Rust is the natural enemy of metal, and no one knows this fact better than DIYers. Whether it's your latest creation or your favorite tool, we've all lost metal pieces to the dreaded rust. But what if there was an exciting way to literally blast away rust, paint, and any other coating in seconds? With lasers, all things are possible.
According to Popular Mechanics: "This amazing device is called the P-Laser QF-1000. Like its rigid-mounted counterparts, the hand-held instrument is meant for industrial applications, like preparing metal for robotic welding or removing residue from manufacturing molds. As such, it's very expensive: P-Laser told R&T that a low-power QF-50, with only 50 watts of muscle, costs 47,800 Euro, or more than $53,000 at today's exchange rate. We assume that's outside your tool budget.
How's it work? A P-Laser spokesperson explained that the system uses short pulses of laser light. When aimed at a metal surface, "the dirt layer and any oxides underneath will absorb the energy and evaporate." The metal underneath will not absorb the laser energy, leaving nothing but a clean surface ready for welding or painting."
