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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Karma :
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Posted: 22:05 - 20 Jan 2014 Post subject: Something to go with the 3D printer |
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In light of the relative success (and level of interest) of my 3D printer build 18 months ago, I've decided to have a crack at building a micro lasercutter. The chassis is lasercut on a larger machine that I have at work, and the electronics were ordered from China, which I've been waiting for since before Christmas.
Anyway; since stuff has now arrived, I'm going to start documenting the build here.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7340/12053479636_dbf28b4823_b.jpg
The bit that's standing on its end is the Y carriage, which the laser head will be mounted to. The small part to the right of it with the three vertical tabs is the laser module holder.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7297/12052923093_99294a7755_b.jpg
Y carriage with the laser module mount and the X motor attached. The metal tubes down at the bottom are the aluminium runners that will act as a bearing on the steel rods. Point of interest; the motors used in this are the same type that are used in CD/DVD/BD-ROM drives. The only thing stopping me from cannibalising optical drives for the parts was that many drives don't use the other motor frame layout that I need for the Y movement.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2874/12053214603_f80d78d866_b.jpg
Y carriage with limiting endstops mounted to it. These mechanical endstops are to signal to the microcontroller that the end limit of the motor travel has been reached.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5519/12053033005_4a7436ae4d_b.jpg
One end of the main frame for the lasercutter.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7336/12053640204_658d0e3a26_b.jpg
Almost-completed main frame - you can see the previously shown part on the left (or the right, can't remember which one I assembled first).
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3787/12056239366_58f2bb76fd_b.jpg
Completed main frame, with Y motor and steel rods installed. The warning slogan and name on the top is something that was decided upon by the original designer, not me. I'd have probably called it something sillier, but out of respect for the guy that designed it, I stuck with the original.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5473/12056223274_2d5afe067c_b.jpg
Main frame and Y carriage assembled. Hopefully, it should be a little bit more obvious how the thing goes together and operates now.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7399/12056266923_61079b1e26_b.jpg
Part one of the lasercutting bed. The tinfoil's not a sign of my impending lunacy, it's to protect the bed from the laser - although the module I'm using isn't strong enough to cut through 3mm plywood, it'd make a total mess of the cutting bed after repeated uses.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/12057353436_39e2e36612_b.jpg
Cutting bed fitted. I'll be tidying up the foil that's stuck to it when the glue's dried out properly.
So, that's it as it stands right now. Jobs that remain to be done are mounting the controller and power boards on the baseplates, wiring, and testing. Depending on how the week works out, I might be able to finish it one evening this week, although it's more likely to be after the weekend at this point. ____________________ '10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project |
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Screw Loose |
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Screw Loose Scooby Slapper
Joined: 09 Feb 2012 Karma :
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Posted: 12:11 - 21 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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Awesome - Commenting to subscribe ____________________
MBK Nitro 50cc -> CBF 125 <\s>
CBT: February 2012 - Full licence August 2013 |
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Howling Terror |
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Howling Terror Super Spammer
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Blau Zedong |
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Blau Zedong Banned
Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Karma :
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The Artist |
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The Artist Super Spammer
Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Karma :
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virus |
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virus World Chat Champion
Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Karma :
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Posted: 19:20 - 21 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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Another cool as penguins piss show and tell thread from yaself gerry, Im not jelous, honest gunv.
What bed size/depth of cut are you expecting out of it?
Cheers
John ____________________ own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance. |
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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Karma :
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Posted: 19:33 - 21 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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D'aww, thanks guys.
The laser module is a 300mW 635nm unit from here, so not particularly powerful; it'll cut paper and thin card, but that's about it. It should be able to mark plastics, but in all honesty this is more of a 'because I can' project than one with real practical applications. That said, I'm half tempted to do some business cards on it.
As for the size of the cutting bed; it's laughably tiny. I think it's about 50*50mm maximum, so not really all that useful. ____________________ '10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project |
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The Artist |
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The Artist Super Spammer
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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
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The Artist |
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The Artist Super Spammer
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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
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waffles |
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waffles World Chat Champion
Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Karma :
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Posted: 20:07 - 21 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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This is the start of your Evil Scientist phase, I fully expect to see a thread on the best way to harness electricity using a lightning rod on the roof and an expose on the most effective way of stitching body parts together to create new creatures.
