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[MikeMcP]

hello
I'm Mike
been modelling beats on and off since the 1970's
just starting out on a scratch Clyde Puffer, based on plans from Model Boats 1980


but as I'm not very good with the modelling knife, I started by building a laser cutter :)


cheers
Mike

[Dave_S.]

Hi Mike, I'd like to read more about your laser cutter.

[MikeMcP]

Hi Mike, I'd like to read more about your laser cutter.

Hello Dave
bed size 500mm x 600mm
10W laser
3 steppers driving timing belts
Arduino, Protoneer and GRBL
hope that makes sense!


I'm in the process of writing it up as a series of articles for Model Boats
I'll post here when it gets published :)

[Geoff]

Welcome aboard, you will find the site very friendly and informative for all aspects of model boating.


Cheers


Geoff

[MikeMcP]

hello Geoff
thanks!
Mike

[Dave_S.]

Hello Dave
bed size 500mm x 600mm
10W laser
3 steppers driving timing belts
Arduino, Protoneer and GRBL
hope that makes sense!


I'm in the process of writing it up as a series of articles for Model Boats
I'll post here when it gets published :)

Thanks, some of it makes sense, the rest I hope will become clearer when I see in the magazine. Over 20 years I used to design bits of model aircraft using a simple 2D CAD program, but was limited to printing out the component onto to self adhesive paper and sticking to the wood, then cutting it carefully using a bandsaw. Considering how crude that was, the parts fitted together quite well.

[MikeMcP]

hello Dave
I'll expand that a little:


bed size 500mm x 600mm
that ones easy - it's how big a workpiece you can cut

10W laser
the output power of the laser
you have to be careful as some people quote an 80W laser
that's the input power - read carefully!
bigger = better = more £££

3 steppers driving timing belts
each stepper motor is fixed to the "chassis" and drives a toothed belt loop
there are two motors for the x-axis, one on each rail, they push the y-axis back and forth
the third stepper uses the same toothed belt and drives the laser carriage back and forth along the y-axis

Arduino, Protoneer and GRBL
Arduino is a tiny microprocessor (but you knew that)
Protoneer is a shield (board that sits atop the Arduino) - it drives converts the Arduino signals into the steps to drive the stepper motor(s)


GRBL is the software that runs on the Arduino
it takes simple GCode commands and sends signals to the Protoneer shield


hope that's a little clearer


all will be explained in the article(s)


cheers
Mike

[dodgy geezer]

...........Over 20 years I used to design bits of model aircraft using a simple 2D CAD program, but was limited to printing out the component onto to self adhesive paper and sticking to the wood, then cutting it carefully using a bandsaw. Considering how crude that was, the parts fitted together quite well.

That was how I used to do my EeZeBilts when I started.
Since then I have moved over to a CNC machine - milling head rather than laser - and a 3-D printer for the fittings. You can see the 'Free DIY Kit Downloads' on the eezebilt site - for example http://eezebilt.tk/OSAkit.html  Mike, you are welcome to download cutting files if any of the boats catch your fancy...

For boats I would think that Mike's long axis is rather short?  I use a 1m x 50cm one.  I got my eShapeoko from here  https://amberspyglass.co.uk/  The size is configurable - up to 1.5m. You put it together like Meccano.I would be interested to hear more about the laser head. I don't think my little Arduino Uno supports tool diameter compensation, so I mill with a 1mm bit to minimise error. It's fine for balsa, but it would be nice to be more precise in ply...

[JimG]

Built one around 6 or 7 years ago, 36 inches by 12 inches bed to allow for cutting balsa sheet for aircraft. Uses 2 steppers for the y axis and one for the x, I bought proper stepper drivers as I used large steppers and the controller came from China and is the same as used in some of the smaller commercial cutters. This allows for the use of some decent software to import dxf files and place them to maximise the use of the wood. I did fit an 80W CO2 infra red laser and this is supposed to be the output wattage not just the input, probably less as the Chinese tubes tend to give too high figures. For some good info on laser cutters check out the long running series on You Tube by SarbarMultimedia in some of his earlier ones he showed how to measure the laser output just using a measured volume of water and a thermometer, he found his supposed 60W tube was actually putting out around 45W. You can buy a proper measuring device to find out the laser wattage, it uses a blackened plate and the temperature rise in a set time.
Jim

[dodgy geezer]

..... I did fit an 80W CO2 infra red laser and this is supposed to be the output wattage not just the input,...
Jim

I'm interested in the (nominal!) 80w multiple diode lasers. They should be cheaper, easier to use, and fine for most hobby purposes....

[JimG]

Diode lasers are simpler to mount and use as they can be mounted on the x axis and move with the carriage thus don't need the mirror setup of the CO2 tubes. They can be limited in the materials cut as the diode produces a coloured light needing a suitable coloured material that absorbs the light, clear perspex won't cut with these diode lasers. Diode lasers also need special glasses as protection against any reflected beams, infra red lasers just need ordinary glasses or simple protective goggles to stop the beam.
Jim

[MikeMcP]

That was how I used to do my EeZeBilts when I started.
Since then I have moved over to a CNC machine - milling head rather than laser - and a 3-D printer for the fittings. You can see the 'Free DIY Kit Downloads' on the eezebilt site - for example http://eezebilt.tk/OSAkit.html  Mike, you are welcome to download cutting files if any of the boats catch your fancy...

thanks I'll take a look!

For boats I would think that Mike's long axis is rather short?

agreed but one of my design criteria - it has to fit in my office!! 

  I use a 1m x 50cm one.  I got my eShapeoko from here  https://amberspyglass.co.uk/  The size is configurable - up to 1.5m. You put it together like Meccano.I would be interested to hear more about the laser head. I don't think my little Arduino Uno supports tool diameter compensation, so I mill with a 1mm bit to minimise error. It's fine for balsa, but it would be nice to be more precise in ply...

I bought a LaserTree 10w from Ali-baba
they frequently have deals
I paid £132 for it, arrived within 10 days as I recall


the laser head produces a spot measured in microns, certainly less than 0.1mm
so I suspect tool-width compensation would not be necessary
certainly the first cuts I made - the ribs slotted onto the keel with minimal pressure - and stayed there when held upside down
so I'm pleased with that