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HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

Posted January 02, 2008 8:44 AM

From Boing Boing:

Bilal sez, "I just made a laser cutter that costs less than 50 dollars. The link is to the instructables detailed description of it's construction. I hope this gives you hope for a city completely plastered in intricate stencils impossible to cut by hand."

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EnviroMan
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#1

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/03/2008 12:02 PM

Oh, YES - this kid's GREAT! I'm building one...

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Munky
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#2
In reply to #1

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/03/2008 9:01 PM

I don't know squat about "lasers" but I bet you could save a whole lot of steps and hassle if you modified an old bed/pen plotter.

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/04/2008 7:47 AM

No doubt - but I don't know how readily one could come up with one of those. I will see what the market has to offer...

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#4

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/05/2008 4:50 AM

Keep the children away from this, if you make one.

Don't get in front of the beam, or look into it.

Wear heavy dark goggles, while using.

Stay in one piece.....

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/05/2008 9:14 AM

The choir thanks you for the sermon, parson. Did I ever mention that my username is defined by my career? Environmental, Health, and Safety (ES&H) coordination. But I sincerely thank you for your concern.

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#6
In reply to #5

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/05/2008 6:56 PM

Hello EnviroMan,

"Did I ever mention that my username is defined by my career?"

Verb1.career - move headlong at high speed; "The cars careered down the road"; "The mob careered through the streets"

go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast"

Is that what you meant?

It is often difficult for students of English Language to perceive correct meaning.

From

Kind Regards....

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EnviroMan
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#8
In reply to #6

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/07/2008 10:10 AM

"...move headlong at high speed..."

Close enough. Still can't get over a chasm in two bounds... (Note: That must be from the OED for Great Britain; here, we'd say "careened".)

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#7

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/06/2008 3:48 PM

mW Laser diodes are fine and good for small things but I am looking into something a little bit bigger.

Anyone have an idea on a laser capable of cutting Obsidian (that nice looking black but brittle rock). It's for rock sculpting (precision computer controlled obviously, I am not going to be wielding a hand-held/shoulder supported version). I am also looking into Quartz (and perhaps even industrial diamond). The other option is some sort of fine powder cutting machine like a high pressure sand cutter, but being electrical I would prefer a laser if possible.

Obsidian is mostly silicon dioxide.

Just in the potential ideas stage at the moment. Yes I know it's a bit of a tall order. No the method of cutting/shaping has to be real (no phasers please). Anyone got any ideas or know of any links.

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#9
In reply to #7

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

01/07/2008 10:13 AM

"...a hand-held/shoulder supported version..."

Maybe not for YOU, but I'd like one...no matter HOW much trouble I'd probably get into with it!

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#10
In reply to #9

Re: HOWTO make a laser cutter for less than 50 bucks

05/16/2008 12:10 AM

All laser cutters work on the same principle. Laser generator ( a large one with colling arrangement is placed behind a flat bed. Laser beam generated is reflected through mirrors to the two mirrors mounted on top of an X-Y flatbed plotter. At the point where the centre of the pen plotter would be, another reflector mirror is placed. This mirror reflects downwards the laser beam. The laser beam is then focussed through a set of focussing mirrors to enhance the intensity of the beam. Object to be cut is placed at a fixed position on the bed. The laser beam moves in XY direction.

You can cut anything by controlling the intensity of the laser. It is not possible to infinitely vary the intensity of any single laser so laser of appropriate wattage range has to be selected.

Yadav Chandna

India
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Anonymous Poster (1); EnviroMan (5); jack of all trades (1); Munky (1); Sparkstation (2)

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