arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 With the laser, that is. Check out this selectively melted CD case. The resolution is set really low, since it was a quick test run, but you get the idea: [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KBLBjLNLuDM/UAJBh4K72eI/AAAAAAAACNQ/Zj_daod1fnM/s800/IMG_20120714_230238.jpg[/img] And this chunk of birch wood, 1/4" thick, engraved and cut. Fairly light scorching, which is ideal. [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XSalHL5uUFo/UAJBZHE2s9I/AAAAAAAACNI/ivNdlP3S1y8/s800/IMG_20120714_230248.jpg[/img] Overall it's running OK, but it still needs some alignment tweaks. Shouldn't take too much to get it working 100% accurately, and then I can begin the really fun stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 Oh, and I have got the Phatmass keychain set up for the machine as well, and tested it out on some scrap paper I had: [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QnAcTvcwrfU/UAJEKAMONHI/AAAAAAAACNc/MzIZPD2CwXk/s800/IMG_20120714_231616.jpg[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocent Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 The level of detail on the second one is pretty impressive. How does it work? You feed in the image file and the rest is automated? Is it connected to a PC and if so, how? Serial port? Paralel port? USB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Innocent' timestamp='1342326272' post='2455749'] The level of detail on the second one is pretty impressive. How does it work? You feed in the image file and the rest is automated? Is it connected to a PC and if so, how? Serial port? Paralel port? USB? [/quote] The machine is connected to a PC via a USB cable, and all control besides the main power switch and emergency override is handled by the PC side. A piece of proprietary Windows software drives the laser, and you feed it image data by "printing" to it via a virtual print driver. Your images need to be formatted in a special way before printing in order to use certain features of the laser. For example, cut order and power settings are controlled by the color of the lines in the image file prior to being printed. The control software then gives you the option of doing a raster engrave (the mayan calendar and the CD case were both rastered, although one was at only 250 DPI while the other was at 1000 DPI) or vector cuts (the Phatmass keychains), or both together. I found the software is fairly easy to learn overall, but is has some odd quirks and is not well documented. Edited July 15, 2012 by arfink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 This is just too razzle dazzle for school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Normile Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Really impressive work. Did you scan the calendar image and then burn it on the wood? This looks like it has infinite possibilites. What is the use life of the machine, is there like a rated amount of use that say the laser has before it needs replaced? ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Ed Normile' timestamp='1342327798' post='2455754'] Really impressive work. Did you scan the calendar image and then burn it on the wood? This looks like it has infinite possibilites. What is the use life of the machine, is there like a rated amount of use that say the laser has before it needs replaced? ed [/quote] Yeah, the tube has a 1500 hour life cycle I believe, minimum. That comes to about 3 years of heavy (though obviously not continuous) use, at maximum power. I tend to run much below maximum for most jobs. The mirrors and lens are rated for well beyond that, assuming you can keep them clean. The motors and bearings should last forever, pretty much. I have a 1 year warranty on the machine in case anything goes wrong, but the single most expensive part (the laser tube) is only $300 to replace, which for this kind of machine is quite inexpensive. OH, and I didn't scan the calendar image, though I suppose I could do such a thing. Digital cameras and design software are more to my taste for making or digitizing images. Edited July 15, 2012 by arfink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocent Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Great. Looks like they did a lot of hard work to make it as easy to use as possible. Any idea what kind of microcontrollers there are at the heart of this machine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 [quote name='Innocent' timestamp='1342336208' post='2455778'] Great. Looks like they did a lot of hard work to make it as easy to use as possible. Any idea what kind of microcontrollers there are at the heart of this machine? [/quote] Well, if I read correctly, there is some kind of beefy STMicro in there, probably 16 bit. An FTDI chip controls the USB buffer, and then there are just some simple mosfet H bridge looking things for driving the motors. The power supply for the laser tube itself is considerably more complex, but that portion is all analog, which makes it even harder for me to figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardillacid Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 badarse! I will definitely be ordering something from you, Arfink! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) So I made my first "real thing" today with the laser- a cross-shaped pin. It's made from 1/8" basswood. I also figured out how to clean up the burn marks without damaging the wood. I just put a little bit of that orange oil and pumice hand cleaner stuff (Fast Orange or Orange Goop or whatever) onto a toothbrush and start scrubbing, then rub it off with a paper towel. It works really well. Finally, I put some dark stain on the back of the cross, and glued on the pin. [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_9WWK81EMng/UALwtuawDII/AAAAAAAACOg/ilJKWGOEet4/s800/IMG_20120715_113138.jpg[/img] [img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Gca6gTDi9mI/UALw0wT-CNI/AAAAAAAACOo/WzTPW7VZW3o/s800/IMG_20120715_113148.jpg[/img] EDIT: I just did this really quickly today, working off an image I found on someone else's website. It was licensed creative commons, so I am free to use it though not for commercial uses, so I can't sell this exact design. If anybody really wants a celtic cross design I can make one of my own, but I was kinda antsy to just get this one finished up today. It took much less time than I anticipated though. Edited July 15, 2012 by arfink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xTrishaxLynnx Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 It's beautiful! I don't see any separations! - did you get the issue with the axes fixed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 [quote name='xTrishaxLynnx' timestamp='1342374511' post='2455835'] It's beautiful! I don't see any separations! - did you get the issue with the axes fixed? [/quote] Well, kinda. It's still there, but you can't see it on any material besides paper now. Also, I kinda cheated on this one- to make the lines converge better I actually intentionally set the focal length a bit short. That means the beam was set to converge to a point ~1/32 of an inch *below* the surface of the wood, so the lines would have a slightly wider kerf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xTrishaxLynnx Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Kerf is such a funny word. So, you wouldn't really be able to cut a piece with very intricate details on that setting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 oh, I definitely could, just every so slightly less. This piece is already very detailed. It's only 2 inches wide, maybe 3 inches tall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now