Fun from the Laser Cutter

[TLHarrell]

Figured I'd toss up a thread on here and let people see the random stuff I've been working on with the laser cutter. Feel free to drool, critique, add input, come up with killer ideas, ask questions or whatever you like. Digital fabrication is fun, and having this tool in my garage has been like a dream.

Custom case fan grilles
http://ubuntuone.com/1y4VHeIAbFHo4ksMXgdV6t

Jewelry display box inserts (black foam cuts like butter)
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/574905_467449689938580_100000206591738_107332858_1 176898122_n.jpg

Custom case badges
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/s720x720/422716_250929944984719_145363072208074_561764_1952 784572_n.jpg

LED lamp
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/226040_158969144180800_145363072208074_322070_3927 508_n.jpg

Custom engraving
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/293385_187614291316285_145363072208074_402627_1515 116957_n.jpg

Bitonal images (lots of dots)
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/223769_157079737703074_145363072208074_316895_1182 781_n.jpg

[Fuganater]

1 - Fan grill is epic. Can't wait to start my steampunk mod and have you do some grills for it.

2 - I want that lamp!

[SXRguyinMA]

that's some pretty slick stuff right there :D

I've been working on a design for a solder fume extractor for you to cut for me. Will hold a 120mm fan, carbon filter and an adjustable tube. Still working out the details. Sick work!

[blaze15301]

Everything looks awsome. Do you do custom work?

[Aldersan]

TL ONLY does custom work..cuz he's cool like that :D

[TLHarrell]

I am very ADD, so I'm all over the place with stuff I do. One day it's computer stuff, another it's sci-fi. I certainly can do custom work. Have done for a couple people on here so far. If you want stuff cut from scrap material I have on hand, the prices are dirt cheap. $1 for materials. $1.50 per minute for machine time. And, of course, you pay shipping. If I spend a huge amount of time designing stuff for you, I might have to charge. Most parts I've done so far are 5 minutes or so of CAD time, so no biggie. I'm not out to make a living at it, so I charge what I feel is very reasonable.

While out doing volunteer work today, I got word that my rocket lamp sold on EBay. Had a bid price of $60 to start, but somebody bought it out for $100. Score!

https://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_570xN.290233427.jpg

[blaze15301]

Would you ever think about doing a grill for a car? like this one.

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp190/blaze15301/GEDC0730.jpg

[crenn]

What are the size limits?

[blaze15301]

What are the size limits?

the grill in the picture i posted it about 2 1/2 feet long by 10 inches wide.

[Stonerboy779]

I would have an issue with having an acrylic grill on my car....

Nice work TLH

[blaze15301]

I would have an issue with having an acrylic grill on my car....

Nice work TLH

I thought he was cutting metal as well?

[Aldersan]

His laser cant cut metal

[NightrainSrt4]

Out of curiosity, how much did your laser cutter cost? Also, is it quiet? I keep reading they are quiet but they don't ever give anything to compare it to.

[TLHarrell]

Maximum size of my current laser is 9"*14". It will not cut metal. I am planning on building a benchtop CNC machine which will cut metal as well, up to 18"*30". The laser is fairly quiet. Loudest part is the stepper motors which create various tones as they move the laser head. Some parts like gears make for interesting little melodies. The support equipment is basically same as an aquarium.

[Kayin]

Cuts neoprene foam, huh? I could think of some great uses for that. Custom insulation for benchers, for example...

[TLHarrell]

I would have to take a look around for an MSDS for neoprene. Bet it smokes a bit. I ran some black rubber sheet once. Cut just fine, but I had to immediately scrub gobs of black soot out of the machine. Looked like someone lit a fire inside after cutting a 1" circle.

[d_stilgar]

You really have to be careful when you do anything that smokes a lot so you don't screw up the optics.

[TLHarrell]

The final mirror and focusing lens has a protective air purge, but yeah... nothing with chlorine in it (no PVC) as it'll haze the optics bad. Everything smokes to some degree. Not everything instantly turns the insides to black goo.

