I repurposed the fan to cool the K40 electronics. sits right on top the transformer cage next to the temperature sensor. Thanks for all the great videos
good thing i watched this video first, more infmational than anything. i had planned on taking a dremel to the duct to take part off, hoping to gain space. (didnt know where the 4 screws were to fully remove it) all in hopes that i would gain a tiny bit of bed area, which i found out i wouldnt, the omtech k40+ is actually already maxed out on space with the gantry, but running the duct upside down as you did lost me space, so i left it just as it was... i will be removing the stock fan soon though, and i have a small pump to upgrade my air assist but, i havent gotten a new nozzle yet, i may keep the same one and just change out the pump, or run them together ( unless running 2 at the same time will cause a problem, which i dont know yet...) but, im still gaining knowledge with all your videos, i greatly appreciate all the time you've taken with these!!
Rich, I made all of these changes the first week I got my K40. I actually cut out a section of the left side panel so I could mount the scissor jack permanetly inside and have an extension handle on the outside of the unit to make height adjustments. I'll be removing the factory fan this week too, didn't think of that back then. Excellent instructions once again !!!!
Last week I cut a hole in the bottom of my k40 and raised it by about 3.5 inches so I can do larger diameter rotary engraving (perhaps demijohns now) and just have more options when it comes to larger ready-made items like boxes. I can still use the 8" stock scissor jack bed and can raise it from below the machine now which is also a benefit. Thanks for the video and for constantly helping people.
Awesome idea! I spent an hour looking for a video I saw a while back of a fellow that cut out the bottom and cut the table below it to match. He put an aluminum plate on the table cut out and a motor. He raised and lowered it with a rocker switch on the laser. It was a very ingenious idea! I wanted to link the video but now I can't find it.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I tried to do it as much as possible by hand to keep vibration to a minimum and possible damage so purchased a hand nibbler for about £10 which works better than expected. I then finished it off with light filing. It is a minor upgrade that improves it a lot if you are doing certain things.
So glad I watched this again just for funzies tonight..... cuz I'm a dumb butt and have been putting the lens in convex down. Thank you again Rich for all you do. I've learned a lot from your videos and have recommended you to several people wanting to learn lightburn.
I was hoping it was the video where you show the relay for your air assist, but still super glad I watched anyway, lol. Needless to say I have flipped the lens over. Will see how much pain I have caused myself longer than I would like to admit but being a dip stick.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy yep, made it up in my head lol. Just watched the one I was thinking of, it was the k40 pre lightburn ready version video on the air assist.
Rich, this is the video I have been waiting for, I already bought all the pieces through your links and was not sure where to begin. This video has giving me the needed information on how to proceed, as well as given me the confidence to do it. I really appreciate all that you do for us laser nubs. Thank you so much!
Thanks Rich. I have the same laser and installed an external exhaust fan, already had the air assist. I had not been impressed with the exhaust efficiency. Now I know why. I am going to remove the fan today. Keep the tips coming.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I removed the original fan and now only run the external one... Wow, no more fumes in the room and a much greater air flow. I guess dual fans are not additive. they only pull as much as the weakest fan. thanks for the tip, it works.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Baffles me too that for as long as the K40's have been around that they have not moved up to a more standard size cutting area. All you see now is everything starting out at 400x400 which is perfect as you can cut down a sheet of 4x8 plywood evenly to fit these dimensions. At least make it an even 12x12 area.... maybe just me..
Well they were originally designed for rubber stamps & circuit boards, hence the small hand vice in the work bed. Upping the size of the work bed would require better and more expensive parts, and you can get larger work beds on 30 & 40W Co2 lasers, you just have to pay the price. These are budget machines with inferior parts to keep the price down.
Decided to get the cloudray air assist. I could play print something but overall this will be easier and won't melt or have tolerance issues when installing. Found out the issue I was worried about was not an issue at all. I was worried the air would go out the laser inlet but in practice, there is a lens in the way so the air only goes downwards towards the work.
I have seen the Laser Gods article and Russ' videos on this and I believe they're just theorem. When I cover the outlet, the pump strains and I don't get any leakage of air around the nozzle. I don't know how one proves the venturi affect without scientific study. I just don't believe it happens, because there is no opposite air flow for it to even be possible. I guess the argument will go round in circles forever though.
With the larger lab jacks you can remove one pair of the scissors to make it shorter. It takes some work and shimming, but then it can be turned upside down so the knob is stationary. The left side of the housing is a straight shot for an extension and a single drill hole for the adjustment knob to be external
GM used peanut oil as a wire lube on several pieces of their new pickups. During the pandemic, they had to store the trucks because of Lower sales numbers. While sitting in the storage fields, the field mice caught scent of the peanut oil and destroyed thousands of trucks by chewing wiring.
