40W 300x200mm Laser Cutter Engraver - Vollerun

[mnementh]

   So I felt a little Laser maintenance Guilt today...

Sweep yer floors, ya slob! That's almost as bad as my garage during the winter!

Neato on the workbed fabbery. Does make me miss my drill-press very much. 

mnem
 

[beanflying]

Today's job I have been putting off for ages due to a lack of 6mm Acrylic but two bits of 300x220mm (I had a bit to spare on the Y over the factory 200) Manually nested as I can beat the Auto one I have. Really low waste and very clean cuts @ 3mm/s. And this is partly why I like the fence on the pin bed as I know where the corner and 90 degrees is.

In this case the lettering was Vector Engraved and added in Inkscape as when I designed it Fusion sucked 'more' for Lettering.

What are they? Router Templates for doing corners in Timber with a flush trim bit. 2mm dowel pin holes are to keep them in place if needed.

At this speed it is a case of grab a beer and keep an 1/2 an eye on it. Time for another beer for the peeling 

[beanflying]

The Importance of adjusting your model to the correct kerf by one means or another 

I designed this ages ago to use up some Hardwood faced MDF core samples I got. Some dummy forgot to correct to my current 'nice' tolerance fit first before Laser Cutting. So some mechanical Kerf adjustment was needed during assembly.

https://plyco.com.au/pages/micropanel-products Tasmanian Blackwood veneer used below and definately no glue needed. Still have another 8-10 samples so model tweakage happening first.

[beanflying]

Needed to put the Honeycomb top in for several jobs including cutting some 100% Woolen Felt (WARNING some felts contain PVC which releases Chlorine Gas and a Hydrochloric acid  ).

Also took the opportunity to undo the 4 thumb screws that hold the adjustable bed in place for a clean (dwagon shamed). For me and for Brumby and others it sits on top of 4 bits of 3/8 All thread and is driven from one corner by the larger thumbwheel. While it doesn't give a lot of Z travel it easily handles from paper to 25mm+ or if I took the pins out on my bed closer to 40mm of total travel.

Removal vacuum and a wipe over and reinstall under 15 minutes. The Slotted holes make putting the 0-0 datum close to correct nice and easy. The larger washers shown are for tramming the bed close to correct as the frame is not square to the axis. Not really critical for a Laser unlike a CNC mill. it could also be done by dropping the belt tension and adjusting the screws but this works.

For the motorized option the belts, pulleys and motor will likely live under the Laser which sits well off the bench on adjustable legs. This will allow for easier mechanics and greater travel.

[beanflying]

So sometimes a project spirals out of control........

Several upgrades for this beasty coming up made me decide the V3 model of lest week and bolting bits to the current shell was going to run out of room or be compromised a LOT.....



So time to up the Fusion model to include the full shell and start fleshing out a 2020 sub frame for some of the following mods.

New Controller, stepper drivers and almost complete rewiring https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32985506173.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dzp0fm4 already arrived and waiting......

Adjustable bed (Z axis) was going to run out of space under the Laser or greatly reduce the travel available so the main reason for the new frame 

Benefits of the new frame the current external cooling water tank can be swapped out for a lower profile larger one that can fit under and likely also look at installing a 2-3 fan PC cooler to boost performance.

Extra Storage for the non used Bed be it Honeycomb or Pin or Vacuum ( project extension  )

Right now I am opening a second beer  and wondering  have I done to myself 

[mnementh]

So this is what... mods & upgrades to your smaller pre-built LASER cutter, right? The big one is still a WIP...? Making a frame and finishing the self-lifting bed...?

Oh, and I clearly misunderstood on the mess; I though that was the floor under your cutter, not the floor inside it.  I fully understand why that wouldn't happen as often; if you're going to be elbows-deep in its guts, you need to be doing something profitable, or at least fun... 

mnem
 

[Brumby]

By the time I'm ready to dive into my big machine, I'm going to owe Bean a few cases of brew for all his R&D I'll be snaffling learning from. 

