A “SHED SCIENCE” REPORT ON THE DUAL PERSONALITY OF LENSES by Russ Sadler INTRODUCTION It was 3000 years ago that Greek philosophers toyed with the seeds of lens theory as they explored the basics of how light might work. Just 300 years later the Egyptians were exploiting those theories by polishing glass surfaces to emulate … Read more
Laser cutting and engraving is an amazing hobby or small business idea to take up, but you need to understand the running costs. The cost of running a laser cutting machine depends on a number of factors such as laser power and ancillary equipment used. based on the prolific Chinese Laser machines you can typically … Read more
By Russ Sadler Introduction These RDWorks laser cutter tutorials are technically a video diary of my mistakes and successes as I gradually come to terms with the mysteries of owning one of these little Chinese dragons {Russ’s videos are also considered to be some of the best How to use a laser cutter videos on … Read more
If you have ever laser cut a sheet of material and wondered why the edge is not perpendicular, then you have suffered from a tapered kerf in laser cutting. The usual reason for this effect is that the laser beam is not fully perpendicular to the surface of the sheet. Read on to find out … Read more
While browsing at a local store, I picked up a couple of cheap slate placemats in order to carry out some engraving trials. I had not engraved slate previously, so I then had to learn how to laser engrave state. How to laser engrave slate? Slate is a binary material when it comes to laser … Read more
If you own or have access to a laser cutting machine, stencils can be a quick and easy product to design and laser cut. I’ve been cutting and designing stencils for some time, with my online store containing over 100 stencil products. So, here’s my solution on how to laser cut a stencil. How to … Read more
Having recently purchased my first laser power meter, which came supplied with a handy container. I decided that the internal packing (bubble wrap) needed an upgrade and foam was the way to go. So, the first thing I had to learn, was how to laser cut foam. So, how to laser cut foam? Use dot … Read more
Having just purchased my very own laser power meter for my 50W CO2 laser cutting and engraving machine. I needed to to come up with a measurement procedure to ensure I use my thermal laser power meter in a reliable and consistent manner. So here’s my solution on how to use a laser power meter. … Read more
I have been working with laser systems of all types for more than 10 years, but I’ve only recently purchased my own laser power meter. So, what is a laser power meter? A Laser Power Meter is an instrument that measures the output power of a laser beam. They typically measure average power over a … Read more
All tests were designed and conducted by Russ Sadler: August 2021 Table of Contents Introduction What is the best laser lens to use: I looked back to see when my obsession to understand how a laser beam and lens interact to produce a cutting effect. It surprised me to find that this love affair started … Read more
