cross-posted from laser cutting community [email protected] : https://lemm.ee/post/896795

This was my first real dive into Arduino and multiple button mapping. It took a significant amount of trouble shooting and learning the software to get things to map to the computer action.

Gif of the action https://imgur.com/a/XI9KTeH

Prototype 1:Started this project before I had a laser cutter and had tried to just drill through acrylic. It didn’t work well, but it held my buttons during testing

Prototype 2 Still no laser cutter but I cut out using plywood worked much better for manually cutting out the holes

Prototype 3 Much better

  • MapleEngineerM
    3·
    1 year ago

    Sexy. Nice project.

    Did you look for a company online that would do the laser cutting for you. I had a couple bookmarked at one point. I’ll look around and see if I can find them.

    • Hypnotized@lemm.eeOP
      2·
      1 year ago

      I ended up going down a rabbit hole which ultimately led me to K40 laser cutters, which I ended up buying and starting a whole new hobby!

      • MapleEngineerM
        2·
        1 year ago

        Oh, cool. How do you like it? What did you pay if you don’t mind me asking? I’ve been considering getting a small laser cutter myself.

          • MapleEngineerM
            2·
            1 year ago

            I read that post when you first posted it. Thanks for the reminder. What can you cut with it? Have you explored the limits of what it can do?

            • Hypnotized@lemm.eeOP
              2·
              1 year ago

              I stick to mainly 3mm Baltic Birch plywood and acrylic for cutting. I have done up to 6mm. There are lots of things it can cut/etch you just have to be careful understanding what should/should not be cut. For example, vinyl can be cut but should not because it releases caustic gases that damage the machine and your lungs.

              For engraving there really isn’t a thickness limit, more just what fits inside the machine. I have engraved hardwoods, plywood,cork,slate, painted tiles,

              As a CO2 laser it cannot cut metal. It can cut clear acrylic and etch glass.

              • MapleEngineerM
                2·
                1 year ago

                Cool.

                I would want to cut 6mm Baltic plywood. The wall behind my desk is made up of Ikea MOPPE drawers of various types.

                I would very much like to take that down and build a full wall of MOPPE like drawers of various sizes and depths. I considered having the cutting done by Virtucom in Ottawa but never got around to it. I also considered doing it on my table saw but that’s a lot of dusty work.

                Have you ever tried cutting a PCB? I use red coated PCBs and would love to be able to cut them with a laser cutter. I’m not thinking the copper but the board itself.

                • Hypnotized@lemm.eeOP
                  2·
                  1 year ago

                  I think it would probably be worth looking into an 80w-100w lasers with larger cutting beds for you. There is a huge community around the Chinese Red/black style laser cutters that are a steps above the k40 but still significantly cheaper than other commercial/consumer models.

                  That will likely be what I upgrade to next.

                  I have not tried cutting pcbs with a laser cutter but I am sure someone has so the results are out there somewhere.

                  • MapleEngineerM
                    2·
                    1 year ago

                    I have actually been looking at those larger, more powerful machines. It’s a toss up for me whether I go with a small CNC machine of a larger laser cutter. I’m leaning toward to the larger laser cutter.