I've been working on Powdercoating with my xTool D1 for a couple of months now. I found the best way to defeat the fan blowing all of the powdercoat away is to put a piece of clear glass between the laser and the material (I use a glass from an old frame) raised up at least a millimeter from the material (or you'll be painting the glass!). This trick lets me work with the lighter colors (white, silver, yellow, gold) that I had no end of trouble with before putting in the glass. I've also been able to do 45 degree cross-hatch and offset fills with some success, but with the offset fills, too tight an interval creates issues. Another thing I've done, when I etch and pocket fill tile, is to run one more quick pass over everything with a clear gloss powdercoat overtop of the powdercoating I've already done. Then I bake the tile afterwards for 10 minutes at 400 (I have a toaster oven for this purpose) and the resulting product has an amazing glossy shine to it. After seeing your layered compass, I can see I've still got to up my game! Nicely done, Rich!
Hi Brian, so just to make sure I understand correctly - you first etch the tile, then apply your powder, then put over the glass raised 1mm and then run the laser again ?
Tried this evening with some red powder coat from Prismatic Powders. I used the glass trick, but wasn't able to achieve good results. Everything from burned powder coat in engraved sections to unengraved sections where the powder coat adhered, but the coverage was poor after brushing it off. Any hints here, Brian ? Also, speeds and feeds for diode laser (20w in my case, but I think just getting in the ballpark would be good). I was everywhere from 1200mm/s @ 10% which would usually end up in burning to 6000mm/s at 10% which wasn't really doing much. I didn't go up into the higher % power ranges because I was getting burning at 10%. Also, when filling, how about lines per inch ?
Rich, you are an absolute blessing. I just found your multiple cut and engrave libraries. Please keep it up. I would be completely lost without your help.
I’m glad you are still experimenting with this. I found that if the powder coat paint isn’t stored in a cool environment and gets too warm, it wont stick as well when applying it. It gets a little gummy and doesn’t stay in the engraved area as well. Because of that I now store my powder coat paints in the refrigerator. I have used this powder coat method on bamboo and wood and have been successful with blue, red and yellow. I wish I could attach a photo to show how much color I was able to get. I have a diode laser but my power when burning with the powder coat paint was much lower. I found when using a higher power I was burning the paint instead of melting the paint.
Interesting that you say the powder clumps at warmer temperatures. I powdercoat large objects in the traditional way using an oven. I live in Queensland Australia and it gets well above 100 deg F in the workshop a lot of the time, never had any issues with powder clumping though. Powdercoat does have a shelf life of around 3 months but in practice, it's much longer.
I’m very excited to see results of further tests with mica powders and a diode laser! 🙏🙏🙏 I use mica in my epoxy projects and absolutely love the look. Thanks for, as always, a really great video!
very nicely done, we've been fusing with diodes and Co2 lasers with powder coat for a while now with Acrylic here in the UK and Spain where I am and it works really well, you just need to practice to get the settings dialled in, after that a piece of cake, just watch your lungs with that dust..... Its easy with the c02 just a pain with a diode fan , I use a small piece of plastic and vent the air in a different way when I do powder colouring. Magnets area great idea for those of us who are lucky to have steel bed......although Lightburn's camera function can get you back to perfect alignment just as well. great video and very useful of you to share. thank you. My friend in the UK has no problem getting powder coat by the bucket load in the UK like 10 gbp for 10 kilos of about 15 colours, here in Spain bugger all....I have to import it.
I have managed to get white to work for me. It was very time consuming but worth it. I ran my OLM3 10w at its highest speed of 20000mm/min and 20% power and without the shield on to prevent the fan from putting too much air on. I repeated putting the white thermoplastic (powder coating) between each run and just ran it and ran it until i was satisfied
Hi Rich, I'm a photographer who is in love with lasers, I'm a total newbie to all this, in fact thanks to your videos is why I've got my Genmitsu LC40 and I love it. Well regarding about binders to hold the powder paints on place to avoid staining the wood and avoiding any harmful fumes, you can try a very simple material that I use in analog photography when I need to create something to hold pigments for my alternative photographic techniques, that is egg white. You can have some egg whites on a little bowl and with a foam brush just brush the surface with a thin layer and let it dry, then apply another layer on top with a little bit more of a generous amount of egg but not brushing too hard to lift the previous layer and immediately sprinkle the powder over the egg while still wet, let it dry and then let the machine blow the excess. My explanation for the first thin layer is to seal the wood or the surface to create a primer for the second layer to hold to, and then the second layer creates a kind of emulsion type of layer just like the photographic silver emulsions are on top of film. For the second layer you'll have to play with the amount of egg white and pigments you desire, please whisk the eggs first to break the surface tension and help it to spread more easily, then you can wipe off the layer with a wet cloth or rubbing alcohol, it may work, give it a try and please let me know if it works, I really want to know. Note: You may use the whole egg, just whisk it very well and then strain it to get rid of any clumps and foam, you want a very homogeneous liquid, also you can mix the colors in and make a sticky mix and apply it to avoid the clumps it may form when sprinkling the powder, please note the very first layer "the sealant layer" is after the first engraving, or you can brush it first for a deep black also like the mica for intense dark results, I guess eggs will burn black without harmful fumes. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with all of us. Nuurs
Join me on the Saturday night 9pm livestream on the Laser Makers Realm channel. We'll be going over more on this topic! www.youtube.com/@lasermakersrealm
Hey mate, little tip for brighter colours. After the first burn grab a vacuum with a stiff brush, vacuum out the charcoal which leaves the indentation the same colour as the wood (taking away the black). You can use a damp cloth also or run under water and use a paint brush. Lay the powder and burn. Because the black is now missing the colours will pop significantly 👍🏻😉 Great video 🥰
You are amazing! I figured out how to work my laser engraver and my lightburn software by watching your videos! Thank you so very much!!! And your work is amazing 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I have an ortur laser master 3. With lightburn. I have a vinyl business where I make designs, logos, tshirts, hats, stickers, signs, etc. My software for those is very similar to lightburn. But of course different settings for cutting and embroidery, not for power. I've been doing that for going on 7 years now. I just wanted to add a little extra to what I already do. And the engraving and cutting takes it to whole new level. I have watched hours of your videos. And to set up lighturn with my ortur, you have helped me more than any vlog or website! You definitely don't get enough credit for what you do! You are an amazing person, very creative and innovative!! From the Bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I can't wait to see what all I can create. Oh I just engraved a ring holder for my goddaughter and her new husband. It was on a piece of wood that looked like a chopped log. We engraved their name "Paris" with an 🗼 as A...P🗼RIS...like that. Their names, and 2 rings 💍 intertwined. And 2 slots that holds their rings. It was pretty amazing and definitely a show stopper! I am putting some hangars on the back so they can hang it up. Hopefully anyone who reads this, this will give them inspiration!! My slogan for my business (Myers By Design) is "Inspire, design and create" Have a blessed day!!!🙏🏻
Thank you for all your videos. I haven't had my laser (xtool d1) for long but your videos have made learning how to do so much with it easy and rewarding.