The most important thing you need to do on a K40 is to check the electrics. On mine most of the crimp connectors were not properly crimped and I was able to pull the wire out with no effort at all. Also there is an earth (ground?) connection to the chassis, using a large nut and bolt, the paint had not been removed so it had a very poor connection to the chassis. (15,000 volts in a water filled glass tube housed in a badly grounded metal box with poor mains connections... what could go wrong??) After fixing the electrics I added air assist, a Cohesion 3D control board, camera and better interlock switches to the door works well with lightburn now
Ground was good, connectors, check. This isn't an eBay build; it has much better quality control. But you're right, these things need to be checked. I can't remember to point out everything 🤪
@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I would like to THANK YOU soo very much for all your information on the K40 by MP lasers. I am currently on a 4 year old Ortur diode laser and I am die'n for the speed and cutting strength of a CO2 laser. I was seriously considering the K40 by MP as my upgrade. But the only thing stopping me was the bed size. I just can't go that small. I currently do raw cedar signs a lot and also custom logo art and leather goods. So there is my dilemma.... THEN I logged on to watch one of your videos and saw your discount code. LIGHTBULB MOMENT! I just finished ordering the 60W manual focus 28x20 model from the website using your code to get an awesome discount😁 I am totally stoked and very excited. I will now be able to streamline my engraving and cutting jobs instead of doing single runs of 1 single thing at a time.
Great vidoe. I was easily able to follow to complete upgrades. Being a total newbie I was very worried I was going to screw something up but with you video I was all set. I do however have a question. When I removed the plates in the bottom I have a round hole in the very bottom. For fume purposes what can I safely close that up with. I have the 8x8 scissor jack but in the more section you have linked standoffs. Do I need to add a honecomb? thanks
You don't need to worry about the hole. If you are, some duct tape will do the trick. I used the 8x8 lab jack in mine. Adding an adjustable honeycomb would be a really big task.
Rich great video. I own a diode 10 watt(XTool) and have had it since last November. I will say I am one that hasn’t had any issues at all and would know how to troubleshoot if I did. Is the Monport a good entry level co2 so that I can further my knowledge and get experience with co2. I am just a hobbyist since I am 63 with health issues. On my machine I used oxygen tubing and removed hard line from an airline kit I bought and love the flexibility of moving through my drag chains. I respect your knowledge and experience. What a great help you are to the community
Wow! Thank you so much! I appreciate the input Steve! Yes, most K-40s are the same, but the Monport is the only upgraded K40 on the market straight out of the box using Lightburn for about the same price as the others. It's a good buy in my opinion!
Thank You for the video, I tried this before your advice, and I am still trying to get mine set up. I would like to change my temp readouts. Did not see a link to Amazon to get the right ones. Have a great day Rich.
Rich, I saw this video and I was already thinking about how to do air assist and an inline vent fan. But, my technical expertise on doing things is suspect. But down to my point, I ordered everything you suggested and I haven't even turned the machine on for the first time yet. I know that's stupid, but it seems so logical. Two questions: 1) Can I install a lightburn camera on the K40 and 2) The wires on the onboard fan, can I just cut the wires, because I can't seem to locate were they are connected to the main board? You have been the greatest help on me learning techniques with my Atomstack A20 laser, now on to cO2 lasers.
Yes John, I cut them close to the fan because I plan on adding a camera so I'll need more LED lights. I'll repurpose those wires for the additional lights. I'll be adding a Lightburn camera soon.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Tks for the fast reply. I'm goon get a camera too. Why? because, why not (ha ha). I'll wait for your suggestion on the camera. Also, please post a video when you do install it. It's good for us guys, that don't know what we're doing.
Thank you so much! I have been looking forward to this video to begin my upgrades and how to do them. Goot tip for taking out the original fan for better flow. I am thinking about 3D printing another fan shroud for the back so it doesn't stick out so far. Much appreciated as always! Have a wonderful day Rich.
Is there any issue with making the lines to the water chiller longer? Is there a specific tubing I should get? Is there a specific supplier or place you would recommend getting replacement tubing from?
Hey Rich. Man you know I love all your videos. What would be the possibility of simply adding a bigger drag chain to ease the process of feeding the air assist hose? What compressor are you using? I saw a different video showing the California Airtools compressor, and an air splitter, etc.
Hello, thanks for your videos! They have been a huge help with upgrading my k40. Is there a specific inline fan that you suggest (or specifics i should look for) to install when taking out the current fan?
They are working on a new K40 version as we speak with a manual adjustable honeycomb bed. Version 3 of the K40. Should or may be available sometime in mid-2023.
I'm in the process of making very similar changes to mine and your suggestion of the fan removal and an inline fan might come into play on mine. I'm only 2' from the outdoor vent currently, and it does "work", but could certainly be better. As for the other parts, it's interesting that we both chose pretty much the same stuff. Must be a TH-cam Creator thing.................
I hadn't thought about removing the fan, but it makes good sense though. I guess I have another thing to do to my K40. 😁 Could you tell me the length of your factory focus tool because my K40 didn't come with one and I'd like to make one. I'm using the same air nozzle you are soo it should work. Also I didn't think of taking apart the 8" jack to get it lowered down I just got a 4" instead and it sure is anything but stable. I'm really glad to seeing you use the K40 more, I really need the guidance. Thanks for the video!
I see you are not using a honeycomb bed to cut and propping your piece an a couple of scraps, but if they piece being cut is larger than the 8x8 jack wont the laser beam go to the floor of the case and burn it.