(I've had a cost figure in mind, based on nothing more than "using the Force" and I'll be interested to see how far off I was with that ... and, no, I'm not going to embarrass myself by sharing that - not just yet, anyway.)

 

[beanflying]

So this is what... mods & upgrades to your smaller pre-built LASER cutter, right? The big one is still a WIP...? Making a frame and finishing the self-lifting bed...?

Oh, and I clearly misunderstood on the mess; I though that was the floor under your cutter, not the floor inside it.  I fully understand why that wouldn't happen as often; if you're going to be elbows-deep in its guts, you need to be doing something profitable, or at least fun... 

mnem
 

These are mods to this topics Laser. The big one is mainly without a space to build at present. Apart from holding off on buying the tube until I start I have 95% of everything else needed to build it 

Part of the reason for this series of mods is toward the larger one, same base controllers on both running the same much better quality software than current. Shared Lens Tubes and lenses. This one will be a very upspecced small Laser when finished. Even with the bigger 100W online one this one will keep a place for finer detailed engravings (100W is kind of like getting the Hulk to make fine China) and primarily clean work (paper, card etc).

Model under development is over here. Main benefit of a Cad model is not to create a new Laser but to model the bits that matter and cut once and know it will fit 

https://a360.co/3eHMIWt

[mnementh]

By the time I'm ready to dive into my big machine, I'm going to owe Bean a few cases of brew for all his R&D I'll be snaffling learning from. 

(I've had a cost figure in mind, based on nothing more than "using the Force" and I'll be interested to see how far off I was with that ... and, no, I'm not going to embarrass myself by sharing that - not just yet, anyway.)

 

I guarantee you the cost will be much closer to "Death Star" than that of Luke learning to use The Force. 

mnem
Unless you count Uncle Ben & Aunt Beru... 

[beanflying]

Think of the immense profits you can generate doing 'favours' for friends with your likely $3-5k USD Laser Death Star 

Todays test squares some Veg Tanned Leather off a larger bit of hide I brought. Strange material takes very little to engrave the surface so 15% power and lots of speed but then to cut max power and slow it right down due to the open fibre nature of the material.

Might be that for a compromise a fast Vector engrave of the smooth side for the shape then knife or punch the holes mechanically might be the better option and a better result to work with.

But the first project I will be cutting with the Laser. A simple scanned outline of the Axe would have done but it inrerested me as a challenge to fully model it as it curves in several different directions.

EDIT: About 20 minutes later with a couple of leather bootlaces from the kit Time to break out the Dubbin.

[Brumby]

Think of the immense profits you can generate doing 'favours' for friends with your likely $3-5k USD Laser Death Star 

Well, that covers the number I had in mind - but my hope is that it would be in AUD.

[mnementh]

   https://www.amazon.ca/YaeTek-Cobbler-Repair-Machine-Mending/dp/B07K46CJLW


Speaking of leather-working... I could have this here in 3 days for ~USD$107.00 

I tripped over the listing while looking for Feiyue RC car parts... no idea why it came up, other than it is also cheap Chinese metal-mongery.


mnem

[beanflying]

You are being ripped off at $100 USD  only $70USD in Oz eBay auction: #265024374226 I came across them looking at some Leather working tools. Interesting they seem like a good thing based on several Youtube videos. I still own two good Pfaff's with walking feet but they won't take really heavy threads.

So Mmm Fairly small and cheap and works well 

EDIT - consulted and broke open my piggybank - ORDERED 

[mnementh]

Wait... WHAAAAAAT??? Are you saying... I ENABLED the bean?!? And I wasn't even TRYING...??

Holy fucking ASSCRACKERS!!! Wait'll I tell Brumby!!! 

mnem

[beanflying]

Self Justification is easier when you have no SWMBO peeking over your shoulder  That and its fun to tinker with mechanical toys, already considering how I fit a spare Nema 17 and reduction drive to it 

Playing with the Sheetmetal environment in Fusion 360 is  and  all at once....

