laser welding

Includes workshop practice, painting and weathering, model photography etc.
andrewnummelin
Posts: 374
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:43 am

laser welding

Postby andrewnummelin » Wed Jun 12, 2019 6:19 pm

I’ve just seen on BBC’s “Repair Shop” a laser welder being used by a jeweller - looks just the job for fine “soldering” work. Only problem could be the cost... but laser cutters have reduced in price a great deal so there may be hope. Has any one had experience with this technique?
Regards,

Andrew Nummelin

User avatar
kelly
Posts: 525
Joined: Mon May 30, 2016 1:59 pm

Re: laser welding

Postby kelly » Wed Jun 12, 2019 8:04 pm

As my other hobby is jewllery making (though costs have meant I've not really touched precious metals) I'll have a look into it if I can get chance, I wonder if cookson gold sell a unit?

A quick look on aliexpress shows a wide variety of jewellery welding units, some laser, some not, from $120-3500 ranges. So it looks like it might be affordable, but whether that is a good quality unit for intricate work...
DEMU UPDate Editor
DEMU
Photos on Flickr

billbedford

Re: laser welding

Postby billbedford » Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:14 am

andrewnummelin wrote:I’ve just seen on BBC’s “Repair Shop” a laser welder being used by a jeweller - looks just the job for fine “soldering” work. Only problem could be the cost... but laser cutters have reduced in price a great deal so there may be hope. Has any one had experience with this technique?

See this from about 4:00.


This guy uses the laser as a spot welder and then solders between the welds. The machine he uses costs €2111.00 (that's Swiss precision for you)

User avatar
Jol Wilkinson
Posts: 1113
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:39 pm

Re: laser welding

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:26 am

A quick web search turned up one LW unit from China for £150. However, you need to wear an Arc Welding helmet when using it, which may reduce its usefulness for our needs.

Cooksongold do list one, which looks rather more suited to the amateur model maker/jeweller, but at £2300 it may be beyond most peoples' budgets (RSU's at £210 are still considered an expensive luxury by some).

Alan Turner
Posts: 643
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:24 pm

Re: laser welding

Postby Alan Turner » Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:33 am

Bill that's not a LASER welder it's TIG welder.

Does the same job but works differently.

regards

Alan

Alan Turner
Posts: 643
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 4:24 pm

Re: laser welding

Postby Alan Turner » Thu Jun 13, 2019 8:40 am

Jol Wilkinson wrote:A quick web search turned up one LW unit from China for £150. However, you need to wear an Arc Welding helmet when using it, which may reduce its usefulness for our needs.

Cooksongold do list one, which looks rather more suited to the amateur model maker/jeweller, but at £2300 it may be beyond most peoples' budgets (RSU's at £210 are still considered an expensive luxury by some).


If you means this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163357821377 then that is not a LASER either, despite what it says. It is also a TIG welder.

So yes you do need arc goggles.

regards

Alan

User avatar
Jol Wilkinson
Posts: 1113
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:39 pm

Re: laser welding

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Fri Jun 14, 2019 7:44 am

Alan,

despite appearing in a search for "jewellry laser welder" the ones from Cooksongold are, on further viewing, described as pulse arc welder, so possibly not laser technology.

This is the least expensive they list;

https://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-T ... channel=uk

Jol

billbedford

Re: laser welding

Postby billbedford » Fri Jun 14, 2019 8:34 am


billbedford

Re: laser welding

Postby billbedford » Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:46 am

Having seen this video

,

I'm not sure that laser welding is something that has any relevance to our model making.

User avatar
Will L
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:54 pm

Re: laser welding

Postby Will L » Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:12 am

Oh I don't know, but nothing you couldn't do just as well with one of the spot welders at a much lower price?

You do wonder what happens if you let your finger et in the way.

billbedford

Re: laser welding

Postby billbedford » Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:36 am

I think TIG type spot welders would be better for what we do, even if the joint has to be flooded with solder afterwards. The laser welders would be useful where a small joint needs to be made with only local heating.

davebradwell
Posts: 1174
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:48 pm

Re: laser welding

Postby davebradwell » Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:48 am

What a great toy!

What I'm missing is how they hold the bits together before they do the welding. Clever design, I suspect.

You could do your fingernails, too - on purpose, I mean.

DaveB


Return to “Tools and Techniques”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests