle to the surface for better results, similar to those big CNC CO2 or O2 cutting laser tables or like the plasma torch. Also, when cleaning metal, maintain the same distance at all times to avoid leaving marks. Find the right setting that will help achieve better results when cleaning with the laser.
Travis, great video... I've contacted Sky Fire for info on the welding cart on your machine. I have a 1500w laser that I've been using for cleaning, it has rollers, but needs a way to secure a bottle and the wire feeder into a single cart.
I've thought about the same question. The main difference would be what is below the cut surface. Mine has a water table. Wonder what you would need to absorb the laser beam.
@@diyfiberlaser So I need to weld a plate to a finished hardened transmission gear I do not want to affect the properties of the finished teeth in the gear so this laser welding has my attention.
could you please please please try to convert this fiber laser welder to a cnc grbl table machine. I need to know if its possible to build fiber laser cutting machine using this handheld welder. I guess many like can't afford buying a big machine or don't need a huge working table. thank you !!
Hi I enjoyed your video also just wondering how that unite cost. If you feel uncomfortable about maybe you can send me the company website I can mix and match what I would like.
If You use Your two hands for welding, the result will better. One hand stand the table and hold the another with a gun .. no hanshaking, stable, and more controll.. and so on..
It’s not really a ground. It’s for safety. The laser won’t fire until laser welding gun tip is touching the work piece. It needs the “ground” clamp to close the safety circuit. I love our laser welders except for the fact that our operators are holding 3kw laser beams in a hand held torch. It really scares me. If you point the gun at a piece of wood 20m away, with the safety override on, it catches alight instantaneously. Scary stuff. Laser welding enclosures are a must.
Now do AWS bend tests on typical materials with approved fillers. Looks dandy for sheet metal which alone would justify it for many jobs, but what is not scientifically tested is not fully known. Bonus, more useful videos mean more views. Typical welding school test coupons are easy to cut and bevel in a home shop. You might also ask Sky Fire for WPS examples from them and their other customers to use for testing. Serious welders require precise information to inform equipment purchases.
I watched a RUclips video of a guy who uses these in his day job and for doing long, straight lines he used a straight edge like a power tools guide rule with a raised edge to run the laser welder nozzle along and used half the width of the nozzle as a guide where to clamp the straight edge so it was the perfect distance ensuring the laser hits the gap for the weld.
He'd lean the laser into the straight edge and run a perfect weld every single time. The most super straight welds you'll ever see. These are game changing bits of kit. Subbed.
Thanks for the tip! I definitely want to figure out some kind of method using a straight edge…my wobbly hands were the only thing preventing me from getting amazing results
This is how TIG welding dies. I have a 2000W laser welder and I no longer touch my tig torch. It kind of makes me sad that my skill and my tig welder are no longer valuable but I'm quite happy with the ease of use and the practicality of the laser. Just wanted to add that there is a special wire feeding tube for laser welding aluminum its much shorter and it is graphite coated and its about $20 but it made a huge improvement in my aluminum welding experience. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for the tip about the graphite tube, I’ll try that! I’m in the same boat…years of honing my craft as a digital artist, now you can simply type into a text prompt and AI will spit out a better image in seconds.
Kind of makes me feel silly for thinking about buying a tig welder..
@@diyfiberlaser no no no, your design is the best 🙌
We haven't been successful feeding aluminum wire, can you give details on this tubing you mentioned?
I was able to find them by searching “graphite or graphene wire feeding tube for laser welding” …already ordered one
Congrats man. It’s really an amazing machine. Just a tip, rest the gun really lightly onto the tip of the filler wire. Pull the trigger and let the filler wire push you back. Don’t push against it. Let it push you while you just guide it. It basically just lays the filler wire down and then the laser comes along and fuses it to the base material.
One thing with laser welding is you cannot add more filler wire to the weld pool to build up a larger fillet, for example. If you need to add more filler then have to go thicker on the filler wire. Or have dual filler wires. That’s why you see some laser welding machines with dual wire feeds.
