Ouch my eye!

Do not look at LASER with remaining eye!

  • Digging in

    Things have been busy at work as we just moved, so I haven’t had much time to think about the laser. I’ve decided to take the next few Fridays off from work to work on it, as I have some accrued vacation time I need to use up before the year-end. This is the first Friday, and I decided to start breaking down the laser to asses the state of things. I’ll post more detail over the next little while as I examine the bits more closely, but for now enjoy the photos that I took to try and detail the construction, and the damage to the unit.

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  • It gets worse

    So I headed over to Brandon’s workplace to get the laser today. I didn’t bring my camera, so I don’t have any new pictures, but will try to document as much as possible when I get into tearing the  thing apart.  The earlier pictures don’t do the disaster justice, it really is a rusted, burnt out hunk of junk. But the laser does look salvageable, so at least I might get something out of it (if it works).

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  • Opportunity Knocks

    So I heard back today from the lab members that headed over to check out the laser. It’s in pretty rough shape, and they decided it wasn’t going to be a good fit/project for the lab. FINALLY my chance has come.  Then I saw the pictures that one of the members posted…

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  • Sleepless night ahead

    Got word today that a contingent from the lab is going to check out the laser on Tomorrow. Not sure I’ll get much sleep tonight until I hear back. I’m really hoping they take a pass, so I can have it. MUST HAVE LASER!!! 😉

  • Membership has its privileges

    Today is an exciting day, my dream of having an industrial laser cutter could be within reach!

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  • The Adventure Begins…

    For years I’ve been dreaming of having an industrial laser cutter. I would get envious of everyone that I came across that had one. Wasn’t sure what I would do with one if I had it, but having something that cuts with photons is just so irresistible to a geek like me. I’m one of those people that is constantly dreaming of cool things to build, only to be stopped by the thought of lacking the necessary tools or budget to make it happen. That little voice in the back of my head kept saying “If only I had a laser cutter…”

    All that is about to change (hopefully). This blog is an attempt to document my challenges, successes (and I’m sure some failures), as I go through the process of refurbishing an old beat-up industrial laser.