I know this video is older. I just came across it trying to find the settings people are using to engrave stainless in color. But I was wondering if the water method worked could you mask it engrave then use that method to not stain. Also I’ve tried mica before on a diode and it was quite the mess so I’m glad I’m not the only one that’s explored this. But I found that oil rub paint on ceramic will engrave in color as well and the excess wipes away clean. The unfortunate part… like firing mica you have to test the colors because the fired color isn’t the powder color. Kinda the nature of the beast with micas. But it does work. I got a nice pale blue engraving out of bronze oil run paint on a non glazed ceramic tile from Lowe’s when I was playing with my original 10w diode laser.
Just saw your video on coloring laser. Place tape where powder coat is not needed. Add paint. lift tape off giving you clean area. Now tape hold area with no over lapping. Waiting for my pic to come in from Amazon will try it soon
Hi I must say you have help me a lot with your videos. what version of LB are you running.because mine does not have the features you have on yours. Regards Brian
Hi, Just tried the powder coating trick. Had the same issue with silver. It just burned through and decreasing the power did not make it stick. Found a solution that works up to a point. On my 22w diode. I ran it at 10000 speed and 7% power. Then cpated again and rerun at 10000 at 15%. this seems to help
Would use of a heat press to initially heat and secure the powder cost before running it through the diode laser. Any powder coat, over with paper and heat press or, instead cover with paper transfer tape and then laser without heat press. Just a thought.
What about putting a sheet of glass over the engraving to stop the fan blowing the powder away? but leave a couple of millimetres between the glass and the workpiece
Hi RIch...I thought I would share unused powder reclamation method. (nice title ay?) I use a cookie cooling bakers rack to hold my items when cutting. When I use powder coating powder, I put my item for engraving on that rack. I place some thing under the item to collect unused powder ( I use a 8x10 inch piece of yellow manila filing folder). When I am done applying the powder, I just scrape it off and let it fall through the cookie rack onto my collection paper underneath and just collect it when I am done. I will just leave it there until I am completely done and when I can just remove the cookie rack. If there is any cutting involved, I just slide the collection paper out from under the rack and recycle the the powder right then. This way, I never have to remove the item from the laser until I am completely done... Cheers and happy lasering
Just used ChatAI to clarify some of the basics of powder coating and the use with diode lasers. Seems that the laser for melting the powder coat and infilling eg letters on a surfac such as timber or plastics needs to have an adjustable airflow system and direction of the flow. "One way to minimize the impact of the air flow is to adjust the air pressure and direction. For example, you can reduce the air pressure to a level that is still sufficient to remove smoke and debris, but not so high that it blows the powder coating out of the area. You can also direct the air flow away from the heated area using a nozzle or other air flow control device. Another approach is to use a laser system with a different type of air assist or cooling system that is better suited for powder coating applications. For example, some laser systems use a compressed air flow that is directed through a small nozzle onto the material being heated, which can provide cooling and smoke removal without blowing away the powder coating. In any case, it's important to choose the right laser system and air assist setup for your specific powder coating application and to carefully test and adjust the parameters to achieve the desired results."
Interesting results with light colored powder paint on diode laser. I had similar cutting difficulty with my diode laser when I tried cutting white on white cotton quilting fabric. The white pattern on the fabric is painted.onto the surface somehow by the manufacturer, but something in the properties of the paint caused the laser to skip over the fabric surface of the cutting edges. I got clean cut edges when cutting black fabric, but not with white. I think the light reflective properties of the white paint interfere with a diode laser similar to trying to cut clear acrylic.
No, I did publish one last year and got too many negative comments, so I took it down. I will be doing another one with a different theme soon though, with both slate and granite.
Late for the party, but I would use transfer tape for light colors, burn it normally with the tape on then spray a light coat of poly from a can, don't take the tape off and burn fill as you would, transfer tape come off at the very end. Worked for me on a 10W laser, had to try something after watching you :), thank you so much for your time making this video.
Hi Rich, I’m new to diode but have been using fiber for around 3 years, was watching this video & you spoke about the diode fan blowing the powdered paint away, may I suggest filling the grooves as normal & then applying a light coat of hairspray? Might help…
Hi Rich, thank you so much for your reply, having a fiber background i battle with the “no base” on my diode so I have created a base and grid prototype which works for me, maybe it helps someone else as well, I don’t know how to add photo or video though…
Really enjoy your vids. I just wondered, how did you manage to put the first product with the blue color exactly in the same place in the co2 for the second burn? Was it the magnets, and do you trust they wont move? 🙂
One possible sollution für diode lasers would be some kind of shield under the laser, that would guide the airflow away from the engraving to the sides. A piece of acrylic or plywood with cutouts for the lens and screws, fit under the laser with enough space for airflow could be worth a try.
I haven't looked at more of your videos so you may have a solution and if so I'll come across it shortly. I'm waiting on a new diode laser unit and when it gets here I can get some photos of how this works. Both mica and powder coat will work. I've not tried Brian Trotter's suggestion of using the thin glass but I will and maybe that in combination with this process. So my process is almost identical to the paint fill method. Unfortunately you have more waste this way, so you have to decide if the results are worth the waste. 1. If your project is wood, or something absorbent, pre-stain with the exception of leather goods, they do not need it. You mask your material then do your etch. I almost always mask as I find I get much better results especially with diode lasers. 2. If you are using mica powder mix your chosen color with white mica. There is no exact ratio but you want a pastel version of your final color. I find putting it in a glass jar and using one of the cheap electric fingernail polish shakers gets a very good mix. Most of them are labeled 'vortex shaker' 3a. If you are working on wood, cardboard, cork board, or similar I mix the powder with Minwax Polycrylic Clear. Experiment with gloss, satin and mate as they all have different results. The consistency you want is about like drywall putty as it prevents bleeding. (go to step 4) 3b: For metals, plastics, leather and similar items, I substitute acrylic clear gel medium. It is very important that you get a medium, not a varnish not a clear and not a gesso. I have not seen any difference in output based on brand of medium, but I use Golden as I use it in other projects and it's one of the top of the line and thus expensive. Just check reviews and get the most affordable with decent reviews. 4. With a straight edge (putty knife, used gift card, popsicle stick, just as long as it's straight) spread your putty over the masked etching making sure it gets all the way into the etching. The excess can be stored in a sealed jar in a cool spot free from light/sun/uv for about a day. You may need to add a small bit of medium to get back to the right consistency. 5. Do your color etching at a slow speed. Roughly 20% less or 80% of your normal speed as you are now evaporating a liquid as well as melting an bonding a powder. Use a toothpick or something to make sure the color is solid and not soft. If it's not hard do another pass at 50% of the power you used the first pass. 6. Remove the mask, and apply your desired top coat. This process is known as "in-fill" and though this will work on etched glass I prefer a different method for glass with the exception of drink ware. The process is called "back-fill". You etch the back side of the glass with your image mirrored and you do not do any masking. The reason for that is that no matter what you do, nothing is going to bond to glass and with a mask you will have a slight raised edge to your back-fill that could get snagged and pulled out. For glass you definitely want a sharp edge putty knife. Once you have your engraving filled and most of your excess scrapped off lightly mist the surface with clear windex, not the blue stuff and not the vinegar. With the putty knife at an angle so that a cross stroke pushes across and down. Start from the top and go one direction, either left to right or right to left. Do not alternate and wipe the putty knife after every swipe. Now you can run your laser to solidify the back-fill. Technically you could let it dry and have the same results, but using the laser results in a much more durable back-fill. These processes also allow you to use low volume(10-15L/min) air-assist where you would not be able to with just powder. Cooling off the in-fill/back-fill is much like quenching steel and helps with durability.
