Can I clean the lenses on my K40 with methylated spirits???
Not sure about that, I use denatured alcohol 90%
Where do you buy that type of alcohol
I get it at the pharmacy.
OK thanks will see if I can get some how often should I clean the lenses?? Oh and is a small flame while cutting MDF really bad for the focal lense
Isopropel alcohol works. Pretty sure flames and soot just muddy the lense so you have to clean it more cut quality could diminish during cutting if the lense gets dirty.
I tend to clean the mirrors and lens almost every time I use it. I highly suggest getting an air assist nozzle, this will keep flames and flare ups to a minimum, helps with cutting thicker materials, and keeps the majority of smoke away from the lens. Lightobject.com has a great replacement laser head for $18, you need to upgrade to an 18 mm lens if you use this air assist head, around $30 for a lens. You can use a small airbrush compressor as the air supply, but I have heard people having success using an aquarium air pump which can be had for around 20 -30 dollars, so for under $100 you can do the upgrade, you will be amazed at the difference it makes.
is the air assist head easy to assemble in the machine I am not mechanical I tried with cool air from a hairdryer while cutting but then it didn’t cut Rob Morgan Anthony Bolgar there was no flame but it only cut about 1 mm down not all the way through 3mm MDF
The head is very easy to install, I use a coiled piece of 1/4" air hose to feed the nozzle, it keeps the air line out of the nozzles way.I will try to post a picture tomorrow morning for you.
Methylated spirits is another name for denatured alcohol, aka ethanol plus poison additives so you cannot drink it. http://www.thesodacanstove.com/alcohol-stove/denatured-alcohol.html
I had been cleaning my lens & mirrors with Methylated Spirits. However, I found that over time I would end up with some buildup (that looked like toothpaste splashed on mirror) from it. I then started cleaning it with plain water & seems to have removed the buildup.
@Vince_Lee Thanks for the info on the names. Never new they are the same thing.lol!
I have just cut some more 3mm MDF and just shot the hairdryer in if a flame appeared seems to be working Can anyone give me a hint on speed and power settings power eg mA I have been using about 6mA and 80mm speed is this OK?
And thanks about the method I will they it as I already have some to clean the lenses
Sorry that,should say metho
@Donna_Gray I use about 10mA @ 25mm/s speed & 2 passes to get through 3mm MDF/Plywood.
@funinthefalls my wife corrected me that methylated spirits is a kind of denatured alcohol, the latter just meaning ethanol with additives to make it undrinkable. Methanol is commonly the primary additive (hence methylated) though not always. Though I think the term is often used generically too.
https://plus.google.com/100981051586034517976/posts/K5eazfE7LJ3
this is 100lb card stock with the original lens. I was practicing with paper before moving on to other materials first. No charring at all. Don’t know why ymmv.