Tools and Supplies - Your Guide to Everyday Essentials for Laser Machines
Purchasing the laser machine is the biggest decision. Receiving the laser machine is nearly the easiest thing to do. You will also need some setup tools and daily supplies. The tools will be used to: unpack, install, setup, do alignment, do daily cleaning, maintenance, and daily uses.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll introduce you to the essential everyday toolkit that will help you maximize the potential of your laser machine. From basic accessories to indispensable materials, we've got you covered. Our aim is to empower you with the knowledge and resources necessary to create stunning laser projects with ease and efficiency. So, read on to discover the must-have tools and supplies that will elevate your laser crafting experience to new heights.
List of Services
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Scissors Use scissors to cut the right length of tape. Cut the non-slip pad to match your honeycomb table or just the immediate project. Always very handy to have around.Scissors
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220VAC Plug and Receptacle These are the recommended plug and receptacle for connecting the 220VAC items of your laser system.The part numbers from Lowes are:220VAC Plug and Receptacle
*Cooper Wiring Plug: Item #96979 Model #4509AN-SP-L
*Cooper Wiring Plug: Item #71327 Model #4509-SP-L
*Receptacle Item #65748 Model #1876W-SP-L.
All laser machines that use 220VAC can use this connector. If you are installing a breaker and outlet for the laser system, then you should install a 20 amp, two pole breaker. The breaker will utilize the two available 110VAC branches to produce 220 VAC single phase power. It is recommended to use electrical wire that is rated as 12 gage plus ground wire. The normal color of the wire is red, black, and bare wire. This is often called 12-2 wire. You can also find red, black, white, ground.. called 12-3 wire.
The RL-80-1290 should require near 12 amps current.
The RL-150-1290 will require near 15 amps current.
The nominal expected voltage for the 220VAC system is 220VAC, but the laser machine can function safely with voltage as low as 208VAC or as high as 245VAC. We have experienced that the laser tube will output highest laser power at 235VAC provided to the laser power supply.
If you purchase a 40 watt or 60 watt machine, then it is MOST likely that it uses a 110VAC system with normal plugs and outlets.
Any laser system should be placed on its own breaker. -
Electrical Tape Used during setup/installation of the laser machine to ensure the wires are safe from connecting voltage to the wrong places. Also used to fasten the wires and hoses to the laser tube. This prevents the wires from undue tension, which could damage the laser tube.Electrical Tape
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High Voltage Electrical Tape HV Tape is used to insulate the electrical connection at the laser tube. The voltage going into the tube will exceed 23,000 Volts. It is very important to use plenty of tape and be CAREFULL. If not properly insulated, the laser spark will arc to the frame. The arced power could feed back to the motion controller and cause permanent damage.High Voltage Electrical Tape
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Masking TapeMasking Tape
Masking tape is used during daily operations to protect the surface of the materials from residue. Example: Place a wide stripe of tape on a piece of wood and engrave your name thru the tape. The fumes/residue is blown down onto the tape.. not into the wood. Remove the tape after the residue is dry. The wood is protected from discoloration.
The best tape for laser application is found at Harbor Freight. The Harbor Freight product has much less glue to burn, less plastic in the "tape" to burn, more paper in the "tape" that burns easily for marking and cutting. My experience says the Harbor Freight tape works very well and is a fair price.
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Aluminum Foil Tape Used with masking tape.. as a method to test where the laser will fire, but does not allow the laser to penetrate thru.Aluminum Foil Tape
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Denatured Alcohol Chemical for cleaning. Use this for cleaning mirrors and lenses. Do not drink! Use this to remove residue left from engraving/cutting acrylic. Has an oily consistancy, but should evaporate completely. If the Denatured Alcohol leaves a residue, clean this residue with acetone or use more clean alcohol.Denatured Alcohol
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Isopropyl Alcohol Chemical for cleaning. Use this for cleaning plastics and woods. Do not drink! Use this to remove residue left from engraving/cutting acrylic. Has a thin watery consistancy, but should evaporate well. The level of evaporating depends completely on the amount of water and unknown stuff inside.Isopropyl Alcohol
You will find a variety of this sold at drug stores ranging from 40% to 99.9% pure alcohol. If the isopropyl alcohol leaves a residue, clean this residue off with acetone or denatured alcohol. Using too much alcohol on plastics can harden the plastic and cause it to crack or craze. -
Mineral Spirits Chemical for cleaning. Use this for cleaning woods and other project materials.Mineral Spirits
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Paper Towels Use paper towels for cleaning items that will release a stain or nasty result. I suggest "Avia" brand towels as they do not release so many loose fibers.Paper Towels
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Power Outlet Strip / Surge Protector There are often not enough power outlets in the area for computers, printers, monitors..etc. Use a power surge strip to protect your electronics from typical power problems. A good UPS (Uninteruptable Power Supply) would be better.Power Outlet Strip / Surge Protector
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Small Set of Screw drivers Used during cleaning of mirrors or lenses to remove parts. A set of small screw drivers are handy to have around.Small Set of Screw drivers
