A Home Made Laser Cutter For $700

Although some respectable lasers are out there for under $400 USD, they are inclined to be a tiny compact. What if you required a thing a minimal nicer but didn’t want to bounce to the $2,000 classification? The reply for [Owen Schafer] was to create it with elements he had lying close to and a several strategic buys.

Whilst he was to begin with organizing on working with a diode laser, undertaking everything extra than engraving is tricky. He procured a low cost 40 W CO² laser tube, but it intended that he required water cooling, mirrors, and additional sophisticated things that a diode does not need to have. The body is aluminum extrusion held collectively with 3D printed plates. Offered there was a powerful laser bouncing all around with mirrors, a plywood box shaped the enclosure.

The stepper controller is an Arduino Mega managing the Marlaser firmware, although [Owen] admits potentially a laser cutter-distinct driver board would have been greater as he expended numerous hours seeking to get the Arduino to do what he preferred. Air air flow is a tube with a admirer that vents out a nearby window. H2o cooling is just a bucket of water with a pump in it. A uncomplicated nylon hose linked to a compressor with a highest airflow valve gives an air aid whilst chopping. Ultimately, we’re happy to report that [Owen] bought security eyeglasses particular to his laser to shield his eyes and investigated how to floor the superior voltages produced.

We notably liked seeing all of [Owen’s] check cuts. He proudly shown his containers, sharks, and lamp shades like any one with their new laser cutter is wont to do. If you’re wanting to improve your laser, there is an incorporate-on for detecting resources optically or a relatively affordable laser mattress you can toss in your laser.

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