[Brumby]

Big  to Mnem!

Location is a half hour drive in traffic each way for me ... but, no, I don't want one.

[beanflying]

So something slightly random under the Laser today.

1/2" Tasmanian Grown Oak. In the past I have tried and more or less given up on thicker hardwood Ply but a recent video from Russ on youtube made me do it on my Toy Laser. The Lens on mine is not generally great at thicker materials due to beam divergence and a narrow focal working range but this worked out surprisingly well.

Raised the material above the normal 5.5mm focal point to just under 3mm and gave it a bash. Cleanest cuts as shown on a faster multi pass cut and I would still want to play before a serious job far easier than thick ply 

4 pass 10mm/s, 2 pass 7mm/s & 4mm/sec (just hung on a corner). The 4 pass cut is very clean when rubbed and would need minimal cleanup.

[PartialDischarge]

One question about laser cutters. I need to cut plastic sheets (200mmx200mm x 0.2mm thick) to get 100 small plastic cut shapes from it.

Since the sheet is so thin I'm just wondering if it needs to be put in between 2 glass panels to keep it straight. Any experience with this?

[beanflying]

No as glass will play havoc with the beam.

What plastic and is it a one off or an ongoing job?

On the assumption that the plastic is suitable you might actually find a benefit from adding a layer of paper transfer tape on both sides to reduce marking on the surface. This is the tape used by vinyl sign makers for aligning layers. I use it on some ply jobs to keep the smoke and particulates of the surface during cutting. The tape will also help give the material a little more bulk against being blown into oblivion during the cut.

Also even consider vinyl type cutters instead of Laser if it is an ongoing job or even a drag knife on a CNC would work.

[PartialDischarge]

No as glass will play havoc with the beam.

What plastic and is it a one off or an ongoing job?

On the assumption that the plastic is suitable you might actually find a benefit from adding a layer of paper transfer tape on both sides to reduce marking on the surface. This is the tape used by vinyl sign makers for aligning layers. I use it on some ply jobs to keep the smoke and particulates of the surface during cutting. The tape will also help give the material a little more bulk against being blown into oblivion during the cut.

Also even consider vinyl type cutters instead of Laser if it is an ongoing job or even a drag knife on a CNC would work.

It is polyethylene, and it is something that I expect to repeat. Also at first I need to try different shapes, thats why I'd like to have the versatility of a laser cutter, which I haven't chosen yet, but will do probably based on software usability, tired of bad chinese software.

I don't mind marking of the plastic, just that the cuts are all the same size.

I guess 10W..20W is more than enough for this?

[beanflying]

With power you will be running bottom end of whatever Laser you have and fairly quick so likely 20% of 40W would do you and plenty of speed.

Depending on the polyethylene being used it tends toward melty. PETG might be a better option depending on your final use and its available in thin sheet?

As far as the software goes the M2 and Scorchworks/Whisperer works fairly well when teamed with Fusion/Inkscape for the initial SVG's. Lightburn and a Ruida controller (preferred to the other Chinese offerings like Trocen etc) is a really good step up and that is where I am heading with mine. Even if you go cheap initially dropping a new controller into a Laser is fairly simple down the track.

[PartialDischarge]

Depending on the polyethylene being used it tends toward melty. PETG might be a better option depending on your final use and its available in thin sheet?

That is true PE melts quick but I can't change it, I guess a high speed will be needed then.

[beanflying]

I will give a milk container a wash and strip some flat panels out of it and have a play tomorrow if I get a chance. 0.5-0.6mm and I can take a look at the cuts under the scope and do some kerf measurements on some test squares to get a better idea at least for HDPE. Not sure if I have anything in the way of LDPE sheet to try low pressure irrigation pipe would be a bit of a pain and plastic bags/sheet these days are a bit of a guess