good work but i saw some videos for ppl putting a tap before engraving and then they put any color .. after that they just remove the tape.. what do you think? you are the pro
That's masking and then painting. It works well, but there are bleeds unless you use the green tape or laser masking tape. This is slightly different and gives a completely different look. You can see me do this live here: ruclips.net/video/GPtq19ZQ6eg/видео.html
Thank you so much for your videos! I just added a laser machine to my craft making. I’ve wanted to try this for a long time. I have learned a lot from your videos! Glad to learn from a fellow NOLA neighbor. Just Ed move from New Orleans to Gretna. Looking forward to learning more from you!!!
I've read through most of the abundant comments but didn't see any questions or comments on if this could be done in a multi-color process. Thinking that by utilizing the layers - one for blue, one for green etc. and turning them on and off accordingly - multi-colors could be done. I think it would be difficult and time consuming needing to make sure no blue color bled over to a green color and so forth, but would add another dimension to single color. Apologies if this was already asked but as I stated I read through many of them and didn't see anything along this line.
Great video! The layered compass looks very cool. I've seen people do layered burns before, but I wasn't intrigued until I saw the detail in your compass. New subscriber.
Could you not use some bulldog adhesion spray to get the white powder to stick after the initial engraving? Would that allow it to keep the power from going away? Perhaps electroplating the wood after the engraving to give the powder a surface to burn into easier that will make those white bright and noticeable.
Hi, I am waiting on my laser to arrive at the end of May is the estimate (Atezer P20 plus and a 4-1 rotary) which I plan to use to cut stickers in vynal for electro-salt water etching. The sticker cutter I use is a Brother sx 1000 but it doesn't allow image file swapping and the software is slow and difficult to create fine cuts. I use transfer stickers of many types whether I need a high sticking or low sticking depending on the sticker I need to transfer after picking out. All this is very, very time consuming and because I have MS and coeliac disease my symptoms are increasing and abilities are progressively getting worse. My plan is to attach the vynal to the metal surface and then laser engrave to expose the metal and then salt water edge for a deep etch which I have been doing. Great on cutlery from the recycle center and then cut to all sorts of shapes and for all sorts of purposes. Great of any stainless steel and brass, aluminium, etc etc. Have done hundreds as gifts for friends and people who inspire others. Bottomline was to get a laser engraver and use it to create the sticker or paint mask for the salt water etch AND to have alternative art choices such as wood etching as time changes me and my disabilities. So my thought has been with the powder coating blowing around placing a transfer tape over the top just before the laser melt of powder coat (or any similar paint) only the finished final laser paint melt/engrave is exposed and none of the powder waiting to be lasered will be blown around?
I saw another RUclipsr do this a few months back and thought it was cool!! I haven't tried it yet but I have loads of PC i can play with. Neat stuff Rich!
Super Video. I spray paint my wood materials, then burn the text or image. The spray paint seals the wood around the cut. Then by rubbing Acrylic paints into the cut groove, rubbing off the excess that does not strain or mark the sealed wood around. Maybe a similar process would work for the wet down white powder. After your color run, seal the wood around, then cut the white with the white. Anyways, thanks for doing all the testing.
Hi Rich, I would also ask if you could bring the laser up out of focus to hit more dry paint at once but you might need to have it trace and adjust for the out of focus. Great content as always, looking for your next video. Thanks.
@The Louisiana Hobby Guy *April, 2022 Laser Giveaway!* ??? Yet, the *Giveaway Rules & Terms* states as follows: PROMOTION DESCRIPTION: This Laser Giveaway ('Raffle') for the Comgrow Z1 Laser Engraver begins on 02-01-2022 and ends on 02-28-2022 (the 'Promotion Period'). :
All 11401 Total Entries must be invalidated due them each agreeing to Rules & Terms which states, in error, a past date of FEB 2022 for the end of the promotion period. I declare myself the winner of the APRIL Comgrow, 20W Diode Laser, for presenting you with your blunder. :
I'm using a Sculpfun S9 with a laser wizard air assist. To combat said issue with the diode fan blowing around the powder coat. I cut 1/8" thick strips of acrylic to use as spacers, then place a clear piece of 1/8" glass over the work piece. There's enough air flow to allow the smoke from the powder coat to escape and it cures nicely at 10% power, 4000mm/min, 90 scan with overscan, single pass. I'm in the sculpfun group on Facebook. I have post in there about it with pics and a short video if you'd like to see
Have you tried any gold or silver with this method. I also would recommend applying the sand and seal first to the wood panel. Love the color on your compass also the detail
Just a dumb question, Have you tried using the Flocking method, as used on the inside of boxes that were made with a bandsaw or scroll saw? Take a gander look at "Flocking a Box Tutorial" by 'Make Something' on RUclips. This might work a lot better than using a paint stirring stick
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Guess I left off some words or thoughts, meant to say, "Have you ever tried using just the Flocking canister along with the Powdercoating paint?" I doubt very seriously one would want to even try to brush the flocking glue process onto the delicate design which laser cutting does. Just thinking using the flocking canister would not only fill the laser cut lines evenly, but possibly be even faster & easier to remove the excess powdercoating to be placed back into the bag containing the powdercoat paint. That's all...
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy We generally use a product called Rub n buff onto glass that works a treat, but never tried powder coat. We will give it a go. Thank you for doing your videos they give us inspiration to try other techniques.
LLG! Think a thin clear plastic film on top of the powder coat paint would let the laser go thru and still fuse paint but not let the diode laser blow it off? Just thinking 🤔
Hi Rich, I am a recent fan of your channel. After your videos, I am impressed with laser engraver and bought one online Sculpfun S10. However this works fantastic, and after your coloring video, I bought pack full of Mica Powder and tried. The result is not good as the fan in the laser blows the power away before it starts engraving. Do you have any solution for this. Will be highly appreciated. Thanks.
Really like Your programming to keep The sharpness of details! .while my 10w Diode laser engraver is on order was thinking if Galvanized 2.5-Gauge Steel Dimpled Stucco Lath would make a nice, cost=effective, Table Bed cover to hold those magnets and allow cut thru smoke out?
