What do you do when you have a project in mind that will require a lot of lettering but your lettering stinks? Well, if you don't know any better, you try and build something to do it that you don't know anything about. I started gathering parts for this several months ago, doing research, doing drawings and redoing drawings. Bought a little 2D cad program and had to learn how to use that, still learning BTW. After all that I decided to try and build a proof of concept, prototype, and learning project. This is the result, this video is not public and it's not very good but you should get the idea what I'm trying to do. I can see mad potential for what this may do for me on vases, ornament globes, rims of bowls, etc. etc. For now though, it almost works and I have some areas to redesign and make it better.

 

 

This is my first "successful attempt what I envisioned before starting this project. Not nearly refined enough and it's much too large for what I have in mind but it's a great start I think. Drew the scroll in Inkscape and turned it into a file my engraver can read. Still learning about all that as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

if you gave me all that stuff, i'd still have no idea how to make it do anything beyond just sit there and get dusty.  i'd have to hand letter it.

Having worked all my life in electronics and computers, I am intrigued by the laser setup. If you posted it before, I apologize for missing it.

 

Is the laser engraver a kit? It seems quite powerful judging from the distance from the laser lens to the work piece. 

16 minutes ago, lew said:

Having worked all my life in electronics and computers, I am intrigued by the laser setup. If you posted it before, I apologize for missing it.

 

Is the laser engraver a kit? It seems quite powerful judging from the distance from the laser lens to the work piece. 

Lew, this is the first time I've posted anything about it. It's not a kit but pretty much everything but the plywood for the chassis is off the shelf and not that expensive. The laser is a 3.5 watt ttl laser. Everything but a few hardware items came from ebay or banggood.

 

Steve

26 minutes ago, DAB said:

if you gave me all that stuff, i'd still have no idea how to make it do anything beyond just sit there and get dusty.  i'd have to hand letter it.

Dab, pretty much the same was true for me when I started, it's been a huge learning experience for me but I love learning so it's been fun.(mostly)

 

Steve

i'd likely just cut the cat in half (I'm kidding, i don't have a cat....).

Holy cow Steve...Does your mind ever rest? You come up with some of the most intriguing ideas and concepts.

Like Lew, the whole laser thing mesmerized me. At first it looked like only a single beam, but toward the end of the video it seems there were three beams???

Just curious, do you have to wear special protective glasses or clothing when working around the laser engraver?

The only things I see we share common in our shops for use or knowledge appears to be the WD-40 and TP cardboard tube.

yeah...i barely passed my one required EE course in college (ME degree), so my basic approach is plug it in, turn it on, and it better work.

8 minutes ago, DAB said:

i don't have a cat....).

Not any more 

18 minutes ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

banggood.

Wow, I had never seen this site. Thanks! Gonna share it with the Electronics Instructor at school!

1 minute ago, lew said:

Wow, I had never seen this site. Thanks! Gonna share it with the Electronics Instructor at school!

There are a few of them, gearbest is another though I've never ordered from there. One thing that's important to know. When a person orders, the stuff really does come on a slow boat from China. They allow as much as 60 days for shipping. With that said, I've gotten everything I ever ordered from them.

 

Steve

46 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

At first it looked like only a single beam, but toward the end of the video it seems there were three beams???

Just curious, do you have to wear special protective glasses or clothing when working around the laser engraver?

The only things I see we share common in our shops for use or knowledge appears to be the WD-40 and TP cardboard tube.

Hi Dave

It is a single beam, probably just a reflection or something. I definitely wear laser safety goggles when using this or my other engraver, liken it to a welding arc, it IS  bright! LOL, I bet we share more than WD and cardboard tubes. FWIW, I was practicing on those paper tubes before I put a piece of wood in.

 

Steve

WOW that is impressive.

Herb

Blue laser; sparks, smoke.   What's not to like?   Next video please use pitch pine.    (just kidding).

Wow Steve, you never fail to live up to my expectations for you!  That looks like it has unlimited potential.

Me, I am in the same boat with Dab...

27 minutes ago, Cal said:

Me, I am in the same boat with Dab...

You missing your cat too?

1 hour ago, Cal said:

Wow Steve, you never fail to live up to my expectations for you!  That looks like it has unlimited potential.

Me, I am in the same boat with Dab...

Hope it is not the slow boat.

Steve I buy a little stuff from banggood aslo and the prices are unreal, but you do need to read the description well. I am just not into that kind of electronics. Can't wait to see what plans you have for this machine. Guess the wife dosen't let you in the house smelling like burnt toast

Cool but way beyond my skill set.

10 hours ago, Gerald said:

burnt toast

Or burnt cat,

just saying,

Herb

11 hours ago, HandyDan said:

Cool but way beyond my skill set.

I bet not, if I can do it..... Besides I could really have used some of your skills and thought, I wish we lived closer. Checked with a local machine shop to have some aluminum face plates made to fit on my stepper motors. The cost was not out of line but it was much more than I wanted to spend. So, I bought a couple pieces of aluminum round stock and turned them on my wood lathe. Long, arduous process and I thought of you and your metal lathe more than once.

 

Steve