6 ms·

Honestly I'm kinda surprised there aren't handheld laser engraving devices made for quick and permanent graffiti.

abakker 2y ago
There are abundant portable galvo head lasers out there. A lot of them targeting the hobby market, but also more powerful ones (that are less cheap) meant for marking or engraving parts in situ. Everlast now has a laser welder, too. I think it’s only a matter of time before we get cheaper cutter in the 1kw range.
- nomel 2y ago
  And cheaper DMLS printers [1]. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxzFzbi0wF4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxzFzbi0wF4
TeMPOraL 2y ago
On that note, did anyone ever make a handheld inkjet or spray nozzle, so you could print graffiti on walls or things on the go? I imagine most of the tech in it would be the same as in the kind of laser device you're asking about.
- daef 2y ago
  the colop e-mark stuff basically puts an inkjet head into a handheld printer https://www.colop.com/de_eur/mobiles-drucken/e-mark https://www.colop.com/de_eur/mobiles-drucken/e-mark
- garaetjjte 2y ago
  https://spritesmods.com/?art=magicbrush https://spritesmods.com/?art=magicbrush
codesnik 2y ago
or quick and permanent scar
bloggie 2y ago
These do exist, here's one I saw recently: https://www.laserpwr.net/hand-held-laser/hand-held-laser-2.html https://www.laserpwr.net/hand-held-laser/hand-held-laser-2.h...
- ChrisMarshallNY 2y ago
  30W? That's a pretty powerful laser. A 1W laser can set stuff on fire. A 5W laser can cut steel.
  - ben_w 2y ago
    > A 5W laser can cut steel I've experimented with using a 60 W (I think*) laser on a small steel bracket, and even with the beam holding on a single point for a minute, it made a barely visible dot that you couldn't feel by running your finger over. * It was nearly a decade ago, but I looked up the relevant hacker space and unless they changed the model, it was 60 watts. The bracket was around 1cm by 5cm, and around 1mm thick.
    - ChrisMarshallNY 2y ago
      Fair ‘nuff. I know that a friend had a 3-5W laser (don’t remember -it was a CO2 laser) he used for wood burning, and it was fast. It may also be what they measure.
    - dangrossman 2y ago
      A 60W CO2 laser won't touch steel (or even paper thin aluminum foil), while a 10W diode can cut through it. The type/wavelength of laser matters greatly.
    - lightedman 2y ago
      60w back then would be a CO2 LASER - that's 10600nm and that basically bounces off any non-oxidized metal. The fiber marking LASERs at work are 1064nm, and at a mere 20w output, will absolutely eat away at steel with no problems. Edit: I should note there are CO2 metal cutting LASERs, but they are at very, very high output powers to overcome that reflectivity barrier. You need 500w 10600nm to cut through what a 30w 1064nm could cut. My 80w CO2 barely cuts through heavy-duty aluminum foil, and in many spots it isn't a full cut. A 20w marking LASER at 1064 would obliterate the foil.

There are abundant portable galvo head lasers out there. A lot of them targeting the hobby market, but also more powerful ones (that are less cheap) meant for marking or engraving parts in situ. Everlast now has a laser welder, too. I think it’s only a matter of time before we get cheaper cutter in the 1kw range.

nomel 2y ago
And cheaper DMLS printers [1]. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxzFzbi0wF4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxzFzbi0wF4

TeMPOraL 2y ago

On that note, did anyone ever make a handheld inkjet or spray nozzle, so you could print graffiti on walls or things on the go? I imagine most of the tech in it would be the same as in the kind of laser device you're asking about.

daef 2y ago
the colop e-mark stuff basically puts an inkjet head into a handheld printer https://www.colop.com/de_eur/mobiles-drucken/e-mark https://www.colop.com/de_eur/mobiles-drucken/e-mark
garaetjjte 2y ago
https://spritesmods.com/?art=magicbrush https://spritesmods.com/?art=magicbrush

codesnik 2y ago

or quick and permanent scar

bloggie 2y ago

These do exist, here's one I saw recently: https://www.laserpwr.net/hand-held-laser/hand-held-laser-2.html https://www.laserpwr.net/hand-held-laser/hand-held-laser-2.h...

ChrisMarshallNY 2y ago
30W? That's a pretty powerful laser. A 1W laser can set stuff on fire. A 5W laser can cut steel.
- ben_w 2y ago
  > A 5W laser can cut steel I've experimented with using a 60 W (I think*) laser on a small steel bracket, and even with the beam holding on a single point for a minute, it made a barely visible dot that you couldn't feel by running your finger over. * It was nearly a decade ago, but I looked up the relevant hacker space and unless they changed the model, it was 60 watts. The bracket was around 1cm by 5cm, and around 1mm thick.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 2y ago
    Fair ‘nuff. I know that a friend had a 3-5W laser (don’t remember -it was a CO2 laser) he used for wood burning, and it was fast. It may also be what they measure.
  - dangrossman 2y ago
    A 60W CO2 laser won't touch steel (or even paper thin aluminum foil), while a 10W diode can cut through it. The type/wavelength of laser matters greatly.
  - lightedman 2y ago
    60w back then would be a CO2 LASER - that's 10600nm and that basically bounces off any non-oxidized metal. The fiber marking LASERs at work are 1064nm, and at a mere 20w output, will absolutely eat away at steel with no problems. Edit: I should note there are CO2 metal cutting LASERs, but they are at very, very high output powers to overcome that reflectivity barrier. You need 500w 10600nm to cut through what a 30w 1064nm could cut. My 80w CO2 barely cuts through heavy-duty aluminum foil, and in many spots it isn't a full cut. A 20w marking LASER at 1064 would obliterate the foil.