Hi Rich, I am tying to etch tiles wit color, seen a video by ' laser ingraving with Matt ', but it is a short video. Could you play around with it and see if you can get it right, so far my attempts were with no success
I wonder if the method for putting the powder coating onto/into the etched surface and leveling with a hard edge like a credit card or timber or trowel, then dust off the excess is the 'problem' for some and not for others who lightly brush the powder coat around the surface. Which 'could' mean that the particle size of the powder coat or any granular paint is broken down to dust rather than grains which 'could' mean the coating is easily blown dust and not grains as such?
The best option is to get a duct to redirect the lasers heatsink fan output off to the side instead of toward the job after it passes through the actual heatsink of course. Usually it helps blow some smoke from burning material away so the laser isn’t obstructed, but that’s not a huge issue when melting and bonding things. Instead of turning the power down you could also have a second job from the same project that only traces the center of the graphic, then unfocus the laser some to spread out the power. It works well for lettering, speeds up the process and lets you gradually step power up easier to find the melting point without scorching. Harder to calculate exactly what power is hitting the surface but since it’s only a center line you could run back to back tests rather quickly.
This is Hector. You try to mix silver mica whit other colors so that way the reflective effect off the silver help to preserve the color you want like playing whit the deflexion off power.
WOW, I appreciate the content of your videos. I just started using Lightburn and whenever I can't figure something out I always check your channel to see if you've covered it and I have not been disappointed yet. I thank you for all the effort you put into your videos. Do you by any chance have a link to the powder coating you used, I couldn't seem to find it.
I use a plastic deflector on the bottom of the spindle on my CNC router to stop the air blowing on the work piece. Could something like that work on the diode laser? I really want to try power coat on some engraving soon. Thanks for the video!
I've been working on Powdercoating with my xTool D1 for a couple of months now. I found the best way to defeat the fan blowing all of the powdercoat away is to put a piece of clear glass between the laser and the material (I use a glass from an old frame) raised up at least a millimeter from the material (or you'll be painting the glass!). This trick lets me work with the lighter colors (white, silver, yellow, gold) that I had no end of trouble with before putting in the glass. I've also been able to do 45 degree cross-hatch and offset fills with some success, but with the offset fills, too tight an interval creates issues.
Another thing I've done, when I etch and pocket fill tile, is to run one more quick pass over everything with a clear gloss powdercoat overtop of the powdercoating I've already done. Then I bake the tile afterwards for 10 minutes at 400 (I have a toaster oven for this purpose) and the resulting product has an amazing glossy shine to it.
After seeing your layered compass, I can see I've still got to up my game! Nicely done, Rich!
Thanks for those tips Brian! Still a work in progress! 👍
Hi Brian, so just to make sure I understand correctly - you first etch the tile, then apply your powder, then put over the glass raised 1mm and then run the laser again ?
@@gertkruger371 that's what I got from it bro 👍🏼
Tried this evening with some red powder coat from Prismatic Powders. I used the glass trick, but wasn't able to achieve good results. Everything from burned powder coat in engraved sections to unengraved sections where the powder coat adhered, but the coverage was poor after brushing it off. Any hints here, Brian ? Also, speeds and feeds for diode laser (20w in my case, but I think just getting in the ballpark would be good). I was everywhere from 1200mm/s @ 10% which would usually end up in burning to 6000mm/s at 10% which wasn't really doing much. I didn't go up into the higher % power ranges because I was getting burning at 10%. Also, when filling, how about lines per inch ?
@@markwithak2024 Are those speeds correct?? Was per second or per minute??
Rich, you are an absolute blessing. I just found your multiple cut and engrave libraries. Please keep it up. I would be completely lost without your help.
Wow, thank you! I love my hobby, so there's plenty more to come!
I’m glad you are still experimenting with this. I found that if the powder coat paint isn’t stored in a cool environment and gets too warm, it wont stick as well when applying it. It gets a little gummy and doesn’t stay in the engraved area as well. Because of that I now store my powder coat paints in the refrigerator. I have used this powder coat method on bamboo and wood and have been successful with blue, red and yellow. I wish I could attach a photo to show how much color I was able to get. I have a diode laser but my power when burning with the powder coat paint was much lower. I found when using a higher power I was burning the paint instead of melting the paint.
Oh... thank you Sharon! Maybe if I put the light colors out in the humidity it'll solve my problem! Brilliant! 👍
Interesting that you say the powder clumps at warmer temperatures. I powdercoat large objects in the traditional way using an oven. I live in Queensland Australia and it gets well above 100 deg F in the workshop a lot of the time, never had any issues with powder clumping though. Powdercoat does have a shelf life of around 3 months but in practice, it's much longer.
I just got my laser a week ago and have learned more from you than anyone else. I appreciate your videos. Keep up the great work.
Awesome! Thank you Michael!
Appreciate all you have done to get the color process going for us all
My pleasure William! Thanks for watching!
I’m very excited to see results of further tests with mica powders and a diode laser! 🙏🙏🙏 I use mica in my epoxy projects and absolutely love the look. Thanks for, as always, a really great video!
I don't really use mica powder Darrell. Powder coat comes out much better.
very nicely done, we've been fusing with diodes and Co2 lasers with powder coat for a while now with Acrylic here in the UK and Spain where I am and it works really well, you just need to practice to get the settings dialled in, after that a piece of cake, just watch your lungs with that dust..... Its easy with the c02 just a pain with a diode fan , I use a small piece of plastic and vent the air in a different way when I do powder colouring.
Magnets area great idea for those of us who are lucky to have steel bed......although Lightburn's camera function can get you back to perfect alignment just as well. great video and very useful of you to share. thank you.
My friend in the UK has no problem getting powder coat by the bucket load in the UK like 10 gbp for 10 kilos of about 15 colours, here in Spain bugger all....I have to import it.
Ventilation is always very important!
Thanks!
You bet! Thanks for the support!
I have managed to get white to work for me. It was very time consuming but worth it. I ran my OLM3 10w at its highest speed of 20000mm/min and 20% power and without the shield on to prevent the fan from putting too much air on. I repeated putting the white thermoplastic (powder coating) between each run and just ran it and ran it until i was satisfied
I wound up covering it with a thin sheet of glass.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I will give that a try! Thank you for the tip, I doubt I'd have considered it otherwise.
Hi Rich, I'm a photographer who is in love with lasers, I'm a total newbie to all this, in fact thanks to your videos is why I've got my Genmitsu LC40 and I love it.
Well regarding about binders to hold the powder paints on place to avoid staining the wood and avoiding any harmful fumes, you can try a very simple material that I use in analog photography when I need to create something to hold pigments for my alternative photographic techniques, that is egg white.
You can have some egg whites on a little bowl and with a foam brush just brush the surface with a thin layer and let it dry, then apply another layer on top with a little bit more of a generous amount of egg but not brushing too hard to lift the previous layer and immediately sprinkle the powder over the egg while still wet, let it dry and then let the machine blow the excess.
