So ... I've been itching to get either a laser cutter or a 3d printer, and I decided to settle on building a 2.x laser cutter -- mostly because I'd be able to build almost all of a 3d printer on one, but very little of a laser cutter on a 3d printer. I'll be building it over the next few months, and I'll probably pull the trigger on the first order of parts shortly. Each month I'll make another order as cash flow allows. Mostly I plan on using it to do precision cuts in light wood or plywood for various hobby projects -- electronics enclosures, robot limbs, some artsy crap, and I really want to play around with building my own remote-control airplanes. Most of the time I'll be cutting 3mm or less thicknesses of wood, but I want to be able to do 1/4" acrylic and plywood, too. From what I've seen, that shouldn't be a problem if I get a longer-focus lens and go slow and don't mind charring on the wood, right?
I've got enough experience with electronics that I don't anticipate any problems on that side, and enough experience with tools and such that I don't expect major problems from that side, though I have very minimal machining equipment. (Read: hand-tools and a radial miter saw.) That's part of what drew me to the Buildlog 2.x laser build -- it requires almost no precision cutting/drilling/machining, meaning fewer opportunities for me to screw up in a way that ruins materials and costs me money.
One thing I'm still trying to decide on is how big I want to make it. On the one hand, the standard 2.x profile is well-tested. On the other hand, I think the cutting area's a little dinky, particularly if I'm making airframe or wing parts, and the added cost to increase it is minimal. I'm thinking a 3'x2' laserable area -- do you folks think that'll be too large to align, or encounter other problems? Maybe I should just avoid buying trouble and go with the standard dimensions first, then upgrade later.
I plan on acquiring the parts in stages:
- Frame & Fittings -- basically, all the Misumi parts and the McMaster-Carr parts.
- Inventibles.com (mostly) order -- the makerslide and all the other bits needed to get the XY gantry going, along with the pulleys and belts and such.
- Motors, Drivers, and Controller -- FWIW, I want one of the Lightobject DSP controllers, but it'll probably be among the last parts I buy, since it's the single largest investment. I'll probably try to use an Arduino Mega or an Arduino Due to control it, mostly for testing, until then, unless I DIY a Mach 3 controller.
- Laser Fittings and Optics and Tube -- I think I'm going to go the HD-platter mirror route to save some money. I may split this into two orders, tube last.
- DSP controller -- as soon as I could afford it.
I figure I can do this in about 6 months and $1300-1600. Of course, that means it'll probably take a year and half and nearer to two and a half grand.