More Fun with the Laser 1 Engraver and my Two Trees Table

January 23, 2022January 28, 2022 Peter ScargillGeneralLeave a Comment

I only just finished updating my Aufero Laser 1 article – and yesterday, from Banggood, my new mesh base arrived, assembled. Inclused in the pack is a full size aluminium plate and 6 adhesive pads. No documentation so I had to make guesses, I cut the pads in half, I used half to stick the aluminium to the bottom of the mesh and the others to stop the whole lot sliding around on my bench. I’ve since hear from Banggood who say the pads were intended for fixing between the honeycomb and the aluminium – but I’m happy with what I’ve done.

And here’s the proper title as on the Banggood site: TWO TREES® Totem S Engraving Machine Honeycomb Working Table for CO2 Cutting Machine/Laser Engraver

Despite the title, my lasers are all solid state, not CO2 and this honeycomb base is ideal for my Laser 1. My version of the table is 300mm * 200mm * 22mm high (approx).

Now I have this, it’s so obvious, I should have had one in the very beginning – no more bench burning risk or bits of burned cardboard (actually not just risk, I HAVE burned into my bench a few times – thankfully it’s a painted bench so no harm done. Now that is all history for me).

I’ve a 30W (input) laser in here and it can do a lot of damage to a bench. I checked it at full power running through that mesh. No significant heat, no marking – looks like new.

This is really good – a larger version would have been wasted on my Aufero Laser 1 but I may get one for my larger engraver once I’m back in Spain – I’m currently in the UK.

So, not the most exciting of products but for laser engraving it seems from talking to others that these lightweight bases are ideal for the job.

All this just in time to discover a supplier for the nicely finished blank wooden signs I need for our house in the UK (gates) – they need deep engraving so they’ll stand up to Northeast-of-England weather and as I have poor ventilation in here and it’s too cold to put the lot outside, that means leaving the engraver to get on with it – I feel a lot happier about that now.

Note that I am learning as I go along… I’m now using Borax (with care as it is toxic – supposedly bannded in the UK but in fact available no problem online) to improve blacks on my engravings. I’m using thin ply (3mm blanks) and my early attempts, coating only one side with my dilute solution then waiting for it to dry, produced slightly warped wood. I’ve just now coated both sides before starting anything.

When done I sprayed the lot with Rustoleum spray clear matt (chalk finish) lacquer (a double-sided key-holder). The job is being produced on my new aluminium base seen above. I have to say, not perfect but I’m reasonably pleased with this result.. I did not use the perspex shield on the laser but also did not use any air blower. (I do wear safety lenses at all times when engraving).