No Steve, it's fine. It might discolor it, but it's so far out of focus by then, there's nothing to worry about. I would keep it clean down there though to prevent any flare ups.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I find I need a honeycomb in order to hold 3mm ply flat, and with the honeycomb, I cannot fit even the smaller screw jack under the air assist cone, so I ran a ramp test, determined the best height for 3mm and 6mm ply and built 2 simple platforms to rest the honeycomb on. seems to work fine.
I’m in the market for a co2 I only own a diode. This k40 seems like it needs a lot of upgrades to run better than stock. What co2 doesn’t need this many upgrades or money put into it?
All K40 Co2 lasers are budget machines. Anything over 40W in a Co2 won't need the modifications, but the price jumps up to the thousands instead of the hundreds.
Excellent like usual man! Looks pretty simple to do just have to follow the steps. Should help a ton of people out. Hopefully you can show the tube replacement, maybe chiller attaching and setup, and other things down the road to give a full hands on tutorial basically. Pssssttttt - don't forget Rich has forums to talk, show off stuff, yell at me (I'm KnightRid if you didn't know) and give and receive help!
Nice upgrades, Rich what is your thought's on a red pointer laser attached to the lens assembly. I'm looking at a new machine built to a great spec it has two attached. Really wanted a beam combiner thinking this would be less likely to need adjustments, deal breaker or not 🤔
A beam combiner gives you perfect red dot guidance. The crosshair is nice too. I don't know David. Six of one, half dozen of the other as far as I'm concerned.
@The Louisiana Hobby Guy Thanks for the reply, Rich. I don't think it's going to be a deal breaker. More concerned, the red pointer lasers attached to the lens assembly will move with vibration. Thanks again for your input 👍
Rich great video as always. Can you add a camera to these units? I added one to my xtool but was looking to get a CO2 based on your last video and new channel.
To ask your professional opinion, do you think that a 20W output diode laser (like the new XTool or Atomstack) that is advertised to be able to cut 0.08mm stainless steel could use pure oxygen assist to cut slightly thicker metal? Asking specifically for the application of 0.15mm pure nickel for lithium battery construction (welding). Appreciate your insights!!
Eeek! That would be outside my area of expertise, if I have one 🤪 Makes sense though, since that's the way the big fiber lasers do it. I know very little about this technology though.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy in the video i saw that you used a piece of 4mm plywood with an arrow etched into it, you used that as a template from the laser head's serrated ferrule to the work piece. I wanted to know the dimensions of that piece of wood with the drawn arrow
Has anyone figured out how to regain that bit of space, on the bed area, after removing the shroud? I have between 2-4" of space in the back that's just going to waste. I had a Chinese laser before using K40 Whisperer and simply adjusted the bed area and set a new homing position. Is there something similar with this machine that can be done?
Change the size of the bed in the Device Settings in Lightburn and in the machine settings as well. File --> Machine Settings. Do this at your own risk!
Hi Rich, thanks for the video. I just changed out my laser head and added air assist to my MP K40. I just seem to have one problem. I used the described hard air tubing and it seems to be causing the drag chain to pull the laser head backwards after a move to the right. Have you seen or herd of this happening to anyone else? I left a video of the problem on your laser forum in the CO2 laser section. Many people have viewed the post but no ideas why yet. Are the K40 steppers suppose to lock when connected to the computer? It seems that my gantry is so easy to move at any time.
I just did some digging and may have found a way to keep the steppers locked. I will try and change the $1 GRBL setting to 255. That should lock the steppers and not allow them to bounce back after a movement. My $1 is currently set to 25 milliseconds. I will post back after I change it this evening after work.
I wouldn't go changing any of the settings Bill. It's not supposed to be moved by hand. K40 lasers are best used in absolute coordinates and only moved manually on the Move tab with the arrows. This is the way the control software is setup from the factory.
I added the rigid tubing to mine and now it pushes my head gantry a little bit after I frame an object, it doesn't stop and stay in place. Can this be resolved by tightening the gantry belt?
Question for you - I upgraded the controller , now when my machine homes, it moves an inch off the limit switches in both directions (used to move 1/2”). If I try to cut at that new origin, even when it frames and looks good, the cut will stop when it gets to the far left of the project. So I have to “manually” job my laser head to the right and down. So, now my 12” x 9” is less than 11” x 8”. My machine settings are 11.8” x 8.9” ?? Any advice would be appreciated
The correct control board settings for the K40 (M2 Nano or Grbl) is 200mm (7.87") x 300mm (11.81"). The cut stops at the far left because your X setting is more than an inch larger than the limit. When it homes with the new Grbl board, there is a "Homing Debounce" ($26=250ms or 25mm, or 1") when it hits the limit switch, which is what you're talking about. So yes, it can frame larger than the debounce, but the job can't run correctly if the bed size is wrong. You've never had an 9 x 12"; they're all advertised as 8 x 12", but in reality, they're 7.8 x 11.8". In theory, you could change the control board settings to match the actual bed size ($130 & $131 (X & Y max travel)) and also match the software device settings, and then change the controller to a smaller debounce ($26) of 62.5 and homing pull off ($27) of let's say 6.35mm, but that's just my off the cuff thoughts. I haven't tried or tested it, nor do I want to. I really don't like playing around with the control board firmware.
Just ordered my 40W a few seconds ago. Should be quite a different experience from my old 5W diode. Question: Would a pancake compressor, along with a cheap inline regulator and hose adapters, be an acceptable substitute for the Atezr compressor?
