robonave

As a project with some friends we would like to make a CNC router for cutting wood and plastic panels, before we proceed I would like to give some thoughts at laser beam cutting. Is there a cheap and easy way to use them? I read of CD lasers but they seems underpowered for wood (maybe we have to cut up to 5 mm birch plywood) is ther any alternative solution?
Any advice ould be appreciated.

longdan

To do any kind of laser cutting, you really need a CO2 laser. They are complicated and expensive and need a lot of 'support equipment' in the way of gas handling equipment.
They are not really something you make at home, but don't let that put you off trying.
A cd laser has about as much power as a laser pointer.

If your building a cnc cutter, my opinion is to mount a router and use a cutting tool to cut out the pieces you want.
I would say - get the cnc bit working first, then look at different methods for actually doing the cutting.
Another thing to consider is water jet - works well for wood, and far less complicated than a laser, but more complicated than a router.

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

For the better part I have to agree with what Dan mentions. Is much cheaper and simplier to buy into some time at a local firm than to configure your home computer and adapt the effort there. I did some driving and telephoning and found a local "just over the hill" from here, that wanted time (and $$$) invested into his new and already modified machine. Cheap too.

Used to be a forum that dealt with converting a plotter in to a knife cutter for wooden parts, and one that had something to do with using a Sears flat router to carve up sheet parts. Both of which ways are $1000's less than what is being considered here. I used to be looking in to a huge flatbed plotter/cutter that had a knife cutter and was made for dress making purposes. But firm is now out of business. Another of which is considerably cheaper than what has been mentioned here.

Wm.

longdan

If you have a CAD program that you can use to draw the profiles you want, and are able to save them in .DXF format, then you are a long way towards saving money on laser cutting.

Basically, you could pay a laser cutting company to cut out every part for several hundred planes, and you still wouldn't even be approaching the cost of building your own laser cutter.
I know I sound like a wet blanket, but I do have experience in this matter. I work for an engineering firm and I place almost daily orders with a laser cutting company. I email them the CAD files I want and a few days later they are delivered by courier. I have used them occasionally for cutting plane parts and 'hid' them in other jobs.

I would love to see someone build a homemade laser cutter, and i wish you all the best in your endeavor. Keep us posted.

robonave

Sure I have the possibilty to output in DXF format but I do not think is that cheap to have laser cutting on demand particularly if you want to make only a few pieces just like me....
I will let you know news about our project!

A&MMODELS

Let me share my experience with a CNC router and Laser, four years ago I built one CNC router using my dremel and plans that I got from a place that they offer parts in order to build it, after some weeks I finished and the first tests were not good, these are the issues:
1. Too slow, it took me 3 minutes to cut one balsa rib.
2. You have to use too many programs and code converters to translate the CAD in to the G code that the steeping motors controller will use to move.
3. Must of the time you have to test before cut the part just to be sure that it will be ok, a lot of wasted material.
4. When you use a bit this bit will cut material that must be considered when you design the parts, in few words the piece must be half of the bit thickness larger and in the corners you will get a round finish.

After some weeks I decide to mount a laser in my CNC and again the cost and the weight was to much, $10,000 USD and the laser will be too big, then I started checking for a laser machine with two friends and I finally got one with 100Watts with a 24" x 48" table that has the perfect software and no more codes or special programs, just make the CAD drawing and cut, now I can cut that rib in few seconds and I can cut 3/4" basswood with no problem.

I hope this give you a better idea of what you will be your next step.
Regards

John Mason

My Feedback: (4)

I would look into the hobby cnc kits. I used one and built my own router that works great. I have about $700 invested. Thy have a support forum to guide you through the process. [link]http://www.hobbycnc.com/[/link] When you think about it you can cut 10 kits for people and make everything back.

dfturnock

John Mason is right!  Get hobbycnc eletronics, and get plans for the router from www.solsylva.com, or hobbyCNC if a smaller cutting area works for you..  My 24" x 48" Solsylva machine has been in use for about 3-1/2 years, with great results, an extended version of the 24x36" machine.  No burn on the parts to show through covering, no glue burning when cutting aircraft ply.  A 4" x 36" sheet of ribs takes about 3 minutes to cut, not a rib every 3 minutes  Never had an issue with innacurate parts, as long as the parts are right in CAD, they cut perfect, first time, every time.