Laser Cutter Slat Bed

[Keith 66]

My laser (Co2 used for wood & acrylic etc) is fitted with the standard honey comb aluminium bed, I dont like these as smoke tends to be retained in sections of the cells & is a fire risk.
School i used to work at had a lotus laser systems machine that had a bed consisting of knife edge alloy slats, It was far superior & the removeable slats were dead easy to clean with perfect extraction.
I have approached Lotus & they will not supply the slat bed or parts on its own, Pity as they are just a few miles away & i know it can be made to fit easily!
Slats were an aluminium extrusion approx 15mm high x 3mm thick with both sides being relieved so the top had a 1mm radiused knife edge.
I could mill the angle but doing 25 bed bars 400mm long is going to take me poxy weeks on a manual milling machine.
Anyone know where i can get such a thing or the extrusion?

 

[My Old Landy]

Slats Pack (12pcs) for xTool P2

For US customers: shipping from the local warehouse starting in Mid-September. For CA and AU customers: shipping from the local warehouse starting at the end of September. Only compatible for xTool P2. 24 pcs in a pack.

uk.xtool.com

These are from xTool.

 

[Keith 66]

Thanks for that, checked out the spec & the bars are too sodding short!

 

[Ali]

Aliexpress, maybe? When I used to use lasers I found both types had their pros/cons - the honeycomb type are great for preventing smaller components falling through (though if that was an issue there are other ways around it. Pins are great too.

 

[Hood]

...... Pins are great too.

I got a load of these and fixed them to a base board, works quite well.

 

[My Old Landy]

I've not used slats but just remembered I have a box of them that came with the S1.
I expect that they are too short for you but they are here if you want them.

 

[Keith 66]

Bed size is an odd one at 620x 360mm so if you have 24 bars 360mm length or that can be cut down i would be interested!

 

[My Old Landy]

Bed size is an odd one at 620x 360mm so if you have 24 bars 360mm length or that can be cut down i would be interested!

I will get them out the shed tomorrow and let you know

 

[6ply]

I got a load of these and fixed them to a base board, works quite well.

View attachment 481634

What happens with reflections?

 

[Hood]

What happens with reflections?

Nothing as far as I know, then it is a diode laser I use so that may be different.

 

[Ali]

What happens with reflections?

Anything in focus for a prolonged period might actually reflect back and damage the tube, but with intermittent reflections you’ll just see a bit of flashback on the reverse side - usually more obvious with the honeycomb type.

 

[ukracer]

Anything in focus for a prolonged period might actually reflect back and damage the tube, but with intermittent reflections you’ll just see a bit of flashback on the reverse side - usually more obvious with the honeycomb type.

What's wrong with steel honey comb. You can always put shims under it so smoke is not captured.

 

[Keith 66]

This is aluminium honeycomb, the way it sits there are dead spaces on the base plate, I could shim it up but you still cant clean the honeycomb of tar buildup.
With a bar bed its just a once a week scrub in a bucket of hot soapy water with a scotchbrite & the bars are clean.
Having worked in a school where i used one of these every day im a bit paranoid about flames!