Rich, I completed the air assist modification. I noticed that upper section does not drop into the hole in the factory bracket. It floats, is that the way it should be? Thanks
FYI, it turns out that working in a cold environment (40-55° F) like my garage is, the tubing is stiff enough to move the laser after framing up to 3 mm, x axis. Solution for me: I went back to the soft hose through the drag chain. It took a while but was worth the effort. Thanks Rich, I love the air assist on the MP K40.
I did, but I had to change the descriptions in all the videos at once because of several outdated links, so now it's going to take weeks to rebuild them all one by one.
The air assist blows the smoke and debris down onto the work piece forcing you to do cleanup. I'll be doing an analysis and rational video of this soon.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy a lot of work has both an engrave and cut component. Is there a way to engrave with no air assist and have the laser stop so the air assist can be turned on and then continue to the cut?
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I guess you could turn the output for the cut layer off, run the engraving, then turn the engraving layer off and turn on the cut layer and air assist - yes?
Hi I am using lightburn and a ortur laser master 3 and I’m having an issue with burning images, they burn not square they drift to the right, I can burn a square around it an the square is perfect but the image does not stay in the square any help would be much appreciated thanks
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy so sliding nozzle in and out doesn’t do anything? I’ve got the brand new one I got it yesterday it’s crazy it wouldn’t be able to focus with the bed in it
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
I repurposed the fan to cool the K40 electronics. sits right on top the transformer cage next to the temperature sensor. Thanks for all the great videos
Great idea John! Thanks for sharing!
good thing i watched this video first, more infmational than anything. i had planned on taking a dremel to the duct to take part off, hoping to gain space. (didnt know where the 4 screws were to fully remove it) all in hopes that i would gain a tiny bit of bed area, which i found out i wouldnt, the omtech k40+ is actually already maxed out on space with the gantry, but running the duct upside down as you did lost me space, so i left it just as it was... i will be removing the stock fan soon though, and i have a small pump to upgrade my air assist but, i havent gotten a new nozzle yet, i may keep the same one and just change out the pump, or run them together ( unless running 2 at the same time will cause a problem, which i dont know yet...) but, im still gaining knowledge with all your videos, i greatly appreciate all the time you've taken with these!!
Awesome! 👍 Thanks for watching!
Rich, I made all of these changes the first week I got my K40. I actually cut out a section of the left side panel so I could mount the scissor jack permanetly inside and have an extension handle on the outside of the unit to make height adjustments. I'll be removing the factory fan this week too, didn't think of that back then. Excellent instructions once again !!!!
Awesome James! 👍 Thanks for watching!
Last week I cut a hole in the bottom of my k40 and raised it by about 3.5 inches so I can do larger diameter rotary engraving (perhaps demijohns now) and just have more options when it comes to larger ready-made items like boxes. I can still use the 8" stock scissor jack bed and can raise it from below the machine now which is also a benefit.
Thanks for the video and for constantly helping people.
Awesome idea! I spent an hour looking for a video I saw a while back of a fellow that cut out the bottom and cut the table below it to match. He put an aluminum plate on the table cut out and a motor. He raised and lowered it with a rocker switch on the laser. It was a very ingenious idea! I wanted to link the video but now I can't find it.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I tried to do it as much as possible by hand to keep vibration to a minimum and possible damage so purchased a hand nibbler for about £10 which works better than expected. I then finished it off with light filing. It is a minor upgrade that improves it a lot if you are doing certain things.
What rotary u using, I want to do this to mine, any pics of your setup?
So glad I watched this again just for funzies tonight..... cuz I'm a dumb butt and have been putting the lens in convex down. Thank you again Rich for all you do. I've learned a lot from your videos and have recommended you to several people wanting to learn lightburn.
I was hoping it was the video where you show the relay for your air assist, but still super glad I watched anyway, lol. Needless to say I have flipped the lens over. Will see how much pain I have caused myself longer than I would like to admit but being a dip stick.
I don't have a relay for the air assist; it's manual.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy yep, made it up in my head lol. Just watched the one I was thinking of, it was the k40 pre lightburn ready version video on the air assist.
Rich, this is the video I have been waiting for, I already bought all the pieces through your links and was not sure where to begin. This video has giving me the needed information on how to proceed, as well as given me the confidence to do it. I really appreciate all that you do for us laser nubs. Thank you so much!
Awesome! 👍 That's good to hear Steve! You can do it!
Thanks Rich. I have the same laser and installed an external exhaust fan, already had the air assist. I had not been impressed with the exhaust efficiency. Now I know why. I am going to remove the fan today. Keep the tips coming.
Wonderful! Let me know the results!
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I removed the original fan and now only run the external one... Wow, no more fumes in the room and a much greater air flow. I guess dual fans are not additive. they only pull as much as the weakest fan. thanks for the tip, it works.
My pleasure!
Hello Rich,
I hope that you and yours are safe after the storms went through.
Take care.
Glenn
Missed us by 800' Glenn! Pretty scary! Thanks for asking!
I'm pickup up one tomorrow from someone local. Hopefully I can get these mods done that everyone else is doing. Thank you for all the useful info.
Have fun!