My explanation for the first thin layer is to seal the wood or the surface to create a primer for the second layer to hold to, and then the second layer creates a kind of emulsion type of layer just like the photographic silver emulsions are on top of film.
For the second layer you'll have to play with the amount of egg white and pigments you desire, please whisk the eggs first to break the surface tension and help it to spread more easily, then you can wipe off the layer with a wet cloth or rubbing alcohol, it may work, give it a try and please let me know if it works, I really want to know.
Note: You may use the whole egg, just whisk it very well and then strain it to get rid of any clumps and foam, you want a very homogeneous liquid, also you can mix the colors in and make a sticky mix and apply it to avoid the clumps it may form when sprinkling the powder, please note the very first layer "the sealant layer" is after the first engraving, or you can brush it first for a deep black also like the mica for intense dark results, I guess eggs will burn black without harmful fumes.
Thank you for sharing all your knowledge with all of us.
Nuurs
Interesting... I found just covering it with clear picture frame glass did the trick!
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy That is a very clever approach! Awesome!!!
Great job explaining the color engraving. I have a diode laser so I'll get something going in that direction.
Join me on the Saturday night 9pm livestream on the Laser Makers Realm channel. We'll be going over more on this topic! www.youtube.com/@lasermakersrealm
Hey mate, little tip for brighter colours.
After the first burn grab a vacuum with a stiff brush, vacuum out the charcoal which leaves the indentation the same colour as the wood (taking away the black). You can use a damp cloth also or run under water and use a paint brush.
Lay the powder and burn.
Because the black is now missing the colours will pop significantly 👍🏻😉
Great video 🥰
Thanks! If you look closely, you'll see the towel I used to clean it after the burn. I always clean my burns with misted water.
You are amazing! I figured out how to work my laser engraver and my lightburn software by watching your videos! Thank you so very much!!! And your work is amazing 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching!
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I have an ortur laser master 3. With lightburn. I have a vinyl business where I make designs, logos, tshirts, hats, stickers, signs, etc. My software for those is very similar to lightburn. But of course different settings for cutting and embroidery, not for power. I've been doing that for going on 7 years now. I just wanted to add a little extra to what I already do. And the engraving and cutting takes it to whole new level. I have watched hours of your videos. And to set up lighturn with my ortur, you have helped me more than any vlog or website! You definitely don't get enough credit for what you do! You are an amazing person, very creative and innovative!! From the Bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I can't wait to see what all I can create. Oh I just engraved a ring holder for my goddaughter and her new husband. It was on a piece of wood that looked like a chopped log. We engraved their name "Paris" with an 🗼 as A...P🗼RIS...like that. Their names, and 2 rings 💍 intertwined. And 2 slots that holds their rings. It was pretty amazing and definitely a show stopper! I am putting some hangars on the back so they can hang it up. Hopefully anyone who reads this, this will give them inspiration!! My slogan for my business (Myers By Design) is "Inspire, design and create"
Have a blessed day!!!🙏🏻
Love the P🗼ris idea! Very ingenious! My motto is, inspire, create, learn, teach. It's at the top of every page on my forum.
Thank you for all your videos. I haven't had my laser (xtool d1) for long but your videos have made learning how to do so much with it easy and rewarding.
Great to hear it Jake!
I know this video is older. I just came across it trying to find the settings people are using to engrave stainless in color. But I was wondering if the water method worked could you mask it engrave then use that method to not stain. Also I’ve tried mica before on a diode and it was quite the mess so I’m glad I’m not the only one that’s explored this. But I found that oil rub paint on ceramic will engrave in color as well and the excess wipes away clean. The unfortunate part… like firing mica you have to test the colors because the fired color isn’t the powder color. Kinda the nature of the beast with micas. But it does work. I got a nice pale blue engraving out of bronze oil run paint on a non glazed ceramic tile from Lowe’s when I was playing with my original 10w diode laser.
I don't know anything about the water method.
That’s sounds really cool, they figured out a paint inlay! Awesome!
I think so too!
O wow!!! very beautiful!!! But what kind of powder do you use??? Does embossing powder work?? ( that is an heat activated plastic...)
I used generic powder coat.
You said you wanted to see how it holds up, how did that go? Thanks!
Still on my wall!
hi have you tried putting a thin sheet of glass over the powder before you laser?
Yes Bob, that's what I wound up doing.
great! thanks for replying. Im 76 and been playing with lasers 3months here in New Zealand. Cheers
Just saw your video on coloring laser.
Place tape where powder coat is not needed. Add paint. lift tape off giving you clean area. Now tape hold area with no over lapping. Waiting for my pic to come in from Amazon will try it soon
Using transfer tape doesn't change the process.
YOU JUST HAD MY BRAIN ON 🤯 with being able to engrave ANYTHING IN COLOR. This is gonna make my craftsmanship business take off. This video is great
Awesome! That's why I do this!
Hi I must say you have help me a lot with your videos. what version of LB are you running.because mine does not have the features you have on yours. Regards Brian
This video is 2 years old Brian.
Just watched this for the first time, but just a thought,with a diode laser to stop the paint blowing out could you must it with hair spray
Haven't tried that! I got a piece of pane glass from Lowes and it works perfectly.
Hi, Just tried the powder coating trick. Had the same issue with silver. It just burned through and decreasing the power did not make it stick. Found a solution that works up to a point. On my 22w diode. I ran it at 10000 speed and 7% power. Then cpated again and rerun at 10000 at 15%. this seems to help
I found a new way to do it: ruclips.net/video/GPtq19ZQ6eg/видео.html
Would use of a heat press to initially heat and secure the powder cost before running it through the diode laser. Any powder coat, over with paper and heat press or, instead cover with paper transfer tape and then laser without heat press. Just a thought.
I was trying to do it without any hacks. I settled on very thin window pane glass.
What about putting a sheet of glass over the engraving to stop the fan blowing the powder away? but leave a couple of millimetres between the glass and the workpiece
Tried the glass flat against, it works!
I'll be working on this one this weekend. No Powdercoat, but many different stains to apply. Thanks Rich !!!
Have fun with it James!
Hi RIch...I thought I would share unused powder reclamation method. (nice title ay?) I use a cookie cooling bakers rack to hold my items when cutting. When I use powder coating powder, I put my item for engraving on that rack. I place some thing under the item to collect unused powder ( I use a 8x10 inch piece of yellow manila filing folder). When I am done applying the powder, I just scrape it off and let it fall through the cookie rack onto my collection paper underneath and just collect it when I am done. I will just leave it there until I am completely done and when I can just remove the cookie rack. If there is any cutting involved, I just slide the collection paper out from under the rack and recycle the the powder right then. This way, I never have to remove the item from the laser until I am completely done... Cheers and happy lasering
Awesome idea Pierre! Thanks for sharing! 👍
Just used ChatAI to clarify some of the basics of powder coating and the use with diode lasers.
