Hi there,
as mentioned in my "new member intro" post
http://www.buildlog.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2103, I’m beginning to plan the build for my laser cutter, strongly based on buildlog 2.x design.
I started studying all the drawings , using the openscad model from thingiverse
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:12864 to enlarge the cutting area. I would like to reach a usable cutting envelope of about 34x24x4” (z dimension is not that important to me)
the main doubts I have are the following:
1) machine dimensions: is 34x24x4” a working area which makes the machine “too big to be built”?
in one thread I read that there should be no problems to increase the 2.x design upto 30x20” - which should be the older buildlog (2.0? 1.0?) working area. In another thread (http://www.buildlog.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1622&start=10) user JV4779 says he scaled up his 2.x to 780mm X 430mm, suggesting to don’t go bigger because of the makerslide.
So, according to this, can 34x24” be a critical size for the build or not? My target is to have a bigger working area which can work on bigger material sheets - see also point 2 - and which can house both a 40W laser (I will begin with this) OR a 60W laser (it will be a future improvement, with all the related issues such as proper cooling)
2) standard material size: here in Italy one of the bigger laser cutter services (vectorealism) offers a 800x394 mm as the biggest workable sheet (wood / acrylic). Is this a standard dimension in the market? Because if the standard dimensions are smaller, I can make my cutter smaller, anyhow not less than 30x20”
3) space for laser: if i’m correct, the 2.x design can house laser tubes upto 750mm long and 52mm diameter. If I plan to be able to house also a 60W laser, how much space has to be left at the laser tube’s sides in order to avoid problems? (60W is quite longer than the 40W...)
4) motors: I would like to keep using the NEMA17 motors, planning to drive them with properly cooled Pololu stepper driver boards (A4988 based) . Is the NEMA17 Ok for the dimensions I would like to reach? or I have absolutely to use a bigger - NEMA 21 - stepper, so making the Pololu stepper driver undersized for the machine I have in mind?
Please note that I can have metallic parts custom cutted and other stuff 3D printed - such as the laser holder - if needed.
These are
all the doubts I have after some days of studying... of course any suggestion is more than welcome!
I think that's all.... thanks since now to anybody who can help me
, bye!
C.