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Baffles me too that for as long as the K40's have been around that they have not moved up to a more standard size cutting area. All you see now is everything starting out at 400x400 which is perfect as you can cut down a sheet of 4x8 plywood evenly to fit these dimensions. At least make it an even 12x12 area.... maybe just me..
Well they were originally designed for rubber stamps & circuit boards, hence the small hand vice in the work bed. Upping the size of the work bed would require better and more expensive parts, and you can get larger work beds on 30 & 40W Co2 lasers, you just have to pay the price. These are budget machines with inferior parts to keep the price down.
Decided to get the cloudray air assist. I could play print something but overall this will be easier and won't melt or have tolerance issues when installing.
Found out the issue I was worried about was not an issue at all. I was worried the air would go out the laser inlet but in practice, there is a lens in the way so the air only goes downwards towards the work.
I have seen the Laser Gods article and Russ' videos on this and I believe they're just theorem. When I cover the outlet, the pump strains and I don't get any leakage of air around the nozzle. I don't know how one proves the venturi affect without scientific study. I just don't believe it happens, because there is no opposite air flow for it to even be possible. I guess the argument will go round in circles forever though.
With the larger lab jacks you can remove one pair of the scissors to make it shorter. It takes some work and shimming, but then it can be turned upside down so the knob is stationary. The left side of the housing is a straight shot for an extension and a single drill hole for the adjustment knob to be external
Thanks for the tip Franklyn! I'll give it a try!
GM used peanut oil as a wire lube on several pieces of their new pickups.
During the pandemic, they had to store the trucks because of Lower sales numbers.
While sitting in the storage fields, the field mice caught scent of the peanut oil and destroyed thousands of trucks by chewing wiring.
Okay...
The most important thing you need to do on a K40 is to check the electrics. On mine most of the crimp connectors were not properly crimped and I was able to pull the wire out with no effort at all. Also there is an earth (ground?) connection to the chassis, using a large nut and bolt, the paint had not been removed so it had a very poor connection to the chassis. (15,000 volts in a water filled glass tube housed in a badly grounded metal box with poor mains connections... what could go wrong??)
After fixing the electrics I added air assist, a Cohesion 3D control board, camera and better interlock switches to the door works well with lightburn now
Ground was good, connectors, check. This isn't an eBay build; it has much better quality control. But you're right, these things need to be checked. I can't remember to point out everything 🤪
@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I would like to THANK YOU soo very much for all your information on the K40 by MP lasers. I am currently on a 4 year old Ortur diode laser and I am die'n for the speed and cutting strength of a CO2 laser. I was seriously considering the K40 by MP as my upgrade. But the only thing stopping me was the bed size. I just can't go that small. I currently do raw cedar signs a lot and also custom logo art and leather goods. So there is my dilemma.... THEN I logged on to watch one of your videos and saw your discount code. LIGHTBULB MOMENT! I just finished ordering the 60W manual focus 28x20 model from the website using your code to get an awesome discount😁 I am totally stoked and very excited. I will now be able to streamline my engraving and cutting jobs instead of doing single runs of 1 single thing at a time.
Awesome! Have fun with it!
Great vidoe. I was easily able to follow to complete upgrades. Being a total newbie I was very worried I was going to screw something up but with you video I was all set. I do however have a question. When I removed the plates in the bottom I have a round hole in the very bottom. For fume purposes what can I safely close that up with. I have the 8x8 scissor jack but in the more section you have linked standoffs. Do I need to add a honecomb? thanks
You don't need to worry about the hole. If you are, some duct tape will do the trick. I used the 8x8 lab jack in mine. Adding an adjustable honeycomb would be a really big task.
Rich great video. I own a diode 10 watt(XTool) and have had it since last November. I will say I am one that hasn’t had any issues at all and would know how to troubleshoot if I did. Is the Monport a good entry level co2 so that I can further my knowledge and get experience with co2. I am just a hobbyist since I am 63 with health issues. On my machine I used oxygen tubing and removed hard line from an airline kit I bought and love the flexibility of moving through my drag chains. I respect your knowledge and experience. What a great help you are to the community
Wow! Thank you so much! I appreciate the input Steve! Yes, most K-40s are the same, but the Monport is the only upgraded K40 on the market straight out of the box using Lightburn for about the same price as the others. It's a good buy in my opinion!
Great how-to. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
My Monport arrived today - looking forward to incorporating your upgrades into mine!
Awesome! Have fun! 👍
Thank You for the video, I tried this before your advice, and I am still trying to get mine set up. I would like to change my temp readouts. Did not see a link to Amazon to get the right ones. Have a great day Rich.
Here's the link Louis: amzn.to/3Vy9piP
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank You
Rich, I saw this video and I was already thinking about how to do air assist and an inline vent fan. But, my technical expertise on doing things is suspect. But down to my point, I ordered everything you suggested and I haven't even turned the machine on for the first time yet. I know that's stupid, but it seems so logical. Two questions: 1) Can I install a lightburn camera on the K40 and 2) The wires on the onboard fan, can I just cut the wires, because I can't seem to locate were they are connected to the main board? You have been the greatest help on me learning techniques with my Atomstack A20 laser, now on to cO2 lasers.
