New Build Plan.
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 8:01 pm
I'm looking to build a laser after having built a CNC router with a water cooled spindle. I have been reading about the lasers from china but a lot of people are not very happy with them.
I tried to engrave photos by using Artcam Express and the router but it was very hit or miss affair, shallow engraving to one mm worked the best but some photos just would not work most ended up as fire wood. I have started to design my own laser but I may be over engineering it by using 16mm supported rails and SBR pillow blocks for the Y axis and 12mm for the X axis , I want you use belts to drive the X and Y axis but I think the weight that I have in the X and Y axis are going to be a bit heavy for the belts in any rapid movements so I may have to start again. Anyway before I get in further in the design, I would like some advice. The main reason I want to have a CNC laser is to laser engrave a photograph on to wood aluminium slate etc. just like I have watched them do with a Epilog Laser but that is way out my price range. can someone also tell me can I use mach 3 to control the laser I want to use the same type stepper motors and drivers as I have on my router, And far as I can see I will need CorelDraw or some other photo shop but what controller in the cnc laser will I need so that It will engrave as well as cut?
This is my first post here and I hope I can start a build on this forum if all goes to plan.
I tried to engrave photos by using Artcam Express and the router but it was very hit or miss affair, shallow engraving to one mm worked the best but some photos just would not work most ended up as fire wood. I have started to design my own laser but I may be over engineering it by using 16mm supported rails and SBR pillow blocks for the Y axis and 12mm for the X axis , I want you use belts to drive the X and Y axis but I think the weight that I have in the X and Y axis are going to be a bit heavy for the belts in any rapid movements so I may have to start again. Anyway before I get in further in the design, I would like some advice. The main reason I want to have a CNC laser is to laser engrave a photograph on to wood aluminium slate etc. just like I have watched them do with a Epilog Laser but that is way out my price range. can someone also tell me can I use mach 3 to control the laser I want to use the same type stepper motors and drivers as I have on my router, And far as I can see I will need CorelDraw or some other photo shop but what controller in the cnc laser will I need so that It will engrave as well as cut?
This is my first post here and I hope I can start a build on this forum if all goes to plan.