CNC laser/router combo
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:49 pm
Hi,
after reading many posts and seeing all your beautiful machines, I would like to ask you couple of questions and to receive opinions on idea in my mind.
Seeing pros/cons/possibilities of both CNC laser cutter/engraver and CNC router it looks like a natural choice to have both of these machines available. Two independant machines mean twice the footprint and many doubled parts as they work on the same principal.
I was not able to find a DIY laser/router cutter/engraver combo. I am wondering why.
My vision is pretty straightforward - if you have fuctional Z axis, does it matter if there is a laser head or spindle attached? Or, you can have static laser head and working Z axis with spindle on the same gantry. Or, two independant X axis - one light for laser head, other sturdy for Z axis with spindle...
I doubt about these things:
- what controller can handle this setup (in order to have available vector laser cutting/engraving, raster laser engraving, fully working router)? What software?
- how to precisely align laser beam and router bit?
- considering the Z axis + spindle weight, will laser head move fast enough for laser work? Stronger steppers? Belts? Threaded rods?
- static spindle/laser head and motorised table?
Is it possible to build such working machine on DIY basis? Any conceptual problems? Any ideas?
qwerty
after reading many posts and seeing all your beautiful machines, I would like to ask you couple of questions and to receive opinions on idea in my mind.
Seeing pros/cons/possibilities of both CNC laser cutter/engraver and CNC router it looks like a natural choice to have both of these machines available. Two independant machines mean twice the footprint and many doubled parts as they work on the same principal.
I was not able to find a DIY laser/router cutter/engraver combo. I am wondering why.
My vision is pretty straightforward - if you have fuctional Z axis, does it matter if there is a laser head or spindle attached? Or, you can have static laser head and working Z axis with spindle on the same gantry. Or, two independant X axis - one light for laser head, other sturdy for Z axis with spindle...
I doubt about these things:
- what controller can handle this setup (in order to have available vector laser cutting/engraving, raster laser engraving, fully working router)? What software?
- how to precisely align laser beam and router bit?
- considering the Z axis + spindle weight, will laser head move fast enough for laser work? Stronger steppers? Belts? Threaded rods?
- static spindle/laser head and motorised table?
Is it possible to build such working machine on DIY basis? Any conceptual problems? Any ideas?
qwerty