We use cookies to personalize content, interact with our analytics companies, advertising networks and cooperatives, and demographic companies, provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. Our social media, advertising and analytics partners may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. Learn more.
It would be nice to be able to retro-fit a laser to the X-carve, but I doubt that Inventables will do it.
Not that they can’t, but the safety issues would involve a large change to the device and bring liabilities that are substantial.
I know that there are individuals that are already using an after market laser with the X-carve.
For the laser power levels used for cutting you would need to have a light tight enclosure for the X-carve with interlocks to remove power when the enclosure is opened.
Also, many materials produce toxic gases when cut with a laser, you would have to have some method for safely removing them from the work area. There are other smells/gases etc. that are not toxic, but would make a much better work environment if they were removed as well.
So, before everybody jumps all over me, let me just say that each person decides what risks they want to take in life and I’m not saying that this is the only way to do things, just from the viewpoint of a company these things would have to be taken into account before releasing a product to the public.
A 6 watt solid state laser is the strongest available to mount to the X-Carve at the moment. There are too many mechanical obstacles to mount a 40 watt CO2 laser to the X-Carve easily.
For me, the price of the cheap Chinese laser was cheaper than buying parts to make a higher wattage laser cutter/engraver.
Actually, I am going to use the new laser to make parts for a x, y gantry for my Jtech laser.
It is based on Mr. Beam http://www.mr-beam.org/
Lasers are like potato chips, you can’t have just one!
If you’re willing to do one serious modification, you can setup 40W laser equipment to back of the X-Carve, it’s matter of mirrors, not the distance. You can install mirrors to X rail then 45 degree angle to Z axis which will hold lens. All you have to do is, make Z stationary while operating laser. So how do you integrate Arduinos to Stepper communication, you start thinking.
Also, at that kind of wattage, you really want a laser-safety enclosure, with seriously robust interlocks. That much coherent light is rather dangerous to play with if you’re not excessively careful.
Well the software provided is not the greatest. It is sold as an engraver so the software is graphical based, not vector based. It works and burned a few pieces of wood.
Will not have much more to tell until I get the ramps parts for the upgrade.
