I guess it's time I start my build log as well. Seems it's the latest thing to do...
I bought a chinese laser cutter from eBay, but during my search for information, I stumbled upon buildlog.net and wanted to build my own since it has a lot bigger work area than my readymade unit.
One thing I found was that Misumi parts are a lot more expensive in Europe than in US. The value is the same, but the currency is Euro versus dollar, making the parts about 50% more expensive in Europe, and that is before sales tax... I was in England for a few days this summer and had the extrusions sent to my hotel. This way I managed to avoid having to pay sales tax since I brought the parts into the country myself.
Misumi parts
Found a lot of missing pre-assembly nuts in the assembly manual, causing me to have to dismantle the frame occasionally to insert missing nuts, but finally the frame was finished.
After a trip to work, the kits I ordered from Bart was waiting for me when I got back home.
Bart must have used some old drawings when he made my skins, because the extra holes for the cable carriers were missing in the bottom skin. After I noticed that, I found from the drawings the distance between the two sets of holes, measured them up and drilled new holes.
I watched Tim's video on how to glue the rails and did similar. I used Loctite superglue, but I managed to get a tiny gap on one of the rails, but judging from other comments I think it won't cause any problems.
Didn't have much problems with the Z-lift, but I found it was easier to remove the Z-table to install the belt. Also had some problems finding out how the tensioner was assembled, as I couldn't find any drawings and the assembly manual only said 'install belt and tensioner'. I ordered some 1/4" honeycomb from EasyComposites in England so to be prevent trapped gases and smoke, I then got some perforated steel plate for the Z-table. Unfortunately, it's mild steel , so it was somewhat rusted, so later I removed it again and grinded it with an angle grinder and a flap disc(?).
I also ordered a rotary engraver attachment with shoes. I assembled it to find out how it would be installed. When using it, I plan to remove the honeycomb, so I need to modify the shoes a little bit, since they are meant to be mounted under the Z-table. Otherwise I would loose too much height.
Next came the laser gantry, but when I started to assemble the end brackets, I suddenly had a problem.
Woops, I had two right end brackets... I emailed Bart and he sent me a new left bracket, but so far it hasn't arrived yet.
Fixed up the perforated plate for the Z-table so it wasn't so rusty.
I used Edmond's idea for an interface panel plate, but I did a couple of changes.
I want to use the emergency stop not as a laser enable, but similar to an on/off-switch, so I plan to use an SSR connected to the emergency stop switch to control mains to the laser. I used my chinese laser to engrave and then cut the interface panel and then painted the lettering before I removed the protective paper.
Since threaded rod might not give the best result when using pulleys, I got some stainless steel rod and turned it down to a tight fit for the pulley and bearing. I also had some couplers for 5mm shaft already. I couldn't get 1/4" rods, so I got some 8mm rods instead.
Since I didn't have both gantry ends, I had to use a box of nuts to support the other end of the gantry so I could see how it looked.
The honeycomb came as a unexpanded block of aluminium.
I don't know what they used to cut it with. It looked like they had used a plasma cutter or acetylen torch to cut it, as one side was mostly fused together. This caused some problems expanding it until I remembered I could use an electrical saw to cut off the end. This made it a lot easier to expand the honeycomb. I used a piece of wood with nails and pulled out a part of the block, enough that I got enough honeycomb for the table. I think I managed to get it fairly OK.
Populated the interface panel and that's about as far I have gotten.
Now I need to start to install the electronics on the electronics board. I'll make a new back plate since I have a retinaengrave card and I don't want it sticking out the back. And of course, I need to wait until I get the end bracket so I can finish the gantry, install the belts and square up the gantry.
Stig