18~20mm Laser head w/ air assisted

[TimAustinTX]

I installed the new head and the lens is not much closer to the reflector than the head that came on the unit.

The new focus point is very high and above the exhaust intake.

Is there something I am doing wrong? I am concerned it is so high not that I can not laser items that are more than 1 inch thick.

Thank you!
Tim

[Mangus]

The new head moves the focal point closer to the head by 8-10 mm. Pull out the stock table and use something else to hold your part. A power (or manual) adjustable Z table is ideal. I like my LightObject table, except that it does reduce your work area by ~1.5" in each axis, but that's still more than the stock table allows.

[TimAustinTX]

The issue I had also was the focal point is raised up so high that the cross beam would run into the item I am trying to cut or engrave.

Is there a fix for that?


Thanks!
Tim

[Mangus]

That's odd; that indicates that the lens in your machine is of unusually short focal length. Did you test the focal length with test cuts? If it's true, and your laser head is assembled correctly,, I'd say the best fix is a different lens.

[Tech_Marco]

Just a reminder, some K40 may comes with 38.5mm focus lens instead of 50.8mm
By replacing the new laser head, the focus point should be 10mm raised up because the barrel is shorter.
But if you add a piece of honeycomb, it should offset it and provide good enough focus point

Marco

[rushmore1305]

also make sure you put the lens in the correct way, there is a flat side and curve side, curve side away from mirror

[chuckels431]

also make sure you put the lens in the correct way, there is a flat side and curve side, curve side away from mirror

The original instructions for my k40 say to install the lens curved side towards the beam. This would put it towards the mirror. Which way is correct ?

[TimAustinTX]

So I just found out what my issue was.

When I took the head apart the head did not originally come fully apart and I had the lens up too high.

Pictures would be handy in the product listing, showing how it comes apart into 4 pieces.

Tim