All of these assume you’ve got a properly sealed venting system since you mentioned it smelling only in the context of opening the lid.
But if you haven’t already done so, make sure your venting is completely sealed off. Get some foil tape from Home Depot or Lowes (in the HVAC section). Then wrap it around every joint in your venting layout - all of the hose connections and if you’ve got a dryer type vent with a straight section of aluminum pipe, there’s a seam running the length that you should also tape. This will eliminate any odors coming from the venting hose & connections.
I wonder also if in some cases the inside pressure in the house is less than the outside pressure (like if an attic fan is running for instance), such that when the lid is lifted some of the smoke in the vent tubing is pulled back into the house. I know when I worked in labs the building pressure was always lower due to all the Class C hoods (we always claimed that building sucked). I would think an end of vent booster fan would help with that.
The added benefit as someone else mentioned above is that you can keep it running much longer. Not sure if it will be strong enough to suck out smells when opening lid and peeling tab off near the gf bed.
I don’t know about other units but the Pre-Release here shuts the exhaust fan off immediately after the head stows and not all of the smoke is cleared. Used to run for 5 or 6 seconds after a cut. Waiting for modest user control.
Honestly I don’t think the peeling part is nearly as bad as opening the lid to get the item out. If the fan could be manually turned on to clear out the smell I think this would solve the problem. I don’t smell anything as it’s cutting so I don’t think I have a leak around the hose anywhere. I can’t install too much in that basement since we’re all moving soon and parents have their house on the market. (If anything, the glowforge looks so fancy it will help stage that room haha).
Yeah, that sounds like what’s happening to him. It can help (a little, not a lot) to use smaller pieces on the bed rather than full sheets because there is some ability for smoke to be pulled into & out of surrounding cells, but mostly it stays until you move the material.
One solution (especially since it’s for a short time per the note about the house being on the market and folks moving) is to stand the material up off the grid (@takitus or @karaelena) had some cool little standoffs cut from acrylic. It will eat up some of the .43" stock allowance but for 1/4 and 1/8" stuff should work. Even a little space under the material will let the smoke be pulled out by the fan before opening the lid. It does mean all engraves must be done before any cuts.
Maybe cut things when your mom is out of the house? Another solution I just thought of is to find some material that smells really really good when it is burning, and put that in with your design. Run your design, and then have it cut on the good smelling material at the end?? The same concept of bathroom spray
You guys are hilarious, I’m not worried about the smell as much as I am worried about the fumes being dangerous to breathe in , although the smell isn’t pleasant haha.
I was going to reassure you that they’re not an issue but then I thought, maybe that explains @smcgathyfay’s hair colors - she’s been lasering for decades!
It might also explain my early transition to “you kids get off my lawn!”
So I cut some acrylic again tonight. After it finished cutting I left it in the laser for about 7-10 mins, when I opened the lid there was still a little odor but it was so much better! I barely smelled it :). The trick must be to let it sit for a bit. I’m still going to try everyone’s advice to get it even more unnoticeable when I move to my house next month. Thanks so much!
, although the smell isn’t pleasant haha.
