Charred wood dust mixes with the glues in plywood and protective tape to stick to the inside surfaces of the laser cutter. Over time, this contributes to the smell in the laser room. A chain smoker who never bathes isn’t the best roommate, so lets go over a few cleaning steps for the AMT laser…
Various hex keys can be used to bend back collapsed sections of the honeycomb. If the head crashes into the bed, take a minute and repair it best you can. Similar to the satisfaction of popping bubble wrap, you can also hunch over and use the same hex to push through debris stuck in the cells. A clean honeycomb means better airflow and less time waiting for smoke to clear the cabinet.
The trusty laser vac can be used to clear the honey comb of small cut offs; you can find it near the material storage shelves. It’s always good form to give the laser a quick once over when you finish using the machine–small pieces left on the table can prevent the next person’s material from laying flat and may cause cut issues if they don’t see them in time.
Debris drawer. If you’ve been cutting a lot of small things, its good to check the drawer under the bed and dump it out. Have a tiny piece you desperately needed? Check here first. Leaving debris to hang out just gives it time to work further into the ventilation system and make noise. Check the rear grate for gunk build up and clean as needed. You can find the keys to the access doors on the laser shelf, in the green toolbox.
Using paper towels and some form of spray cleaner, you can clean the plastic protective window. A yellow haze will form over time, so periodic cleaning is in order. The more this sort of residue sticks to the machine, the more smokey ambiance it will add to the room.
Note: Spray the cleaner on the towel outside the laser to avoid over spray onto the mirrors.
Doing these simple steps will help keep the laser presentable and easier to live with in between the more in-depth but sporadic cleanings.