Slot Cars - a new track style.

While working on the new table track table track I was not happy at all with the braid being put on.  I only had steel braid left which was not ideal for a couple of reasons.  I did not want cars with magnets to have an advantage, and also with the temperature variations where it is stored, the braid would separate from the track surface.  I needed a better way.

And so back to my favourite tool, the laser cutter.  With the laser I can produce repeatable pieces of track over and over again.  As long as I keep within a 30cm x 40cm piece of board, I have freedom to create any type of straight/corner pieces I like, mix and match them in much the same way as a traditional plastic track.  The power lines are made using 1.2mm copper wire which is recessed into the track via "engraved lines".

Will be playing with this some more before going full scale on the table.

Laser - Maintenance

Today I decided it was about time I took care of my most useful tool in the garage, the laser cutter/engraver. 

This machine gets a lot of work from me and thank fully had very few issues with it.  These work great if you look after them.  My particular laser is a Ten High 40w nodel.
https://www.ten-high.com/

I use this for all sorts of little projects and it pairs very nicely with an excellent 2D design application Solid Edge which is free from Siemens.
https://solidedge.siemens.com/en/free-software/overview/

Mostly I use MDF board as my medium of choice.  If is readily available, strong enough for my purposes and cheap.  The local DIY shop sells a 6 x 3 sheet for about $5 and cuts it so size for my laser.

The problem with it is that where the laser vaporises it, it leaves all sorts of residue.

Also many little cutouts also fall into the machine.  Maybe I am over cautious, but where a laser is running hot enough to vaporise material, I think it good to clean flamible material out every now and again.

The residue it leaves on surfaces is another issue.  It is sticky and coats everything.  This can lead to uneven movement on the guide rails, and also a loss in cutting power due to dirty mirrors.

Some elbow cleaning solution and some elbow grease, and before long we are back to full power and happily cutting the next job.