Thanks, I did notice how the wire would push me along…I think I could go even lighter with my grip.
Wow, $6000 emery paper….
Really enjoyed watching…what a useful multi tool
Man, you get all the cool toys :)
*envy* that is amazing. Low fumes, no UV. Love it 🤩
If you rest your right hand on your left and slide your left along the table it won't jerk as much, you can then control your speed better and get a thicker and stronger weld, also hesitate for a second at the end to build it a little thicker at the end, this is where it will start cracking under stress, otherwise it is working great, from a longtime mig, tig, and stick welder !
Thanks for the advice, I definitely need to work on my technique!
They said MIG welding is a metal hot glue gun, but this really is a metal hot glue gun. Small tip: don't press down too hard and let the wire feeder push you backwards. That's the trick to getting those perfect-looking welds.
Also, next side project: manual linear rail stabilizer holder doodad for long linear welds or cuts? :)
That would be useful assist gadget!
I've been looking at these for a couple of years. Interested on seeing more, especially its cutting capability
@22:28 That looks and sounds like it's straight out of a sci-fi movie. That is way cool!
I think you're supposed to use argon on aluminum and nitrogen on stainless. For steel, we just use compressed air. If I'm wrong, please let me know. Congrats on the new tool, we love our Skyfire laser welder.
Covert Gass's work which these are You can even mix gass's THey have a Tri Mix as well ITs been 30 yr since ive been out of it but some things you dont loose.
Super stoked about this Electric Go Kart ! Would love to help in any way I can 😊
Finally, something to spend that $6,300 I have sitting around.
Cool thing, I hope in the future many people will have such vimasters.
My Beach house is being sold I'm thinking about getting one of those ! Great video thanks
Small tip: Watch the angle you setup your camera at. Laser reflections off your weld piece will burn the sensor or individual pixels. Any time you can see the laser light in your footage, you are getting stray reflections. You should also be welding behind a tarp to prevent passersby from getting eye damage. It only takes a split second flash to blind someone. I Germany you are required to work in a locked room for safety when using these because of the danger.
Thanks, that's a good point...I'll think more about my camera placement. I don't have a welding tarp, but I am using it in a locked room by myself.
@@diyfiberlaser By the way when welding aluminum you can damage the laser optics in the gun if you point straight down at the metal. Due to the reflections the lenses can get damaged, so it is important to keep it at an angle.
Noted, thanks!
Very coolI'll have to do some research on one of these
This thing is pretty cool if I had 7 gs to blow this would definitely be a contender
Extremely fortuitous video. My 2000w laser welder will be arriving in 2 weeks! Couldn't be more excited
Edit: I've been trying to figure this out on my own, but an amazing project I have no doubt you'd be able to tackle is converting this continuous wave (CW) laser into a pulse wave (PW) laser, which is better for cleaning surfaces without damaging the substrate. The biggest challenge is figuring out a way to collect the laser energy. Based on my research, implementing "q-switching" or "gain switching" is how typical systems work, but that's all I know about it as the technical knowledge is beyond me.
Same here... Should be arriving in about 1-2 weeks
For welding flat, you could do with an adjustable stop attached to the head
What is the earth clamp used for given it's not using an arc to melt the metal?
Safety feature, so you don't accidentally laser across the room
@@diyfiberlaser But you can attach the ground clamp to the nozzle if you actually want to "laser across the room"... Sounds like fun 🙂
I saw that for laser cleaning you must always use compressed air to blow the smoke away from the gun because it all sticks to the lens and when you fire it again it burns straight on the lens. So with a blast of air you can keep it fresh and clean for a long time.
That makes sense, thanks for the tip!
Oh oh when your wife sees the electric bill 😱😱✌🏻👍🏼👍🏼 23:50
Haha, I went overboard on the circuit, it only needs 32amps max
Nice toy! I think there might be a problem with that settings chart at 12:29 -- the wire feeding speed seems absurdly fast. They range from 50-80 cm/s (19.7" - 31.5" per second). Edit: I see on the actual feeder display it's really cm/min.
