Laser
Our Laser Engraver/Cutter Area at Pikes Peak Makerspace (PPM) consists mostly of Level 3 equipment.
Additional PPM training and then PPM certification is required to use any of our Level 3 equipment.
Zing Laser Check-in and Reservations
Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.
Safety First
Members must know the following information:
- In case of emergency, call 911.
- Our physical location is:
- 735 East Pikes Peak Avenue
- Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- use this when ordering pizza or an ambulance
IN CASE OF
EMERGENCY
sign
PPM Fire Escape Plan
- Fire Escape Plan maps are posted throughout the Makerspace.
- There are 7 fire extinguishers on the fire escape plan map. Review the PPM Fire Escape Plan for locations.
PPM Emergency
Evacuation Plan.pdf
PPM Fire
Prevention Plan.pdf
PPM Fire Escape
Plan
First Aid
- There is a FIRST AID Supply Cabinet in our Kitchen Area.
- FIRST AID Kits are available in four areas: the Kitchen, Metal Shop, Wood Shop and CNC Room.
FIRST AID
Supply Cabinet
FIRST AID
Kit
Eye Wash Stations
- Emergency Eye & Face Wash Stations are mounted in four areas: the Kitchen, Wood Shop, CNC Room and Vented Room.
Emergency
Eye & Face Wash
Station
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Wear protective equipment in all Wood and Metal Shop Areas.
- Wear gloves when using Isopropyl Alcohol and other cleaners.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Hazardous Chemicals
- All hazardous chemicals must be stored in the yellow hazardous chemical storage cabinet located in the Vented Room.
- Review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) information of unknown products before use.
- SDS information is available via the QR code on the hazardous chemical storage cabinet or this spreadsheet.
- Do not bring dangerous chemicals to the makerspace.
- Spray paint, stains, and other approved items must be stored in the hazardous chemical storage cabinet in the Vented Room.
- Please DO NOT paint indoors.
Flammables Cabinet
in the Vented Room
Impairment
- The use of PPM equipment requires you to be alert, attentive, and focused.
- Do not use any PPM work area, or any PPM tools, if you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Classes
- The Zing Laser Certification class is offered on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
- If this time or date does not work with your schedule, please Contact Us
- Some instructors offer one-on-one training that we can help schedule.
- PPM announces its Upcoming events, including classes, on Meetup
Training
Epilog Laser
Zing Instruction Sheetv3.pdf
DO NOT cut materials with PVC on either laser, this will release chlorine gas which is toxic.
- ALWAYS ensure the work area interior and exterior is clean before and after your work.
- The maximum bed size for vector cutting or raster etching is 16” x 12” or less.
Laser Cutting Material Table
Laser Cutting Acrylic
The following pages contain historical information. The pages are provided for reference only.
Introduction to the Zing Laser
Equipment Lists
Zing LASER
| Picture | Item | Manufacturer/ Model |
Resources |
 |
zing 30 Watt
CO2 Laser Cutter/Engraver |
Epilog Laser
10000 Laser System |
zing manual (pdf) |
Equipment Reservations
- Reserve 24 Hours in Advance to Guarantee Equipment.
- Unreserved equipment is first come first serve.
- Reservations are given up after 15 minute no show.
- Use this form to sign in (No more paper)
If you don't have a reservation:
- Be sure your job does not run longer than an upcoming reservation or you are expected to stop your job.
PPM Benefits
- PPM members enjoy discounts at the following local merchants:
- (bring proof of membership)
| Company | Website | Benefit | Directions to |
 |
Woodcraft of Colorado Springs | 10% discount | 4438 Austin Bluffs Parkway |
 |
CO Lumber Specialties | 10% discount | 3636 Stone Avenue |
 |
GENERAL AIR | 10% discount | 3031 N Nevada Ave. |
 |
ACE Hardware Uintah Gardens | 10% discount | 1830 W Uintah Street |
- Map of stores that provide PPM member discounts
- Map of helpful local resources curated by our makers
- At home LightBurn subscriptions can be purchased at a discounted rate for being a PPM member.
- The discount code is saved as a Pinned Message in our 'laser-cutter' channel in Slack.
PPM Policies
Materials
- DO NOT cut materials with PVC on either laser, this will release chlorine gas which is toxic.
- Avoid reflective material. (Avoid cutting or engraving compact discs, for example.)
- Donate for "Wood Sheet for Laser" via PayPal: bit.ly/ppmstuff
- Or, leave donations in a black payment box, or use a QR code.
Red Tags
- If equipment needs repairs, place a Red Tag on it and report it via the Pikes Peak Makerspace Slack channel #red-tags-issues
- This advises others on the malfunctioning equipment and ensures that actions can be taken to service/repair the equipment.
Related Software
Design Software
Printing Software
- Adobe Acrobat
Member Showcase
Laserable Leatherette
by Debbie l Urquijo
(March 19, 2024)
Engraved photo
by Chris Stevens
(September 9, 2022)
Engraved journal cover
by Marvin Harrell
(May 9, 2022)
PPM engraved
Printed Circuit Board
keychain
Intro to Laser Cutting
at the MAC
(January 15, 2015)
- For even more member projects, visit our #showcase channel on Slack.
Hand-Curated Links
Links to member-recommended external sites:
- ImagR — Prepare your image for laser engraving
- Boxes.py — Cut out boxes and other stuff with a laser cutter
- MakerCase — web-based application for designing boxes
- Homebrew CO2 Laser Page — by John Doran (Epilog's VP of Engineering)
- Bell Laser — After market parts for laser machines
- Laser Research Optics — Alternative and cheaper sources of lenses
Additional Help
Links to related PPM Wiki pages:
- Use the PPM Slack channel #laser-cutter
- List of all PPM Slack channels
- Note that we have a Slack channel (#job-board) for members to post, discuss, or accept job opportunities either within PPM or from the community.
Search the PPM Wiki — include Content pages as well as Multimedia.
Contact Us if you cannot find your answer here on our Wiki or if you notice any information that is outdated.