Inexpensive Hobby Sized Lasers?

[Lollar Jason]

yeah 35 watts- maybe 30 watt minimum if you want to cut acrylic too- notice the 2.8 watt video above. You can certainly cut materials with very low wattage if you are willing to go over the cut over and over and over at very slow speed rates like they did in the vid. who know how many cuts they had already taken as the acrylic was already glowing!
Problem with doing that is any error will be compounded over and over and the finish cut can be funky.

[Rodent]

finally getting back to this ...

I have the El Cheapo cutting at last. There's LOTS to be desired in both the graphics tools (CorelLASER), nesting (order of graphic objects in imported drawing), and tool paths (no concept of direct route between graphic objects), but at $300 it's hard to complain too loudly.

The one thing I do find VERY annoying is how poorly the stepper motors track with the software when speeds exceed 100mm/s

So this is going to get me by into the first part of the year. Time to seek some funding in order to secure a used 'real' laser

[Rodent]

I cried 'Uncle!' on my cheap Chinese laser - too much frustration combined with too long to cut and poor stepper tracking left me needing a real solution for production.

snagged this 24" x 36" 90w unit this weekend



the cheap Chinese laser gave me an appreciation for what a better laser can do - faster, more accurate, and usable software interface.

I've already had a couple friends inquire about custom cutting widgets for them. I need to see how much downtime I'm going to have now that the bobbin cutting bottleneck has been eliminated.

[Lollar Jason]

nice laser! First one I bought back around 2003 I figured it would take three years to pay it off but it paid for itself the first year, just depemnds on how much you use it.

[Rodent]

I believe you made a comment in another thread about your laser paying off faster than originally budgeted. That comment was a part of my decision to go with a laser we could grow into vs. a laser that met our current needs.

We looked at an Epilog, but there's no way I have $27K in the budget for a 50w 18"x24" Mini. Glad we experienced a top-end laser, it helped in realizing that the included software was just as important as a solid quality machine

[WolfeMacleod]

After our HB bobbin mold is done, I migth end up savign up for one of these for $11,700.

RSLCM1325C Reci S6 CO2 Laser Metal and Non Metal Cutting Machine Servo Motor 1300x2500 mm



Metal-cutting. 150 or 180 watts. 1300x2500 mm. About as large as my car.

Rosegraphix has a smaller metal-cutter as well. Up to 260 watts.
Mid-Size MX-Series CO2 Metal/Non-Metal Laser Cutter Engraver

[Beef Coon]

Anyone have an opinion on this thing?

https://glowforge.com/?utm_source=fb...ing_order_page

I'm going to be in the market for a "cheaper" laser cutter at some point this year. Have been thinking I'd just keep my eye out for a good deal on a used 40 watt or something.... oops, saw David King posted about this machine already.

Anyone have any thoughts on something like this vs. putting the same $ into a used machine?

Thanks.

[kayakerca]

Anyone have an opinion on this thing?

https://glowforge.com/?utm_source=fb...ing_order_page

I'm going to be in the market for a "cheaper" laser cutter at some point this year. Have been thinking I'd just keep my eye out for a good deal on a used 40 watt or something.... oops, saw David King posted about this machine already.

Anyone have any thoughts on something like this vs. putting the same $ into a used machine?

Thanks.

Won't be able to offer an opinion until the Glowforge actually lands at the door. Ordered one October 2 and it is now (re)rescheduled for delivery for December 2016. Definitely looking forward to cutting ALL my forbon flatwork with it going forward.

[Mark Hammer]

You do realize there is a very decent public-access laser cutter at the Centrepointe Library, courtesy of the U.S. Embassy? My kid was using it a lot last year. They insist you take a safety course before they turn you loose. But after that, it's on a drop-in basis.

[kayakerca]

You do realize there is a very decent public-access laser cutter at the Centrepointe Library, courtesy of the U.S. Embassy? My kid was using it a lot last year. They insist you take a safety course before they turn you loose. But after that, it's on a drop-in basis.

Oh, you're just trying to make me feel bad Mark. ;-)

I wasn't aware there was a cutter in the west end. I'll have to look into that. I knew there was a maker space in the downtown area, but in my "twilight(ish)" years I decided I should spoil myself a bit and put a few more relatively eccentric toys in the shop.

[Mark Hammer]

Oh I'm all for more toys in the shop. I just figured that, while you're waiting for delivery, you could play around with what's possible.

[kayakerca]

Oh I'm all for more toys in the shop. I just figured that, while you're waiting for delivery, you could play around with what's possible.

Had a quick tour through the Imagine Space part of the website and gave them a call. I will definitely be dropping by and registering for the certification course to gain access to the equipment. Thanks for the info Mark. I'll have to get you to let me drop by and see your shop. Way over my head I know, but I really like seeing other people's toys!

[Jason Rodgers]

Won't be able to offer an opinion until the Glowforge actually lands at the door. Ordered one October 2 and it is now (re)rescheduled for delivery for December 2016. Definitely looking forward to cutting ALL my forbon flatwork with it going forward.

A little late to the game... Just watched the video for Glowforge. Cutting out simple bobbin shapes will be quick and easy, but the super cool feature of this machine is the camera/scanner that allows you to drop anything in there - a hand drawn sketch, a printed template - and it will "see" it and cut or etch it. Along with the ease of manipulating different common "lay" file types, even photos, it opens up the creative of use lasers to a wider audience. For guitar-specific examples: Want the family portrait etched on your guitar top? Done. Want your signature etched on the headstock? Done. Want ANYTHING etched or inlayed on your fingerboard? Done. Of course, this could also result in a flood of laser-ed things. It might cause an arms race of sorts, and it might make folks feel they have to get a laser machine to keep up with the competition. There are already a lot of products and crafts out there that are obviously laser cut/etched, but with the affordability of this machine, we'll soon see it on everything that's not nailed down.

[Rodent]

Update: I've been overloaded with orders, and haven't had spare time to fine tune the new laser. I'm having two small issues that keep me from going forward with this for production:

- I need to dig into the software settings to discover how to set the auto focus depth distance so that the focal point is properly positioned. The auto focus is very consistent with where it positions the focal point, but it appears that it's set for a 1" lens when I'm using a 2" lens

- I need to determine how to adjust the final mirror that points down into the lens to ensure it's in the center of the lens. it's may be there, but I did enough tweaking to the three main mirrors that I'm assuming it's off

Once these are done (hopefully this weekend) I should be set to let loose of my cheap 40w Chinese cutter and get to work with the new one.

[WolfeMacleod]

Once these are done (hopefully this weekend) I should be set to let loose of my cheap 40w Chinese cutter and get to work with the new one.

Keep me posted, you know I'll take it.