Laser rust/paint removal

I hope one day this technology can be used to remove bottom paint, varnish, etc. and put sand paper in the dust bin of history.

That's pretty slick.

Any idea on what it costs or how many amps it pulls?

Conall

Not sure, but it uses a YAG laser. These generally require very high energy, the one in the video was a 1000w laser. What wasn't shown was the large trolley the held the rest of the unit. YAG lasers also tend to chew up their own optics so I am not sure how long between replacing parts.

Very cool for sure, but way too expensive to be put in use on a boat yard for hull cleaning any time soon.

Based on a Reddit string, Adapt Laser Systems was selling two demo units: 500W for $275,000; 100W for $145,000 a year ago. Rent 500W for $7,500/week; 100W for $4,500/week.

Need to stop at Lowes on the way home to buy sandpaper.

sbu22 said:

Based on a Reddit string, Adapt Laser Systems was selling two demo units: 500W for $275,000; 100W for $145,000 a year ago. Rent 500W for $7,500/week; 100W for $4,500/week.

Need to stop at Lowes on the way home to buy sandpaper.

Click to expand...

Don`t forget the heat gun.

One careless laser wielder, and that laser beam is going to shoot like a gun and do a lot of damage, is what I think, blind someone or burn someone and maybe far away.

sdowney717 said:

One careless laser wielder, and that laser beam is going to shoot like a gun and do a lot of damage, is what I think, blind someone or burn someone and maybe far away.

Click to expand...

It's not a laser weapon for crying out loud.

There used to be a gilding company in my office building. They had something similar to this over 15 years ago. It had a very small output (like the size of a laser pointer) but they could take paint off a candle without melting the wax. It was incredible to use (they let me clean part of a candle off). The problem was it was so expensive to buy they went out of business!

What happens to the paint? There is no apparent residue, dust or liquid in those videos. Is it just vaporized? And if so, should the guy have a mask of some sort on?

When I took paint off the candle it completely vaporized (the paint that is, not the candle wax!) . I remember a little smoke but no smell.

Here is the company that sells it.
Laser Cleaning - Norton Sandblasting Equipment

We soda blasted my mates 60' house boat in 2 days the speed he was removing paint from that car with the laser it would take 3 weeks .

No doubt laser will get quicker and cheaper

sdowney717 said:

One careless laser wielder, and that laser beam is going to shoot like a gun and do a lot of damage, is what I think, blind someone or burn someone and maybe far away.

Click to expand...

"You'll put your eye out!"

Things are certainly changing. The size certainly does. I don’t know about the price.

https://p-laser.com/products/portable

I wish someone could rent this to me in the PNW. Yards do not really allow blasting anymore. No matter of the blasting material. My boat’s bottom is a jungle. So many corners, angles, hard to reach spots. This thing could save me lot of cursing. Is it slow? Possibly. I would not mind to crawl under day and night, to get a nice clean surface with this.

We tested one at the shipyard I retired from

It comparable to roto-peening speed wise, slower than blasting, however we were concerned with the way it left the substrate, i.e. micromelting (on metal structure) compared to blasting. As to the coating, it is vaporized, depending on local regulations, would need to be permitted or captured. I would like to see a ton of testing before I used it on a fiberglass hull.

fletch said:

It comparable to roto-peening speed wise, slower than blasting, however we were concerned with the way it left the substrate, i.e. micromelting (on metal structure) compared to blasting. As to the coating, it is vaporized, depending on local regulations, would need to be permitted or captured. I would like to see a ton of testing before I used it on a fiberglass hull.

Click to expand...

My boat is steel.
Does micromelting occur a lot? Is it an operator problem, or the technology?

Shipyard perspective

We look for a very prescriptive condition on metal based on milspec surface profile, there are several grades which you can probably find on line, but we were concerned that the profile resulting from laser ablation would lead to problems respect to adhesion and longevity of the coating, without long term testing, basically not enough proof of product. These are warships, and we were looking to ensure at least a 14 year service life, with top shelf coatings, so the threshold of acceptability is quite high. I still wouldn't hit anything other than metal with it, without an ABYC or ISO cert.

fletch said:

We look for a very prescriptive condition without long term testing, basically not enough proof of product. These are warships, and we were looking to ensure at least a 14 year service life, with top shelf coatings, so the threshold of acceptability is quite high. I still wouldn't hit anything other than metal with it, without an ABYC or ISO cert.

Click to expand...

In my case, it is metal, steel all around. Obviously, I am not looking for perfection. If I could get 5 years out of a paint, after using the laser cleaning method, I’d be happy. I have to pull out the boat every 2 years anyway. This is an insurance requirement.
So, a touch up and inspection is due periodically.
If you say that the laser damages the surface enough to have the paint coming off very soon, that would be a problem, of course.
Warships are under a very different standard, obviously.