Laser Cutter

We are going to be getting a laser cutter!

Tetsu worked hard and started a Kickstarter project to get us a laser cutter for about $2000. We successfully pimped it out enough to get people to generously donate to our cause, and now we have one!

Currently, we're looking for viable cutters in our price range. The current ones we're looking at are:

CNCzone seems to be the best resource for info on this stuff.

Modification Suggestions

Our FullSpectrum 40W is far from perfect. Add your suggested improvements to the laser cutter on this list.

• Mount the parallel port driver board further back within the case
• Mount the Mach3 card inside the case, make cover for it to screw in the outside (with the laser cutter!?)
• Strain relief and longer USB cable (Chris has a 10 or 15 ft he will donate. Ferrite beads and gold plated.)
• Air pump (Mack getting this for us so ghetto-rig ShopVac can go away)
• Digital readout for power knob (Looking into digital potentiometer with readout!)
• Lid-switch should trip the system-wide cutoff, not just a computer control cutoff
• IR-sensitive webcam in the box
• Beam-split red laser upgrade to point where the laser will point (Chris will work on this as well as a laser to show where the corner of the piece will start.)
• More stable/level platform
• Locate more metal honeycomb without frame
• Millimeter (digital?) measurement tool on the side of the platform to automatically measure height of platform
• Laser-cut (58mm?) focus measurement stick
• Back-lit switches for the "Laser Power", "Laser Test", "Air Power", and "Light", so we know when it's actually on
• Shiny aircraft switches (Safety to keep from bumping), with led notifiers above
• Water pump flow sensor and light, integrate with Laser On switch to prevent operation if a problem is present.
• Knight rider LED chaser for when laser is active and lasing and dangerous
• Better interior lighting (possibly fluorescent bars and/or LEDs) to better light the work surface
• Possibly redo entire control panel with digital readouts and better (read: safer) switches.

Our Model

• Full Spectrum Engineering 40W Co2 Laser Cutter
  • 13" x 13" cutting table
  • 40w Co2 Laser
  • Water cooled (water pump provided with deluxe unit)
  • Safety Interlocks
  • Raster software and board included (with deluxe unit)
  • 2.75" vertical stroke
  • Air assist
  • Cutting software (printer driver, uses vector software like CorelDraw/Illustrator/Inkscape
  • Mach3 Control (provided with deluxe unit/RetinaEngrave board)

Uses

• Custom shelving
• Acrylic chairs!
• Benches
• Random professional looking constructions
• Wearable computing rig parts
• eyeglass frames
• laptop docks
• engraving ensignia onto phones and laptops
• super-custom made computer cases
• display cases
• any other random design pieces