Changes

'''HAPPY LAZZORING!'''

'''HAPPY LAZZORING!'''

== Hot wire test for chlorine ==

'''The “Hot Wire” test to check plastics for chlorine (from the London Hackerspace):'''

1. Heat some copper wire until red-hot (do this for a while to remove any PVC that may be stuck to the wire from the coating).

Chlorine is a very dangerous gas used in the creation of many plastics (e.g. PVC). These plastics are safe until heated, whereupon they release toxic chlorine gas which is highly poisonous to humans and will severely damage the machine. The laser cutter will easily heat plastics enough to release the gas, so to avoid a rather nasty situation, use the following technique to test an unknown plastic for the presence of chlorine.  This is formally known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beilstein_test Beilstein test].

2. Apply the red-hot copper wire to plastic so that it melts a little onto it.

 

3. Heat copper wire until red-hot again.

# Heat some copper wire until red-hot (do this for a while to remove any PVC that may be stuck to the wire from the coating).

4. A green flame means that the plastic contains chlorine so do not use it.

# Apply the red-hot copper wire to plastic so that it melts a little onto it.

# Heat copper wire until red-hot again.

# A green flame means that the plastic contains chlorine so do not use it.