For that price I'll stick to my tig❗️ more power to you though ❗️
Suggestion. You should use some teflon tape on those threads just in case you have a small leak. The fittings are brand new so you shouldn’t have any leaks but it’s always good practice.
Those are swedge type connections. Absolutely no need for Teflon tape.
Try a straight edge to run the side of the laser against for flat areas to keep a straight weld.
Thanks…will definitely do that next time!
Argon gas is normally used for welding Aluminum.
Thanks, I keep getting mixed info…argon or nitrogen
For laser cutting, I have to use nitrogen at 5 bar (72psi) to get a good result. Also make sure you are using a "pressure regulator" and not the more common "flow regulator" that are used on most welder setups. For welding you can reduce the pressure to 3 bar (43.5psi).
Thanks for the advice!
See if the spool mount has a bushing that can slide off for the small spools, most welders have provisions for both sizes. Also if we got one of these units, could we somehow use the same laser source for a cnc build?
Good idea, I just double checked, but this model doesn’t appear to have that
Travis. You are clever. (This sounds as an exception🤔)
Can you invent a way to make laser hand cleaner to cut on table with CNC?
I forget the RUclips channel name, but there is already a guy doing exactly that...maybe do a search for it
Just take a little steel wool to your T-Squre that will give a little shine to it.
maybe you can hook it on to your plasma table to do laser cutting?
I don't have a plasma...that already IS a laser cutting machine : )
How is the strength of welds on the aluminum? Turn up the 100% argon to 20 cfh for aluminum. Does this unit have a variable voltage on the trigger or on/off? Try using your other ‘gloved’ hand to keep the torch hand steady.
great video trav. I am wondering what the practicality is in car restoration...like welding car panels. does the metal get insanely how and warp at all? Great video as usual. Have a great new year.
From what I understand, the heat affected zone is actually smaller using a laser welder, so I imagine it would be great on car panels.
Can you use a welding glove? The way you hold it, you don't really have a steady hand, and that is very important for good penetration.
Yes, I also want to try using a straight edge guide …I definitely need to work on my pulling in a straight line skills 😀
Amazing... Look forward to the prices getting cheaper. Still a bit too expensive for how much I'd use it.
Theres a kickstarter project for mini laser cutter / welder / cleaner units called XPhotonics Xlaserlab , like these but way smaller and capable of sheet metal welding. These are really going to start to go mainstream.
What do you think of the feasibility of the cutting attachment being strapped on a CNC gantry for a lower tech cutting maching?
Yes, I've seen there are already many low-power air -cooled machines out there. I don't remember the RUclips channel, but there already is a guy that has strapped it to his CNC machine.
That unit is rather big for the shop and mobility . Surely there must be something smaller
Yes there are smaller models
What do you think about mounting this to something like an avid cnc gantry for a large format laser cutter? Do you think there is any major drawbacks vs the dedicated laser source you used on the last laser cutter?
The first major drawback would be no capacitive height control
@ thanks! That’s exactly what I was looking for.
6:39 - You sure you don't need to tape that barb fitting into the regulator? Doesn't look like a compression fitting
It was actually 2 fittings, that was what I could get on short notice…one was taped, the other was compression
Travis, Great video, I have an idea you may be able to help, try using your laser to heat bend and weld plastic try it on a 10mm plastic cutting board as example, could you try for me please, it may work, that would fantastic, all the best to you. Allan
Not all grades of aluminum can be fuse welded so you have to be careful with no filler.
Noted, thanks for the advice!
Your overall assessment is exactly what I was afraid it would be...
Keep practicing. I have noticed you either go too fast or too slow depending on the weld and the material you are joining. The same applies when you want to cut with it; the speed will affect the results of the cutting action. With a laser, you need to be at a 90-degree angle to the surface for better results, similar to those big CNC CO2 or O2 cutting laser tables or like the plasma torch. Also, when cleaning metal, maintain the same distance at all times to avoid leaving marks. Find the right setting that will help achieve better results when cleaning with the laser.
Thanks for the tips, I will definitely work on my technique.