Seems that the laser for melting the powder coat and infilling eg letters on a surfac such as timber or plastics needs to have an adjustable airflow system and direction of the flow.
"One way to minimize the impact of the air flow is to adjust the air pressure and direction. For example, you can reduce the air pressure to a level that is still sufficient to remove smoke and debris, but not so high that it blows the powder coating out of the area. You can also direct the air flow away from the heated area using a nozzle or other air flow control device.
Another approach is to use a laser system with a different type of air assist or cooling system that is better suited for powder coating applications. For example, some laser systems use a compressed air flow that is directed through a small nozzle onto the material being heated, which can provide cooling and smoke removal without blowing away the powder coating.
In any case, it's important to choose the right laser system and air assist setup for your specific powder coating application and to carefully test and adjust the parameters to achieve the desired results."
Thanks for the tips! I only had issues with the light colors and resolved it by covering it with a thin sheet of glass.
Interesting results with light colored powder paint on diode laser. I had similar cutting difficulty with my diode laser when I tried cutting white on white cotton quilting fabric. The white pattern on the fabric is painted.onto the surface somehow by the manufacturer, but something in the properties of the paint caused the laser to skip over the fabric surface of the cutting edges. I got clean cut edges when cutting black fabric, but not with white. I think the light reflective properties of the white paint interfere with a diode laser similar to trying to cut clear acrylic.
Yep, diode lasers have a problem with white because of the 455nm frequency.
How would I do Marlboro on a CNC 20 w munbyn. Laser engraving. Like power and the speed
Run a Lightburn material test.
Hey Rich, do you have a video on engraving the headstone?
No, I did publish one last year and got too many negative comments, so I took it down. I will be doing another one with a different theme soon though, with both slate and granite.
Late for the party, but I would use transfer tape for light colors, burn it normally with the tape on then spray a light coat of poly from a can, don't take the tape off and burn fill as you would, transfer tape come off at the very end. Worked for me on a 10W laser, had to try something after watching you :), thank you so much for your time making this video.
Awesome! 👍 Thanks for watching!
Hi Rich, I’m new to diode but have been using fiber for around 3 years, was watching this video & you spoke about the diode fan blowing the powdered paint away, may I suggest filling the grooves as normal & then applying a light coat of hairspray? Might help…
Thanks Wayne, I found a new method with a heat gun, but Previously, I bought some really thin pane glass from Lowe's that did the trick.
Hi Rich, thank you so much for your reply, having a fiber background i battle with the “no base” on my diode so I have created a base and grid prototype which works for me, maybe it helps someone else as well, I don’t know how to add photo or video though…
Thank you Rich great video. I'll try to keep up with all your great ideas.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
So I'm guessing you should never use Air Assist when engraving and powder coating with a diode? Thanks for the videos!
Well William, I did find a really good solution. I got some really thin pane glass from Lowes and covered the engraving. Works really well!
About ten years ago did some powder coating on my VW engine .
Was beautiful till had a flooded carburetor. The color wound up on the ground .
🤪
This may be a really dumb question, but…: what’s a „Meica“? Is that a brand of powder paint?
Mica powder for crafts.
Very cool, thank you Rich. So much to learn
Glad you enjoyed it Andrew!
Really enjoy your vids. I just wondered, how did you manage to put the first product with the blue color exactly in the same place in the co2 for the second burn? Was it the magnets, and do you trust they wont move? 🙂
Yes, it was the magnets Robin. However, you can tape a framing square down to the honeycomb if you don't trust the magnets.
Do you have a link to the powder coat for diode laser? Thank you!
No, I bought it locally. Harbor Freight and Amazon both sell it.
Hello Rich! Will this work on stainless steel? Thanks.
I don't know; give it a try Billie!
One possible sollution für diode lasers would be some kind of shield under the laser, that would guide the airflow away from the engraving to the sides. A piece of acrylic or plywood with cutouts for the lens and screws, fit under the laser with enough space for airflow could be worth a try.
I wound up using thin pane glass.
I haven't looked at more of your videos so you may have a solution and if so I'll come across it shortly. I'm waiting on a new diode laser unit and when it gets here I can get some photos of how this works. Both mica and powder coat will work. I've not tried Brian Trotter's suggestion of using the thin glass but I will and maybe that in combination with this process. So my process is almost identical to the paint fill method. Unfortunately you have more waste this way, so you have to decide if the results are worth the waste.
1. If your project is wood, or something absorbent, pre-stain with the exception of leather goods, they do not need it. You mask your material then do your etch. I almost always mask as I find I get much better results especially with diode lasers.
2. If you are using mica powder mix your chosen color with white mica. There is no exact ratio but you want a pastel version of your final color. I find putting it in a glass jar and using one of the cheap electric fingernail polish shakers gets a very good mix. Most of them are labeled 'vortex shaker'
3a. If you are working on wood, cardboard, cork board, or similar I mix the powder with Minwax Polycrylic Clear. Experiment with gloss, satin and mate as they all have different results. The consistency you want is about like drywall putty as it prevents bleeding. (go to step 4)
3b: For metals, plastics, leather and similar items, I substitute acrylic clear gel medium. It is very important that you get a medium, not a varnish not a clear and not a gesso. I have not seen any difference in output based on brand of medium, but I use Golden as I use it in other projects and it's one of the top of the line and thus expensive. Just check reviews and get the most affordable with decent reviews.
4. With a straight edge (putty knife, used gift card, popsicle stick, just as long as it's straight) spread your putty over the masked etching making sure it gets all the way into the etching. The excess can be stored in a sealed jar in a cool spot free from light/sun/uv for about a day. You may need to add a small bit of medium to get back to the right consistency.
5. Do your color etching at a slow speed. Roughly 20% less or 80% of your normal speed as you are now evaporating a liquid as well as melting an bonding a powder. Use a toothpick or something to make sure the color is solid and not soft. If it's not hard do another pass at 50% of the power you used the first pass.
6. Remove the mask, and apply your desired top coat.
This process is known as "in-fill" and though this will work on etched glass I prefer a different method for glass with the exception of drink ware. The process is called "back-fill". You etch the back side of the glass with your image mirrored and you do not do any masking. The reason for that is that no matter what you do, nothing is going to bond to glass and with a mask you will have a slight raised edge to your back-fill that could get snagged and pulled out. For glass you definitely want a sharp edge putty knife. Once you have your engraving filled and most of your excess scrapped off lightly mist the surface with clear windex, not the blue stuff and not the vinegar. With the putty knife at an angle so that a cross stroke pushes across and down. Start from the top and go one direction, either left to right or right to left. Do not alternate and wipe the putty knife after every swipe. Now you can run your laser to solidify the back-fill. Technically you could let it dry and have the same results, but using the laser results in a much more durable back-fill.
These processes also allow you to use low volume(10-15L/min) air-assist where you would not be able to with just powder. Cooling off the in-fill/back-fill is much like quenching steel and helps with durability.
