Ye Olde Rocket Forum

Ye Olde Rocket Forum (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/index.php)
-   Building Techniques (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6)
-   -   Home/Hobby Laser Cutters? (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=17044)

olDave 12-28-2017 09:39 PM

Home/Hobby Laser Cutters?
 
Anybody have any experience or insight into what sort of machine to look for?

I started to get all excited the other night when I saw some laser cutters available in the $100-150 price range. Then I looked closer and saw they only had work tables around 30x30....millimeters. I was hoping to find a 5x5 inch (or even 6x6) but it's starting to look like I am gonna end up spending $500 to 1K.

If that's where this is going, can anyone out there make some recommendations? (or some "stay-away-froms"?)

Feyd 01-02-2019 12:48 PM

I just bought an Eleksmaker A3 Pro 2.5W laser engraver/cutter
for about $300 and you can get them on sale for less. I've been
having a lot of fun learning its ins and outs.

ratchetman 01-02-2019 01:34 PM

Is it Dremel that's supposed to be releasing a hobby/craft laser cutting unit this year?

Les 01-02-2019 06:27 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Feyd
I just bought an Eleksmaker A3 Pro 2.5W laser engraver/cutter
for about $300 and you can get them on sale for less. I've been
having a lot of fun learning its ins and outs.


What can you cut with only 2.5W??

Feyd 01-02-2019 08:29 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Les
What can you cut with only 2.5W??


Up to 3mm at least. There's a form I'm on which discusses all this stuff. Benbox laser forum.

vcp 01-03-2019 12:08 AM

And of course there is the generic K40 - lots of suppliers on ebay but I can't suggest a specific one. They are cheap-cheap-cheap but what you get is surprising for the price. They generally work, but the included software is always crap. Tons of upgrade ideas for it by searching 'k40' on Thingiverse and Hackaday. Google 'K40 Whisperer' to get software that makes it work easily and immediately.

TNmike 01-03-2019 01:47 PM

Watched a video on the Dremel...thought OK, it should be fairly reasonable. $5K...not going to be in everybody's tool kit.

chrism 01-05-2019 09:33 AM

A lot of the laser cutters are spendy. Here is a link to an electronic cutter that may prove useful:

https://www.micromark.com/Silhouett...ic-cutting-tool

astronwolf 01-05-2019 09:57 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by chrism
A lot of the laser cutters are spendy. Here is a link to an electronic cutter that may prove useful:

https://www.micromark.com/Silhouett...ic-cutting-tool

I couldn't cut fins and centering rings out of 1/8" plywood with this machine. It is a good machine for what it does. I'd use one for cutting vinyl decals. But it's not a laser cutter, and it's off topic for this thread.

chrism 01-05-2019 10:02 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by astronwolf
I couldn't cut fins and centering rings out of 1/8" plywood with this machine. It is a good machine for what it does. I'd use one for cutting vinyl decals. But it's not a laser cutter, and it's off topic for this thread.


I posted the reply to show that this could be used in some cases as an ALTERNATIVE to a laser cutter. Please explain how this is off topic?


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:25 PM.

Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.