Travis, great video... I've contacted Sky Fire for info on the welding cart on your machine. I have a 1500w laser that I've been using for cleaning, it has rollers, but needs a way to secure a bottle and the wire feeder into a single cart.
CNC laser welding robot next?
Is it possible to use the laser from the laser welding machine on a CNC laser cutter? So that you only need one laser source for multiple machines.
I've thought about the same question. The main difference would be what is below the cut surface. Mine has a water table. Wonder what you would need to absorb the laser beam.
Do you think we'd be able to use flux wire and not have to use inert gas?
I think the gas also prevents the smoke from reaching the lens.
The fact that you can handle parts right after welding them tells me there is a much smaller heat effected zone. Is this so ?
Yes small heat effected zone…they were still hot, but thin pieces I could handle rather quickly
@@diyfiberlaser So I need to weld a plate to a finished hardened transmission gear I do not want to affect the properties of the finished teeth in the gear so this laser welding has my attention.
Makes you want to weld all the things in the house, doesn't it?
Haha yes! and I want to clean the rust off everything...so much fun to use!
could you please please please try to convert this fiber laser welder to a cnc grbl table machine. I need to know if its possible to build fiber laser cutting machine using this handheld welder. I guess many like can't afford buying a big machine or don't need a huge working table. thank you !!
Sorry can’t, I need to use it as a welder
Next up, cnc welding arm.
Hi I enjoyed your video also just wondering how that unite cost. If you feel uncomfortable about maybe you can send me the company website I can mix and match what I would like.
$6300, the company website link is in the video description
Amazon link for your gas?
amzn.to/3DZkSnD
If You use Your two hands for welding, the result will better. One hand stand the table and hold the another with a gun .. no hanshaking, stable, and more controll.. and so on..
Use a spool gun that's what I did, The wire does not travel that far so it does not birds nest in the cable. ta ta.
Kolik ta svářečka má watt
2000w
It looks like an oversized Mac Pro.
I never really thought about it, but yeah kinda…haha
How much ? Wher can I buy
Link is in the description
Can you do a demonstration on rusted cast iron frying pans?
If you can set this machine up you don't need an electrician to add a new circuit
Haha…he said that too! I like supporting his business and it takes something off my plate
WOW That looks like hot glue for metal.
Will it do haircuts? haha
Haha, I saw that video…the answer is a clear Yes
I didn't knew that you need a ground clamp for laser welding.
Same remark. Can someone give the reason ?
It’s not really a ground. It’s for safety. The laser won’t fire until laser welding gun tip is touching the work piece. It needs the “ground” clamp to close the safety circuit. I love our laser welders except for the fact that our operators are holding 3kw laser beams in a hand held torch. It really scares me. If you point the gun at a piece of wood 20m away, with the safety override on, it catches alight instantaneously. Scary stuff. Laser welding enclosures are a must.
Like Brettb2516 said…it’s just a safety measure
$6300, thats way out of my price range
Made for sheet metal it seems. Cant get penenetration on anything substancial or structural.
For 2kw up to 5mm for good penetration
that takes alot of electrical power 60 Amps . A Mig machine does not need that amount of power
It only needs a 32amp breaker, I went larger so I can use the circuit for future machines
Now do AWS bend tests on typical materials with approved fillers. Looks dandy for sheet metal which alone would justify it for many jobs, but what is not scientifically tested is not fully known.
Bonus, more useful videos mean more views. Typical welding school test coupons are easy to cut and bevel in a home shop. You might also ask Sky Fire for WPS examples from them and their other customers to use for testing. Serious welders require precise information to inform equipment purchases.
TOY CLAMPS LOLOLOL
Hey look, another rediculously expensive(10kUSD) toy to weld 3mm material.
Dear "Average-Joe",
Just get the TIG or MIG machine.
Apparently you missed the price and thickness capabilities
Why have a laxer welder if you still need gas bottle, and wire feeder??. Plus it looks to be very large?.
COOL, $100,000 dollars in equipment to attach what a $2 bolt could do.🪛
Now what would be the fun in that?