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

  • 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.

          • Hypnotized@lemm.eeOP
            2·
            1 year ago

            It is obviously unique to each person’s use case but I have heard lots of anecdotal conversation around people getting membership to makerspaces to get access to CNC machines and end up spending the bulk of their time on the laser cutters.

            I am a hobby woodworker so I think a CNC would be cool, but spend more time wishing I had a bigger laser cutter than wanting a CNC.

            • MapleEngineerM
              1·
              1 year ago

              I have friends nearby who have a good quality 3D printer and a nice CNC mill. I’m heavily leaning toward the laser cutter.