Full Version: Help! Residue on versaflex

From: JHayes55 [#11]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#10] 24 Apr 2007

Top Secret Cleaning Tool for Plastic - "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser"

Works very well on lots of things but is super on plastic
Key issue is to keep the power as low as possible and still get you cut.
Everyone else has said that but I just wanted to reiterate it.

Mike Null is the EE forum Trotec Wizard.

From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#12]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#5] 24 Apr 2007

Mike .. What is the procedure for engraving from bottom to top on a Trotec. Have tried every thing in the Job Control but can't seem to find the correct setting??

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#13]
 24 Apr 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#12] 24 Apr 2007

Mark

When you're in Job Control select "plate" from the menu. In that window are several options; one of which is start position. Select bottom.

I guess I should confess I've never felt the need to use it.

EDITED: 24 Apr 2007 by MIKEN

From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#14]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#13] 24 Apr 2007

Neither Have I. with air assist and a good vacuum draw. the residue is a dusting........and wipes off. For the hard residue, whenb it does occur, Naphtha takes it right off (ace hardware, home depot)

From: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#15]
 24 Apr 2007
To: JHayes55 [#11] 24 Apr 2007

Joe -

Thanks for your feedback.

I saw that information (about the Mr. Clean eraser) from some other posts and ran out and bought some. Unfortunately, it scratches this engrave stock. So, that's out. <sigh>

However, I did try it on other things and it worked quite well. Just not these trophy plates!

Thanks!

From: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#16]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#7] 24 Apr 2007

Mike -

Not sure I understand this, but when I used the settings you use, my results were worse than normal! Now I get the residue at the bottom of the plate and at the top of many of the letters.

So, I tried using my same settings and just downing the power by 5 (to 15) and unfortunately, that didn't help. I'll try it with less power when I'm not so busy, but in the meantime, I'll buy the denatured alcohol and give that a shot.

I do have air assist on... but my vacuum is turned down fairly low. I'll turn it way up and see if that matters.

BTW, I do get the dust residue as well. That just wipes off like powder. Then you see the other residue.

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#17]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#16] 24 Apr 2007

Lisa:

Maybe I didn't have the material thickness right. I gave you my setting for .020" material. I also use that for .030" for engraving but slow it down for cutting.

From: JHayes55 [#18]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#16] 24 Apr 2007

Lisa - sorry it scratched. I have used it on Rowmark, IPI and New Hermes plastics in the color combination you mentioned. Could it be the material your using is not quite as "tough"? Have you had the same residue problem with other brands??

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#19]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#18] 24 Apr 2007

Lisa:

Sorry, I should have been paying more attention. While our machines are the same wattage they operate at different speeds.

One of these days we'll all get on the same page as far as adjusting the power settings and speed setting to actual watts and inches per second.

For example on our machines if we're at 80% power that would be 36 watts, if you know the raster speed of your machine and it's 100 inches per second, at 50% speed you'd be at 50 inches per second. Therefore if we related just actual wattage and actual speed in IPS we could relate better to the settings offered here.

The real answer will lie in the test results you personally find to work best.

EDITED: 24 Apr 2007 by MIKEN

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#20]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#19] 24 Apr 2007

I made that suggestion strongly two years ago. While it is not perfect, in my opinion it will get everyone closest to the goal.

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#21]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#20] 24 Apr 2007

Harvey

It seems to be about the only way to communicate laser settings with any degree of reliability. I've recommended it on another forum as well without comment.

Maybe we could have a pop-up on the new site.

From: Carl (CSEWELL) [#22]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#21] 24 Apr 2007

Measured power or percentage of rated power?

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#23]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Carl (CSEWELL) [#22] 24 Apr 2007

Carl:

OK, I give! Never again will I mention it. :S

From: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#24]
 24 Apr 2007
To: JHayes55 [#18] 24 Apr 2007

Joe -

Actually, I have had a similar residue on LaserLights (Rowmark, I believe), but I haven't yet tried the eraser on that product. Haven't used it since I bought those erasers! But I will try it just to see what's what.

Thanks again!

From: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#25]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#19] 24 Apr 2007

Mike -

Thanks much for your help. As you say, I will just have to test it out... as Harvey suggested way back in this thread!

Have a good one!

From: Mike (MIKEN) [#26]
 24 Apr 2007
To: Lisa (DUNKAFIFE) [#25] 28 Apr 2007

Lisa:

I've been doing this for a while and it is a rare occasion when I don't have to clean the laminate.

Welcome to the forum.

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