Section 10: Engraving Machine Cleaning
157
BE CAREFUL! when vector cutting. Many materials have the potential to
burst suddenly into flames – even materials that may be very familiar to the
user. Always monitor the machine when it is operating.
KEEP YOUR LASER SYSTEM CLEAN – A build up of cutting and
engraving reside and debris is dangerous and can create a fire hazard in its
own right. Keep your laser system clean and free of debris. Regularly
remove the vector grid to clean any small pieces that have fallen through the
grid.
The single most important thing that you can do to keep your laser working as if it
were new is to keep it clean! Five minutes once a day will keep the residue and
debris from building up and causing problems. There is almost no maintenance
required for your laser if you KEEP IT CLEAN!
To keep your system clean use a soft cloth and a mild solvent like Isopropyl alcohol
to remove the smoke and debris from the table, X-beam and anywhere else that
collects dirt and debris.
Cleaning the optics requires special care. Please see the instructions on the following
pages.
Cleaning the Optics
About once a week, or if you notice the optics are dirty, you will need to clean the
mirrors and lenses of your laser. If smoke, resin, or other contaminants are allowed to
accumulate too heavily, they will reduce the available laser power and may cause
damage.
The two optical components most likely to require cleaning are the focus lens and the
mirror directly above it.
To clean the optics use a high-quality cotton swab moistened with the optics cleaner
supplied in the accessory kit. Please read the label on the bottle carefully. Rubbing
alcohol should be used only to remove fingerprints. If you run out of the cleaner
supplied by Epilog, acetone can be used as a temporary measure, but should not be
used for regular cleaning as it contains impurities which can damage the optics. If
you run out of optics cleaner, pure ethyl (grain) alcohol such as “Golden Grain" and
"Everclear" are highly recommended because of their pure nature and because they
are readily available.
Wet the swab thoroughly with the solvent, and then blot it against a piece of cotton so
that it is no longer soaking-wet. Then daub the optic gently, rotating the swab after
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General