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Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:10 am
by Biotech1
Hello all been on this forum last couple of years. been building other projects and living life. Now I want to get into this finances is finally right ready to start building just have a couple of questions..?

1. Are kits still being made?
2. Which is better to buy from for lase US or China.
3. is this still a big thing or has it died out and people moved on to the 3d printer....

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:51 pm
by sshwarts
Hi and welcome. To answer your questions, no, there's no longer any kits. The originator of the design, Bart has moved on to bigger and better things. However, some of the members of the forum have taken on making some of the metal parts and selling them here. As for the plastic parts, a 3D printer can be utilized which you can job out easily on places like 3dhubs or makexyz.

While you can find some great prices from china suppliers on eBay for example, for most of the heavy lifting parts (laser tube, optics, laser power supply, DSP controller, steppers, etc) I bought from the US suppliers like lightobject, inventables, etc. While many of their components of course source in China, they stand behind them. For things like electronics power supply, switches, etc, eBay is great.

Building a laser is exciting and fun but also a good challenge. You want to eliminate as many, of what I call "ghosts" as possible. Many of us have chased problems for days just to find that the component we got for cheap was what we paid for.

A laser cutter/engraver is a different tool to a 3d printer so one doesn't replace the other. In fact, I find they compliment each other quite well.

Scott

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 9:23 pm
by Biotech1
thanks SShwarts.. So would it be beneficial to build the 3d printer first then the laser.....

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 6:03 pm
by rsm5178
I don't think Scott was steering you either way. He was just mentioning that you don't personally need a 3d printer to make the laser 2.x.

Like Scott also said, both of the machines have very different uses (additive vs. subtractive machining). It really depends on your needs/wants.

There is plenty of information out there on building both machines. There is much more information and options with a 3D printer.

Like your first post mentioned, cost is a huge factor. My printer was only 1/4th of the cost of my laser. This is probably why most people start/only ever build a 3d printer.

In terms of skills, both can be challenging in their own way. A lot of the skills you use to build/calibrate the first machine would directly translate into building the second. In my opinion, the first build is always the hardest.

Hope this helps.

My machine builds first to last: cnc router, 3d printer, cnc mill, laser cutter

Rich

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 7:40 pm
by Biotech1
LOL thank you rich well I have a cnc router. Just need that next project to take it to the next level I will be adding both just didn't know which order. Just need to find who selling kit parts...

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Mon Mar 21, 2016 3:32 pm
by Zebethyal
There are various threads in the Sources for Stuff sub forum regarding where people obtained various parts for their laser cutter.

There are also people who advertise in the For Sale and Wanted sub forum who are selling some of the sets of parts if you do not have the ability to mill/print the items yourself.

Building one of these laser cutters is still very possible today, you just need to be a little more creative and source the parts yourself.

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 6:54 pm
by Biotech1
I SEE THERE ONE OF YOU IN EVERY FORUM OMG :) wouldn't be asking the questions if i didn't look look at yhe days some post almost a yeat old people have noved on to others...I rather just biy yurn to make the parts myself....

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Fri Jun 17, 2016 6:46 am
by 3dtech
thanks for this information.

Re: Hello New Member From Kanasas..

PostPosted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:49 am
by kingsleytailors
My name is Scott, i'm new too in the forum