Try posting on my free forums. lahobbyguy.com/bb This is too much to answer in a RUclips comment.
Another great video. That compass rose was truly impressive. Thanks again for all your time you are very generous.
Thanks again John!
Another great video again , looking forward to giving this process ago , thanks again Rich
Go for it Stuart!
I wonder if the new infrared xtool module could work with a mica or powder coat for color.
I don't know, give it a try Teresa!
good work but i saw some videos for ppl putting a tap before engraving and then they put any color .. after that they just remove the tape.. what do you think? you are the pro
That's masking and then painting. It works well, but there are bleeds unless you use the green tape or laser masking tape. This is slightly different and gives a completely different look. You can see me do this live here: ruclips.net/video/GPtq19ZQ6eg/видео.html
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy
Green Tape = Frog Tape (brand)--has a special polymer adhesive that prevents/absorbs bleeds.
Where did you purchase this compass design. It is beautiful. I want to get it.
I made it a few years back. Several people have _"acquired it"_ and are reselling it online.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I guess I haven't looked in the right place as I have not found it yet. Thanks Rich
Awesome tutorial Rich. Thanks.
Thank you Tom!
Love all your work, You mentioned you engrave Marble. How do you treat the Marble to withstand getting wet and then freezing/Cracking?
I seal it.
Thank you so much for your videos! I just added a laser machine to my craft making. I’ve wanted to try this for a long time. I have learned a lot from your videos! Glad to learn from a fellow NOLA neighbor. Just Ed move from New Orleans to Gretna. Looking forward to learning more from you!!!
Welcome to the obsession Donna! I was just in Gretna this past weekend for the parade!
I've read through most of the abundant comments but didn't see any questions or comments on if this could be done in a multi-color process. Thinking that by utilizing the layers - one for blue, one for green etc. and turning them on and off accordingly - multi-colors could be done. I think it would be difficult and time consuming needing to make sure no blue color bled over to a green color and so forth, but would add another dimension to single color. Apologies if this was already asked but as I stated I read through many of them and didn't see anything along this line.
I did multi-colors for the text card I showed; red, blue black & white. It was indeed a pain in the butt Brian!
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy lol!
Great, interesting video Rich ,brilliant results. The compass turned out fantastic.
You should see it now Rob! Sanded, triple coated and waiting to be glued up! I'll post a picture soon.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy look forward to seeing it, really impressive 👍🏻
It is a peace of art!
This one truly is Vitor.
I can get a deflector to divert the diode fan for my laser (Xtool 10w) . That should stoop the powder from blowing away.
I'm trying to find a way for the average user to do this. There are all kinds of mods that can be done. Glad it got you thinking Charles!
Great video! The layered compass looks very cool. I've seen people do layered burns before, but I wasn't intrigued until I saw the detail in your compass. New subscriber.
Awesome! Thank you!
What kind of magnets did you use and /or when to get thanks
The World's strongest magnets Cheryl: amzn.to/3ERpOIL
Thank you for teaching, sharing, encouraging. I’m still waiting for my laser to come in and am excited to start using your tips.
Awesome Jean! Bet you can't wait to get started!
Could you not use some bulldog adhesion spray to get the white powder to stick after the initial engraving?
Would that allow it to keep the power from going away? Perhaps electroplating the wood after the engraving
to give the powder a surface to burn into easier that will make those white bright and noticeable.
I just covered it with some thin picture frame glass.
Hi, I am waiting on my laser to arrive at the end of May is the estimate (Atezer P20 plus and a 4-1 rotary) which I plan to use to cut stickers in vynal for electro-salt water etching. The sticker cutter I use is a Brother sx 1000 but it doesn't allow image file swapping and the software is slow and difficult to create fine cuts.
I use transfer stickers of many types whether I need a high sticking or low sticking depending on the sticker I need to transfer after picking out. All this is very, very time consuming and because I have MS and coeliac disease my symptoms are increasing and abilities are progressively getting worse.
My plan is to attach the vynal to the metal surface and then laser engrave to expose the metal and then salt water edge for a deep etch which I have been doing. Great on cutlery from the recycle center and then cut to all sorts of shapes and for all sorts of purposes. Great of any stainless steel and brass, aluminium, etc etc. Have done hundreds as gifts for friends and people who inspire others.
Bottomline was to get a laser engraver and use it to create the sticker or paint mask for the salt water etch AND to have alternative art choices such as wood etching as time changes me and my disabilities.
So my thought has been with the powder coating blowing around placing a transfer tape over the top just before the laser melt of powder coat (or any similar paint) only the finished final laser paint melt/engrave is exposed and none of the powder waiting to be lasered will be blown around?
I had to cover some the powder coat (the white) with a thin sheet of glass to keep it from blowing.
Pretty cool, tried it on several things but double passes and cleanup was not good for time/production per hr cost.
You just charge more!
I saw another RUclipsr do this a few months back and thought it was cool!! I haven't tried it yet but I have loads of PC i can play with.
Neat stuff Rich!
People have been trying this for about 2 years now. It's not new, I'm just trying to perfect it Kenny.
The compass is so very nice. I like the details on it and how you explained the process.
Glad you liked it John! Thanks!
Super Video. I spray paint my wood materials, then burn the text or image. The spray paint seals the wood around the cut. Then by rubbing Acrylic paints into the cut groove, rubbing off the excess that does not strain or mark the sealed wood around. Maybe a similar process would work for the wet down white powder. After your color run, seal the wood around, then cut the white with the white. Anyways, thanks for doing all the testing.
I've used your technique before, works great. I switched to using laser transfer tape since and that works even better.
I heard that laser can colorise stainless. What thickness do i need to use ? Have ordered a 48w ikier.
Thickness doesn't matter. Running a Lightburn test grid will give you the speeds and power for different colors.
What is the brand of the powder coat you use?
It doesn't have a brand name. I bought it in bulk from a local supplier.
What about larger areas ? Will it fill and flow ? And will acrylic paint do the same ?
No, it doesn't flow Dave. Don't know about paint, that would just get engraved or vaporized I would guess.
Next try is flipping the fan over on the top of laser. That should work! Patrons can download the Compass Lightburn file on Patreon's website.
Hi Rich, I would also ask if you could bring the laser up out of focus to hit more dry paint at once but you might need to have it trace and adjust for the out of focus. Great content as always, looking for your next video. Thanks.
@The Louisiana Hobby Guy
*April, 2022 Laser Giveaway!* ???
Yet, the *Giveaway Rules & Terms* states as follows:
PROMOTION DESCRIPTION: This Laser Giveaway ('Raffle') for the Comgrow Z1 Laser Engraver begins on 02-01-2022 and ends on 02-28-2022 (the 'Promotion Period').
:
All 11401 Total Entries must be invalidated due them each agreeing to Rules & Terms which states, in error, a past date of FEB 2022 for the end of the promotion period.
I declare myself the winner of the APRIL Comgrow, 20W Diode Laser, for presenting you with your blunder.