Also, that looks incredibly cool ____________________ Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125 |
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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
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Shaft |
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Shaft World Chat Champion
Joined: 27 Dec 2010 Karma :
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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Karma :
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Posted: 19:12 - 22 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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Currently facing a bit of a dilemma; on the original build list, there were a set of LDO 5v regulator modules. However, I couldn't get the pre-made modules at the time, and since I ordered all the parts after a few too many beers, I've got non-LDO regulators instead. Do I just put on some bigger heatsinks, and put up with the slightly lower efficiency in power use, or should I go out and get some LDO regulators instead? ____________________ '10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project |
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WD Forte |
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WD Forte World Chat Champion
Joined: 17 Jun 2010 Karma :
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waffles |
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waffles World Chat Champion
Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Karma :
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Posted: 20:28 - 22 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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nowhere.elysium wrote: |
However, I'd love to be a deranged geneticist. For my first abomination, I'd hybridise a Canada Goose and a Brown Crab. Once I'd gotten the technique right, I'd then be looking at crossing a Chinchilla with a Mantis Shrimp. |
Oh, the humanity! ____________________ Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125 |
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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
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serlant |
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serlant Brolly Dolly
Joined: 06 Jul 2009 Karma :
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Sabs |
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Sabs Scooby Slapper
Joined: 12 Nov 2013 Karma :
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Carvel |
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Carvel World Chat Champion
Joined: 01 Jun 2010 Karma :
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Posted: 17:05 - 25 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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Interesting stuff as always ____________________ 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R, Cbr600Fs, Mk1 B12, Vfr400 NC30...
Matt B: I can deal with crushed nuts to beat Ollie. |
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nowhere.elysium |
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nowhere.elysium The Pork Lord
Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Karma :
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Posted: 17:39 - 25 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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Boom. Got more of the chassis build done today.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/12136076716_1b768f0503_b.jpg
Building up the vertical columns.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/12135677213_73b4c70053_b.jpg
Mounting said columns on the baseplate - the machine runs off an Arduino Uno, and the other board has the motor relays on it.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/12135403775_601ef5f5fa_b.jpg
Test assembly of the whole chassis. I've just noticed that when i took this photo, I'd mounted the upper deck backwards on the lower half, but it's not a big deal.
Things that remain to be sorted:
power regulator boards to provide go-juice to the steppers,
wire up and test the laser module,
wire up the motors and control board,
upload the G-code interpreter and have a proper go of it.
Serlant; if you could, that'd be good: I'm tempted to try out a few different heads on this, and see what lasers are best. If you're willing to send a set of blu-ray drives over to me, that'd be amazing.
Sabs: what sort of engravers do you use? I've got an Epilog Helix 24 at work, along with two LS1290s. Despite the much-vaunted American build quality, I've just had to rebuild, recalibrate and realign the Epilog yet again; I don't tend to get anywhere near as much trouble out of the 1290s, which are Chinese-built units. Not to mention the fact that 1290s use metric bolts, which makes things simpler.
WD Forte: the size of the PSU that I'm intending to use is distinctly smaller than an ATX box; here's a photo of it:
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/12136018053_2316dbd35e_b.jpg ____________________ '10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project |
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Sabs |
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Sabs Scooby Slapper
Joined: 12 Nov 2013 Karma :
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orac |
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orac World Chat Champion
Joined: 25 Sep 2011 Karma :
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Posted: 23:16 - 25 Jan 2014 Post subject: |
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why go to the expense you have when
https://www.instructables.com/id/Pocket-laser-engraver/
just mount what ever laser you like.
out of interest are the motors going to be micro stepped, controlled from h-bridges or straint drive from the ardiuno
also pie powered
https://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/5321
as for the regulators, why not build a couple of buck regulators if you are looking for effeiceny, you will be wasting more power than you have to unless you go that route.
some other suggestions of what can be used if we knew what current rating you require
i supose if you wanted to up the size, you could use old scanners ____________________ Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog" |
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Aff |
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Aff World Chat Champion
Joined: 05 May 2011 Karma :
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 10 years, 73 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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