Can you cut transparent plastic sheets with a diode cutter? I tried to cut some HO scale window “glass” using very thin clear sheets, acetate I think, and the machine either melted the plastic or wouldn’t cut all the way through. If the power was enough to cut through, it left a melted edge and a diffused surface along the edge. Someone suggested using polycarbonate. Would that work?
Surprised it cut at all. Diode is a visible light laser, and anything that passes the light clearly will not absorb the laser power. Clear anything will not be any better.
I would be careful about lasering plastics. Many emit poisonous and corrosive gasses when burned.
Hi.
No, it won’t.
Like @MikeyH said, visible spectrum lasers are not the choice if transparent (in visible range) materials are to be cut.
Assuming of course that the diode laser in question operates in the visible range as 99,99% of the hobby lasers do.
Diode lasers that operate outside the visible range do exist, but save for the low power near-IR lasers (which won’t cut transparent plastics either), are either rare, or expensive…or both.
That said, there is various degrees of transparency, so some of the energy is always absorbed and some sort of cutting is at least theoretically possible.
The properties of the cut will always leave a lot to be desired though, since the absorption is in the ballpark of a few percents.
Also:
Is extremely important thing to keep in mind every time any kind of plastic is lasered.
Regards,
Sam
I tried to cut mylar with my 10 W diode laser.
Same experience: it can engrave, but if I slow down at max power, it melts the mylar and eventually cut it, but the borders are ugly.
And I think it worked because I put the mylar on a martyr surface: wood on first try (bad), black cardboard later (better), can also paint one side in black. Might work for the OP’s case, if paint can be washed afterward.
I think I will use the laser to mark cleanly the mylar, then cut with a knife. Slower and less precise, but cleaner.
About plastics: there are lists of materials you should avoid to laser. Particularly PVC, because of the C (chloride) which is toxic and can attack your laser when transformed to acid with ambient humidity. Search about the Beilstein test to check if a plastic has chloride.
Well, bummer. I think I’ll try just lightly etching it and then cut it out by hand. I’m making window “glass” for HO scale buildings and they can get pretty small (1/4" square or less), so at least this would eliminate having to measure each one.
Thanks for your reply.
I have had really good luck etching clear plastic water bottles by coating with a Dry Erase marker. Sloppy marking job seems to work just fine. I then clean it with water and a white Magic Eraser, which removes the Dry Erase without scratching the plastic. I use just enough power to boil (bubble) the plastic without actually burning it.
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