Hi,
I've always wanted a laser cutter but worthwhile models have always been beyond my budget. The open source laser looks fairly easy to build (especially with the kits) and is far more capable than the super-low end Chinese models.
I've been going through most of the material on the build to get a good idea of how things work before I start buying parts and had a few questions.
I'm not completely sure what is required on the electronics end of the laser cutter. From what I've seen the two options are the DSP and Retina controller. The Retina seems to have an advantage on the software end and looks higher quality but I have no idea how easy it is to integrate with the build since a lot of its configuration is preset.
The DSP controller has the nifty control panel and is much cheaper but I don't want to be left behind on the software front since both controllers are a major investment.
Has anyone successfully tried a retina controller with a diy laser cutter? How difficult would it be to set it up?
I'm also fairly confused in terms of stepper drivers since there are so many options. Would this work?
http://www.lightobject.com/New-version- ... -P274.aspxIn the new smaller build, there is talk about gluing the V-rail instead of drilling holes. That would save a fair deal of work so is that also a valid option on the larger model? Also, I haven't been able to find the exact part number of the V-rail.
I plan on printing off the bill of materials and all the drawings and working out exactly what I need so I'll probably have more questions later. If I can get this going I will try to do a comprehensive build log from the very start because a good step by step instructions would probably encourage more people to try this and if I mess up people can tell me right away.
Thanks,
Ryan