Yes John, I cut them close to the fan because I plan on adding a camera so I'll need more LED lights. I'll repurpose those wires for the additional lights. I'll be adding a Lightburn camera soon.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Tks for the fast reply. I'm goon get a camera too. Why? because, why not (ha ha). I'll wait for your suggestion on the camera. Also, please post a video when you do install it. It's good for us guys, that don't know what we're doing.
I will!
hi rich i want thank you for all the job you do, i learned so much from you.
one question where i can find this bridge for drag chain! thanks
Bridge??
the piece on the head carrier for the drag chain @@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy
It came with the drag chain.
thanks@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy
Thank you so much! I have been looking forward to this video to begin my upgrades and how to do them. Goot tip for taking out the original fan for better flow. I am thinking about 3D printing another fan shroud for the back so it doesn't stick out so far. Much appreciated as always! Have a wonderful day Rich.
Thank you so much Nickolas! I really appreciate the comments! 👍 The shroud doesn't get in the way, but it could be better designed.
I wonder if a grid on top of the sissor jack would be a good idea.
You can use a low profile honeycomb bed Merrill, but you would need to use the 4" scissor jack. Monport is researching one now for the New Year.
If using anti freeze in the chiller, still recommend some Dawn dish soap for bubbles?
Only the pink, food grade RV antifreeze, and no it doesn't need anything else.
Is there any issue with making the lines to the water chiller longer? Is there a specific tubing I should get? Is there a specific supplier or place you would recommend getting replacement tubing from?
None at all. One of mine has 6 foot lines to reach the chiller. I just ordered some silicon hose on Amazon and 2 barb connectors to splice them.
well i figured out that you can't get the blue plastic off unless you remove a bunch of stuff.
🤪 Yep!
Hey Rich. Man you know I love all your videos. What would be the possibility of simply adding a bigger drag chain to ease the process of feeding the air assist hose? What compressor are you using? I saw a different video showing the California Airtools compressor, and an air splitter, etc.
You can get a slightly smaller hose Douglass. Or just coat it with some 3-in1 oil to let it slip through.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thanks Rich.
Bill Martin
Where do you get the new parks? and how much are they. Thank you, liked the last Video
Click Show More under the video Bill.
Hello, thanks for your videos! They have been a huge help with upgrading my k40. Is there a specific inline fan that you suggest (or specifics i should look for) to install when taking out the current fan?
This is similar to the one I use: amzn.to/483yKaR If you shop around, you want at least 200 CFM.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank you!!
Can you use an aquarium air pump for air assist. Or need an air compressor ?
Yes you can! Most folks use them.
Hope Monport looks at your mods and make available on model updates.
They are working on a new K40 version as we speak with a manual adjustable honeycomb bed. Version 3 of the K40. Should or may be available sometime in mid-2023.
I'm in the process of making very similar changes to mine and your suggestion of the fan removal and an inline fan might come into play on mine. I'm only 2' from the outdoor vent currently, and it does "work", but could certainly be better. As for the other parts, it's interesting that we both chose pretty much the same stuff. Must be a TH-cam Creator thing.................
Thanks for the comment Roger! I always watch your videos and aspire to get as good at making them as you are! 👍
Just ordered my air assist! Thanks for the info. Is the scissor lift required if I’m installing this new air assist?
Yes it is!
Is the extractor you use a shop extractor?
It's a HVAC extractor in the attic in the office, and a regular in-line exhaust in the shop.
Where can i find the links?
I'm getting the monport k40 and lord knows i cant leave things alone.
The links are at the top of list in the description below the video.
Thank you, Rich!
Don't we need an air pump for the air assist? Which do you recommend? Did I miss that?
I have a link in the Show More section to my Amazon store Alison.
I hadn't thought about removing the fan, but it makes good sense though. I guess I have another thing to do to my K40. 😁 Could you tell me the length of your factory focus tool because my K40 didn't come with one and I'd like to make one. I'm using the same air nozzle you are soo it should work. Also I didn't think of taking apart the 8" jack to get it lowered down I just got a 4" instead and it sure is anything but stable. I'm really glad to seeing you use the K40 more, I really need the guidance. Thanks for the video!
Yes George, K40s come with a stock 2" lens, so 2" or 51mm is the focal tool to use to the bottom of the lens.
Yah, mine has a 2" lense so I guess that's what I'll make. Thanks for the reply!
I see you are not using a honeycomb bed to cut and propping your piece an a couple of scraps, but if they piece being cut is larger than the 8x8 jack wont the laser beam go to the floor of the case and burn it.
No Steve, it's fine. It might discolor it, but it's so far out of focus by then, there's nothing to worry about. I would keep it clean down there though to prevent any flare ups.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I find I need a honeycomb in order to hold 3mm ply flat, and with the honeycomb, I cannot fit even the smaller screw jack under the air assist cone, so I ran a ramp test, determined the best height for 3mm and 6mm ply and built 2 simple platforms to rest the honeycomb on. seems to work fine.
once you remove the stock work surface, how big of a cutting area could you potentially have? Thanks for the video!
About the same. You can tweak the step off numbers a bit, but you won't get much more.
I’m in the market for a co2 I only own a diode. This k40 seems like it needs a lot of upgrades to run better than stock. What co2 doesn’t need this many upgrades or money put into it?
