I think it would be of some advantage of getting a 3" lens for my CO2. Do I use the same lens that I currently have in my 2" tube and just buy a tube, or do you have to purchase both when moving up in size.
Can these just be bough anywhere, or do I have to go to Monport for it?
Sorry, I’m over my ski’s when it comes to hardware.
I have a Monport 60W with the factory 2"FL lens. I recently went the other direction and ordered a 1.5" lens, as I intend to try some highly detailed photo engraving and want the smaller dot size. I have not installed it yet, but expect no problems because I am pulling the focal point closer to the nozzle. As you are wanting to go to a 3" FL lens you will be doing the opposite and effectively making the focal point further from the nozzle tip. This can cause two possible problems… one, it might affect your air assist, since it is now further from the material, and two, you will have to be even more careful with your alignment of mirror 3 (the one in the laser head) since the conical beam will not be wider where it is exiting the hole in the nozzle.
I’m not saying it can’t be done, but it might be a bit of a challenge. Alternately you could invest in a ‘set’ of lenses AND tubes that are designed to maintain a constant distance from your material, regardless of the FL you choose… such as the American Photonics kit.
Just my $.02.
Jim
Tubes and lenses are relatively cheap. I have all of mine in their own tubes with nozzles. I have an extra pair of each nozzle depending on what I want to do. I use C series tubes, that I get from Cloud Ray.
Have no clue what size your tube are of if they are easily changed out… You can check the physical sizes of them and compare…
Just ensure that the divergence occurring before the nozzle hole will pass through… On the left is a N03 nozzle and the other is a N04. The N04 is for a compound also.
Thanks for all the info.
I guess I should have referenced why I’m interested in doing this.
My thinking was to increase the focal point size so if the distance from my bed to the head is not the same all around, it would help to insure that I get cuts all the way around. I’m really close on my bed being level in the areas I think I would be cutting in general.
I don’t see me cutting LARGE letters and or words that would take up the entire bed surface, but a larger focal point would “help” making sure I get those cuts from one extreme side of the bed to the other.
If that makes sense. I’m going to take some measurements of my tube and some pics and will post them here as well.
Thanks
I use these lenses/tube assemblies from American Photonics on my Monport 80W. Make sure to get the 16.15mm diameter version though, even though the lens itself is 18mm.
The nice thing about these is that your focus height is going to be 10.5mm no matter what lens you go with. I honestly didn’t see any better results cutting with the 3" lens though, I stick with a 2" for most things and a 1.5" when I want better engraving.