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Rubber Drawer Liners Use the rubber drawer liner on top of the honeycomb to prevent the honeycomb from scrathing the back side of your lasered product. In the case of lasering mirrors, the mirror is placed face down on the honeycomb. The non-slip pad prevents the honeycomb from damaging the glass front face. Expect to buy more of this stuff from time to time.Rubber Drawer Liners
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Dental Pick A dental pick is used to grab and remove the retaining rubber washer inside the focal tube. This washer protects the laser lens, but can often trap the lens in place. Using the right tool and being delicate can save lots of time and costs of lenses. We have found that wooden toothpicks can do a good job with less likelyhood of scratching the lens... A diagonally-cut Q-tip is even better.Dental Pick
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Needle Nose Pliers Used during setup.. Generally handy tool.Needle Nose Pliers
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Wire Cutters / Wire Strippers Used during setup.. Generally handy tool.Wire Cutters / Wire Strippers
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Wire Cutter / Diagonal Cutters Used during setup.. Generally handy tool.Wire Cutter / Diagonal Cutters
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Bent Needle Nose Pliers Used during setup.. Generally handy tool.Bent Needle Nose Pliers
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Utility Knife Used during setup.. Generally handy tool. Also used in daily cutting of masking tape or marking wood.Utility Knife
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Extension Cord With electrical boxes scattered around the shop, you might need an extension cord to get to the power you need. Don't skimp on a good cord. You don't want to underpower the laser machine or your computer systems. Use at least a 14 gage cord or thicker.Extension Cord
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Assorted Pens and Pencils A red pen is used during laser alignment. Assorted pens are used for notations.. Pencils can be great for locating the center of a square target and still able to remove the mark later.Assorted Pens and Pencils
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Q-tips Used for cleaning lenses and mirrors. Be sure to purchase and use only the Q-tips with paper sticks and cotton swab tips. Some cheaper versions of plastic sticks can dissolve onto the lens or mirrors. Use once .. Throw away. The costs of q-tips is nothing compared to the cost of one laser lens.Q-tips
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Silly Putty Used as a fast clamp to hold an irregular shaped engravable item.. like custom turned pens and pencils. I combine about 4 packages together to make a sizeable chunk. Be careful to not let it sit too long or else it will ooze out of shape. You can also put the putty into a small soap dish to keep it from oozing through the honeycomb mesh.Silly Putty
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Funnel Use to add water to the chiller. It isn't worth a mess to try pouring without a funnel.Funnel
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Windex or other surface cleaner Use to clean the machine on a daily basis. Don't use alcohol or acetone to clean the machine.Windex or other surface cleaner
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Microfiber Towels Used to clean the machine.Microfiber Towels
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3n1 Lubricating Oil Use a paper towel and 3-in-One oil to lubricate the linear axis. Keep the axis clean of gunk. After oiling, the axis should be slightly wet to the touch.3n1 Lubricating Oil
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Egg Crate Place items on top of the egg crate to prevent a focused laser beam from reflecting up from the honeycomb top. This removes most all effects of "flashback spurs" and results in a cleaner edge cut.Egg Crate
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Aluminum Flashlight ... Used to see things better.Aluminum Flashlight
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6 inch Vent Duct The exhaust vent on Rabbit laser machines are 6 inches diameter. Use a 6 inch duct vent to get the fumes outside the building. It would be even better to extend a pipe further from the building wall. Make sure the vent duct has a screen (to stop those pesky birds) ...and a spring return to close the duct when not being used.6 inch Vent Duct
We recommend Home Depot Model# SM-RWVD 6 ... 6 in. Round Galvanized Wall Vent with Spring Return Damper
We recommend Lowes Model # VTL0040 -
Magnets If engraving more than ten products, it can save time to build a template to hold parts in place. Less than ten engraved parts can use a temporary solution. Use magnets to create a temporary jig/fixture to align products for engraving.Magnets
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Digital Multi-Meter It is good to check the input voltage to the laser machine (transformer) to make sure the equipment is not being abused by your local electric company. The DMM can also be used to help track down other possible problems with a laser machine. Make sure to purchase a good multimeter. Spend at least $20 for a meter... You get what you pay for. I recommend Tenma brand from mcmelectronics.comDigital Multi-Meter
** Don't try to check the laser tube voltage coming out of the laser transformer. The laser tube voltage is VERY high and can KILL you. -
PhotoGrav 3.1 Working with photos on any laser machine means having the right development software and this is it. The PhotoGrav 3 software is made by ImageLaz LLC and is run as a pre-processor. This means that you import the photo into PhotoGrav and compile a Bitmap that would be imported into most any laser application. The Rabbit laser machines are featured inside the PhotGrav software making it easier to work with. We recommend to NOT purchase this software from ebay.com because it is most likely to be pirated software.PhotoGrav 3.1
* Rabbit Laser USA is an authorized OEM distributor for PhotoGrav software products.
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