All K40 Co2 lasers are budget machines. Anything over 40W in a Co2 won't need the modifications, but the price jumps up to the thousands instead of the hundreds.
Excellent like usual man! Looks pretty simple to do just have to follow the steps. Should help a ton of people out. Hopefully you can show the tube replacement, maybe chiller attaching and setup, and other things down the road to give a full hands on tutorial basically.
Pssssttttt - don't forget Rich has forums to talk, show off stuff, yell at me (I'm KnightRid if you didn't know) and give and receive help!
I did the chiller in the review video Mike: th-cam.com/video/bkkWMkjp0Zg/w-d-xo.html
When I have to change the tube, I'll record it.
Nice upgrades, Rich what is your thought's on a red pointer laser attached to the lens assembly. I'm looking at a new machine built to a great spec it has two attached. Really wanted a beam combiner thinking this would be less likely to need adjustments, deal breaker or not 🤔
A beam combiner gives you perfect red dot guidance. The crosshair is nice too. I don't know David. Six of one, half dozen of the other as far as I'm concerned.
@The Louisiana Hobby Guy Thanks for the reply, Rich. I don't think it's going to be a deal breaker. More concerned, the red pointer lasers attached to the lens assembly will move with vibration. Thanks again for your input 👍
Rich great video as always. Can you add a camera to these units? I added one to my xtool but was looking to get a CO2 based on your last video and new channel.
Yes Dan, but you need the 180° fisheye camera to get so close to the work bed. amzn.to/3Bavvjo
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy thanks
Much appreciated!
Glad to help!
To ask your professional opinion, do you think that a 20W output diode laser (like the new XTool or Atomstack) that is advertised to be able to cut 0.08mm stainless steel could use pure oxygen assist to cut slightly thicker metal? Asking specifically for the application of 0.15mm pure nickel for lithium battery construction (welding).
Appreciate your insights!!
Eeek! That would be outside my area of expertise, if I have one 🤪 Makes sense though, since that's the way the big fiber lasers do it. I know very little about this technology though.
Thank you for your response! 🙂
Awesome video, thank u!! Just ordered my monport 40w. Want to do the upgrades. What rotary do u recommend?
I haven't tried it yet with a rotary Ramon. But I guess it would have to very low profile and made for a diode so the connector fits.
Thank u, I will research and see what I can find.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Do you think the Ourtur Rotary Chuck would work?
Morning Rich I can’t seem to find all of the parts and pieces that you recommend for the M 40 how do I go about finding them thank you very much joe o
The Links are in the description Joseph. Click Show More under the video.
good evening, could you give me the exact measurements of the focal point meter? many thanks in advance
If you mean the focus distance, it's 2".
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy in the video i saw that you used a piece of 4mm plywood with an arrow etched into it, you used that as a template from the laser head's serrated ferrule to the work piece.
I wanted to know the dimensions of that piece of wood with the drawn arrow
min 13:30/21:13
It's the acrylic focusing gage that comes with the laser! 10x50mm.
I know this is a year old but that Sunon DP200A is listed as a 220Volt fan. wouldent it be running at 1/2 speed at 115 volts ?
No idea... it probably comes in either 110 & 220, but I don't know. I use an inline fan in the exhaust hose.
What are you using for your air source for the air assist?
CALIFORNIA AIR TOOLS CAT-1P1060SP, amzn.to/4208qf6
Has anyone figured out how to regain that bit of space, on the bed area, after removing the shroud? I have between 2-4" of space in the back that's just going to waste. I had a Chinese laser before using K40 Whisperer and simply adjusted the bed area and set a new homing position. Is there something similar with this machine that can be done?
Change the size of the bed in the Device Settings in Lightburn and in the machine settings as well. File --> Machine Settings. Do this at your own risk!
Hi Rich, thanks for the video. I just changed out my laser head and added air assist to my MP K40. I just seem to have one problem. I used the described hard air tubing and it seems to be causing the drag chain to pull the laser head backwards after a move to the right. Have you seen or herd of this happening to anyone else? I left a video of the problem on your laser forum in the CO2 laser section. Many people have viewed the post but no ideas why yet. Are the K40 steppers suppose to lock when connected to the computer? It seems that my gantry is so easy to move at any time.
I just did some digging and may have found a way to keep the steppers locked. I will try and change the $1 GRBL setting to 255. That should lock the steppers and not allow them to bounce back after a movement. My $1 is currently set to 25 milliseconds. I will post back after I change it this evening after work.
I wouldn't go changing any of the settings Bill. It's not supposed to be moved by hand. K40 lasers are best used in absolute coordinates and only moved manually on the Move tab with the arrows. This is the way the control software is setup from the factory.
Which temp gauges did you get?
I changed mine to F instead of C, but the ones I got are out of stock. These are basically the same ones: amzn.to/3RchESo
I don't see the link for the Fahrenheit gauges. Anyone have a link to them?
The link is in the description Steve: amzn.to/48nYSfS
I added the rigid tubing to mine and now it pushes my head gantry a little bit after I frame an object, it doesn't stop and stay in place. Can this be resolved by tightening the gantry belt?
No, but if you attach it to the outside that may fix it for you. Several folks have changed to softer tubing, but mine works just fine.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Rich, do u have a link on which soft airline we should use. Thanks!