[luciusad2004]

I want to see a case build that looks like that lamp... Would be so nice.

[Fuganater]

I want to see a case build that looks like that lamp... Would be so nice.

Mini ITX build....

[x88x]

Mini ITX build....

Hells no! Giant server build! Just scale it up to ~10' tall! :twisted:

[AmEv]

RPi?

[xr4man]

what format of cad files do you work with?

[luciusad2004]

Hells no! Giant server build! Just scale it up to ~10' tall! :twisted:

Agreed I want it I be huge. I'd settle for a large desktop that fits on my desk but a server tack would be cool to.

[Fuganater]

Hells no! Giant server build! Just scale it up to ~10' tall! :twisted:

Would be nice but he can't make it that big :facepalm:

[AmEv]

Sections.... -.^

[TLHarrell]

@xr4man: I use Autocad for all my layout work. Files to the laser are .XPS formatted.

@luciusad2004: I can design and build cases from scratch, or mod the heck out of existing ones. Larger panels I can hand fabricate. Also, to use the laser, smaller panels can be keyed together to form larger ones. The size limitation is one thing I intend to solve as soon as possible... as soon as I can scrape together the money to build a new machine.

[Kayin]

Out of morbid curiosity, what's the smallest image that you could engrave with said bright pointy object?

My OCD has reached new heights. We should talk about that.

[TLHarrell]

A single low power/10ms laser pulse renders a dot about 0.001" diameter. As far as images, depends on how clear it is. I've done text down to 0.04", like in the upper right corner of the fan grill on the OP. Any smaller and it will start to run together. I may be able to slow engraving speed down and gain a little more clarity/slightly smaller features. Really depends on the material. If you've got something in mind, I do have piles of scrap around here to try it on. Paper, wood, plexi, etc.

Your OCD and my ADD will get together and make epic stuff.

[AmEv]

I challenge you to make somebody's face into plexi!



Seriously, though. Look at my window plans for ModCron. I'm going to need some custom curvage to fit it.

[crenn]

RPi?
Fun fact, when I was asking about size limitations, I was thinking about designing a RPi case for a certain project of mine.

[TLHarrell]

I challenge you to make somebody's face into plexi!



Seriously, though. Look at my window plans for ModCron. I'm going to need some custom curvage to fit it.

Link? I'd have to build a custom form and heat sag the plexiglass in the oven, but it's definitely something that is possible. A curve in one axis is easy to do. Compound curvature is more difficult, and may not be possible due to the material bunching up. I was thinking of doing some curved panels on EVEolution.

Massive deformation like making somebody's face would be very tough. Plexiglass wouldn't be a good choice.

[AmEv]

Well, the window itself is gonna stay flat. It's the curves of the edges that is going to be tricky.
Sorta.

[TLHarrell]

New tool I made. Custom fan templates. Now available on my Etsy shop. Covers cutout and screw holes for 80mm, 92mm, 120mm and 140mm. Also has ruler markings on the edges for 1/16", 1/10" and mm. I'm cutting some more on the laser now. I'll have orange, light blue, acid green and neon red available soon.

https://ny-image1.etsy.com/002/0/6622702/il_570xN.352595993_3amu.jpg

If anybody's interested, I could do these custom with your own name and logo on them as well.

[SXRguyinMA]

do want!! can you do one in green with my computers and circuits logo? I'll paypal you and you can throw it in with my other project :D

[TLHarrell]

Drop me a black and white copy of your logo to whitelightlaserengraving@gmail.com and I'll set it up. Acid green (neon)? Easy to find on the workbench.

And, you could do a review... :)

[SXRguyinMA]

what size do you want it? I can do it all horizontal (like the logo in my sig) or with the words stacked vertically

[Fuganater]

I want one. You can add it to my fan grills order!

[TLHarrell]

@ SXR. It will work better stacked. Make it big enough that the details show. I can always scale it down.

@ Fuga. Sweet. I guess I have come up with a popular tool.

[SXRguyinMA]

emailed over. I sent it as a .psd from CS3 :D