Laser fumes... AARGH...GAG...UGH...!

[ridefst]

We are using 6" tin ductwork for all laser exhausts.
Keep the flex to a minimum (we don't have any) - that stuff will kill your airflow.
Also, when lasering wood, the wood sap will be sticky and will build up inside your exhaust - higher air speed helps this out, but you'll still probably have to clean it out at some point.
We've used Grizzly 3hp dust collectors before with great success - 2300cfm they say - that's enough to run two or possibly three machines.

Some smell is unavoidable, plexi, leather, rubber stamps are all the big offenders it seems.

Air assist helps a lot to control flare-ups when cutting - do you have that option?

 

[Techman]

Cutting plastic creates hydrochloric acid vapor. It floats around just like water vapor. It gets into your lungs and will eat away unchecked until one day you cannot catch your breath. If you look around your place after a while you will see tools and other metal objects showing discolor. That is the acid doing its dirty work.

 

[ridefst]

Cutting plastic creates hydrochloric acid vapor.

That'd be _some_ plastic, not _all_ plastic.
PVC to be specific.
Other stuff (acrylic for instance) is just fine to cut, even though it doesn't smell that great.

 

[limacchina]

Using a big cfm blower should help resolve the fume problem

 

[34Ford]

Im considering buying a laser and I was wondering that if my shop is so air tight that wouldn't I need to have a fresh air in, maybe a pipe to the cabinet somehow to keep from sucking all my heat and cool air out?

 

[Techman]

Most plastics are made from oil. Hydrocarbons.
There is nothing safe about breathing any fumes developed from burning any hydrocarbon product. They all give off toxic gases.