Would these mods be similar on an OMTech 40w?
Sure Nyxie, they come from the same factory.
Question for you - I upgraded the controller , now when my machine homes, it moves an inch off the limit switches in both directions (used to move 1/2”). If I try to cut at that new origin, even when it frames and looks good, the cut will stop when it gets to the far left of the project. So I have to “manually” job my laser head to the right and down. So, now my 12” x 9” is less than 11” x 8”. My machine settings are 11.8” x 8.9” ?? Any advice would be appreciated
The correct control board settings for the K40 (M2 Nano or Grbl) is 200mm (7.87") x 300mm (11.81"). The cut stops at the far left because your X setting is more than an inch larger than the limit. When it homes with the new Grbl board, there is a "Homing Debounce" ($26=250ms or 25mm, or 1") when it hits the limit switch, which is what you're talking about. So yes, it can frame larger than the debounce, but the job can't run correctly if the bed size is wrong. You've never had an 9 x 12"; they're all advertised as 8 x 12", but in reality, they're 7.8 x 11.8".
In theory, you could change the control board settings to match the actual bed size ($130 & $131 (X & Y max travel)) and also match the software device settings, and then change the controller to a smaller debounce ($26) of 62.5 and homing pull off ($27) of let's say 6.35mm, but that's just my off the cuff thoughts. I haven't tried or tested it, nor do I want to. I really don't like playing around with the control board firmware.
Just ordered my 40W a few seconds ago. Should be quite a different experience from my old 5W diode. Question: Would a pancake compressor, along with a cheap inline regulator and hose adapters, be an acceptable substitute for the Atezr compressor?
Sure, why not?
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy One way to find out. 🙂
Hi, did anyone catch the link for the Fahrenheit temp gages?
amzn.to/3I63lcd
How stable is the 8-inch jack? If I shim it to be parallel when fully lowered will the top remain parallel at every point as it is raised?
No Jesse, it's very unstable! You have to use it with a level. A real PITA to use, but worth the extra time.
Rich, I completed the air assist modification. I noticed that upper section does not drop into the hole in the factory bracket. It floats, is that the way it should be? Thanks
Try posting on my free forums. lahobbyguy.com/bb I don't know what you mean Jim.
FYI, it turns out that working in a cold environment (40-55° F) like my garage is, the tubing is stiff enough to move the laser after framing up to 3 mm, x axis.
Solution for me: I went back to the soft hose through the drag chain. It took a while but was worth the effort. Thanks Rich, I love the air assist on the MP K40.
@Jim Ulm Jim, seen u went with a soft airline, if u don't mind do u have a link on which one I should buy? Thanks!!
Which laser head did you change to?
Im looking at this laser and to make these mods
The links are in the description.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Cant see any link for it😝
I don't know what you mean. It's the nozzle I changed, not the laser.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Sorry, i meant the nozzle.
Which is it?
Cause that one isnt in the description😁
Yes it is, it's the first link: amzn.to/3OQD6sP
Soon air assist for engraving? Why
The new machines come ready for air assist.
nice upgrades! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks so much Patrick!
Pretty cool, Rich!
Thanks Mike! Much appreciated!
Am I blind lol. I swear you had the list with Amazon links and now I can't find it
I did, but I had to change the descriptions in all the videos at once because of several outdated links, so now it's going to take weeks to rebuild them all one by one.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy oh shame.. just bought my K40 at lunch. I added a couple from the list but not all
Why not use the air assist for engraving?
Great question I'm curious to see the answer.
The air assist blows the smoke and debris down onto the work piece forcing you to do cleanup. I'll be doing an analysis and rational video of this soon.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy a lot of work has both an engrave and cut component. Is there a way to engrave with no air assist and have the laser stop so the air assist can be turned on and then continue to the cut?
No Steve, not unless your control board handles M8 commands, most don't.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I guess you could turn the output for the cut layer off, run the engraving, then turn the engraving layer off and turn on the cut layer and air assist - yes?
Hi I am using lightburn and a ortur laser master 3 and I’m having an issue with burning images, they burn not square they drift to the right, I can burn a square around it an the square is perfect but the image does not stay in the square any help would be much appreciated thanks
Try posting on my free forums. lahobbyguy.com/bb for help Pete.
By chance does anyone know how to focus the new monport k40 with factory air assist ?
With the focus tool that came with it. You have to remove the table and install a scissor jack, like this one: amzn.to/3M0l5Iz
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy so sliding nozzle in and out doesn’t do anything? I’ve got the brand new one I got it yesterday it’s crazy it wouldn’t be able to focus with the bed in it
I didn't know it came with a sliding nozzle. This is a video on upgrading the first version with a fixed focus.
bonjour quelle epaisseur pour du plexi merci d avance
Je ne comprends pas. Cela peut couper ou graver facilement n'importe quelle épaisseur de plexi jusqu'à 10 mm.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy merci je cherche pour couper du plexi jusqu a 20 mm
Ah, je vois. Regardez un laser Co2 de 80 à 100 W pour ce travail.
#94 👍
I appreciate that, *thanks!*
or just spend a $100 more and get the monport 40w with the upgrades already
They didn't have that option at the time.