:
@@criticallook1352 Did you read the last paragraph?? 🤪 Not sure how you can declare new rules, but whatever!
@@criticallook1352 Really? I don't see it.
I'm using a Sculpfun S9 with a laser wizard air assist. To combat said issue with the diode fan blowing around the powder coat. I cut 1/8" thick strips of acrylic to use as spacers, then place a clear piece of 1/8" glass over the work piece. There's enough air flow to allow the smoke from the powder coat to escape and it cures nicely at 10% power, 4000mm/min, 90 scan with overscan, single pass. I'm in the sculpfun group on Facebook. I have post in there about it with pics and a short video if you'd like to see
My final solution was just covering it with picture frame glass.
Pretty much same here, however I did runs without covering it at all and had no issues with the powder dispersing from the diode fan.......
Have you tried any gold or silver with this method. I also would recommend applying the sand and seal first to the wood panel. Love the color on your compass also the detail
No, I don't have those colors, thanks.
Good stuff man! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much!
I do this with a grout float and very light pressure, almost like I'm silk-screening a shirt.
Nice! I started using a trowel myself!
Does the power coating method still work if you're using something like cermark to etch metal?
No, you're not etching metal, you're annealing the Cermark to the top of the material.
@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Can you put the powder on top of the cermark?
No.
Just a dumb question, Have you tried using the Flocking method, as used on the inside of boxes that were made with a bandsaw or scroll saw? Take a gander look at "Flocking a Box Tutorial" by 'Make Something' on RUclips. This might work a lot better than using a paint stirring stick
I do use flocking on boxes, but not on this project.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Guess I left off some words or thoughts, meant to say, "Have you ever tried using just the Flocking canister along with the Powdercoating paint?" I doubt very seriously one would want to even try to brush the flocking glue process onto the delicate design which laser cutting does. Just thinking using the flocking canister would not only fill the laser cut lines evenly, but possibly be even faster & easier to remove the excess powdercoating to be placed back into the bag containing the powdercoat paint. That's all...
Thank you very much for sharing, have you tried this on glass? It would be interesting to see how that might work.
I don't think it would work David.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy We generally use a product called Rub n buff onto glass that works a treat, but never tried powder coat. We will give it a go. Thank you for doing your videos they give us inspiration to try other techniques.
I wonder if this would work on glass etching.
I doubt it Kurt.
LLG! Think a thin clear plastic film on top of the powder coat paint would let the laser go thru and still fuse paint but not let the diode laser blow it off? Just thinking 🤔
I don't know, I think it would discolor the powder.
I love the Compass Rose nice work
Thanks 👍
What if you engrave the white parts deeper?
Try it Rueben!
Hi Rich,
I am a recent fan of your channel. After your videos, I am impressed with laser engraver and bought one online Sculpfun S10. However this works fantastic, and after your coloring video, I bought pack full of Mica Powder and tried. The result is not good as the fan in the laser blows the power away before it starts engraving. Do you have any solution for this. Will be highly appreciated. Thanks.
I wound up covering it with a thin piece of picture frame glass.
Informative video Rich, i really dig the process. No c02 laser yet, so I'm looking forward to the diode laser video and info.
Well you're good with all the dark colors Randy, it's just the light ones I have to figure out.
any word on when the test powder packets will be ready?
I have the containers, just have to get them filled and packaged... Maybe by next week. Thanks for reminding me!
Really like Your programming to keep The sharpness of details! .while my 10w Diode laser engraver is on order was thinking if Galvanized 2.5-Gauge Steel Dimpled Stucco Lath would make a nice, cost=effective, Table Bed cover to hold those magnets and allow cut thru smoke out?
I don't know, worth a try Chris!
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy will try to share on your forum website if it works well.
Hi Rich, I am tying to etch tiles wit color, seen a video by ' laser ingraving with Matt ', but it is a short video. Could you play around with it and see if you can get it right, so far my attempts were with no success
I'll be doing more tile videos in the future Gert.
I wonder if the method for putting the powder coating onto/into the etched surface and leveling with a hard edge like a credit card or timber or trowel, then dust off the excess is the 'problem' for some and not for others who lightly brush the powder coat around the surface.
Which 'could' mean that the particle size of the powder coat or any granular paint is broken down to dust rather than grains which 'could' mean the coating is easily blown dust and not grains as such?
I press it down with the aluminum card.
Another great video Rich. Beautiful compass project. I’m learning so much. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching John! Much appreciated!
What about toner from a color laser printer?
Haven't tried it David.
Have you tried carbon paper colors with the diode lazer?
No
The best option is to get a duct to redirect the lasers heatsink fan output off to the side instead of toward the job after it passes through the actual heatsink of course. Usually it helps blow some smoke from burning material away so the laser isn’t obstructed, but that’s not a huge issue when melting and bonding things.
Instead of turning the power down you could also have a second job from the same project that only traces the center of the graphic, then unfocus the laser some to spread out the power. It works well for lettering, speeds up the process and lets you gradually step power up easier to find the melting point without scorching. Harder to calculate exactly what power is hitting the surface but since it’s only a center line you could run back to back tests rather quickly.
Thanks for the comments!
I like your Videos soooo much and i learn a lot of it,thanks for that....😊😊😊
Thank you so much Wolfgang! I really appreciate it! 👍
What if you painted it white first and then do the mica?
I found some very thin plate glass at Lowe's that I use now Sherry.
This is Hector. You try to mix silver mica whit other colors so that way the reflective effect off the silver help to preserve the color you want like playing whit the deflexion off power.
I haven't even gotten to mixing colors yet Hector!
How about if you somehow flip the diode fan so the air flow is reversed
That is one way to do it. But I'm looking for a way without any modifications to the laser Sanusi.
Personally I would use print and cut in light burn to make sure it lined up. Those magnets shift I have the same ones.
Mine don't shift Bryan and using print and cut for a second pass isn't even a consideration for me.
Wouldn’t it be easier to spread around with something like a make-up powder brush?
No, it has to be a hard surface to spread it evenly Werner.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Ok, good to know. Love the channel, btw.
WOW, I appreciate the content of your videos. I just started using Lightburn and whenever I can't figure something out I always check your channel to see if you've covered it and I have not been disappointed yet. I thank you for all the effort you put into your videos.
Do you by any chance have a link to the powder coating you used, I couldn't seem to find it.
Thanks! And no, I don't have a link since I bought it in bulk locally. But Amazon and Harbor Freight both have it.
I use a plastic deflector on the bottom of the spindle on my CNC router to stop the air blowing on the work piece. Could something like that work on the diode laser? I really want to try power coat on some engraving soon. Thanks for the video!
It depends on the laser module. Lots of the newer ones, the heatsink goes all the way down to the material.
That compass rose looks great!
You should see it now Dottie, with the triple coat finish!
Why burn the first time? Just apply the powder then burn, or does the grove look better, also what kind of powder? Polyester?
The first burn removes the material and hollows out the wood to prepare it for the powder coat.