Another printer, or a 40W laser cutter?

I'm looking at getting either Folger Tech kossel kit, or one of those 40W ebay laser cutters.

I already have a printer (an i3 inspired home build), but I've been wanting to play with a delta for a while, and the Folger Tech kit comes with aluminum corners brackets and an inductive auto-level sensor. Seems like a pretty good deal.

On the other hand, I don't currently have a laser cutter. And while 40w won't cut metal, you can do a lot of cool stuff with acrylic and wood at the thinkness that those machines will handle.

I keep going back and forth on it. But in the end, I can only get one (for reasons of both space, as well as money). What do you guys think? Which would you do?

Would you have some further information on the laser cutter? For instance a link :-)

Regarding your issue: Owning a 3d printer already, a laser cutter sounds very cool.

If sheet metal was heated, Will that have any effect on cutting or not?

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3DS-QUAD
If sheet metal was heated, Will that have any effect on cutting or not?

... not enough to help cutting ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

I know this is not apart of the question you are asking, but have you considered one of those mini CNC machines. They go for about the same price as a typical reprap 3d printer, and can cut wood and probably metal.

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mardy3d
Would you have some further information on the laser cutter? For instance a link :-)

Regarding your issue: Owning a 3d printer already, a laser cutter sounds very cool.

Here is a link to the 40w desktop laser I was looking at:
[www.ebay.com]

It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect when you hear someone say "40w Chinese laser cutter". For <$400, it seems like it's worth giving a try.

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Mach
I know this is not apart of the question you are asking, but have you considered one of those mini CNC machines. They go for about the same price as a typical reprap 3d printer, and can cut wood and probably metal.

I've thought about that. I'm planning on building a lightweight CNC in the near future, but not right now. Definitely something I'm interested in though.

Question is: What do you want make with your collection of machines?

If you just want to play around with the next thing, then just get either or both, play and have fun and learn etc.

You might consider the CNC DIY milling machine now.
You could then use your i3 and that to make most every type of hobby DIY equipment.

As you know, there are great electronics and softwares to control all of these hobbies, meaning that physically constructing a design becomes the hurdle.

3D Printing and CNC machining give you wider capability and are great basic tools to start with.
You could make nearly anything at that point.

Dave

I have some plans for the CNC, when I get to it. But I think I'm going to build it custom, as a long-term project, or maybe do it as a "Can I do it with what's laying around my garage?" build, like my current printer.

I've thought about doing the same with a laser cutter. But for what I think I'd be able to build, it's hard to beat the price of that Chinese machine, as a turn-key package. I mean, those things have dropped in price enough in the last few years that you really CAN'T home build a desktop sized cutter for any less than those ebay machines cost.

Sure, they're glued together with a mixture of the blood and tears of the children working in sweatshops, most of whom have been blinded by years of laser test fires in an unsafe, unregulated work environment. But if you really have a problem with that, you'd better go give your iPhone back, because it came out of the factory across the street.

I would lean towards the laser cutter as I have heard that the metal corners from Folger are not sized right, requiring you to force the arms together.

Though I was thinking you could only cut upto 3mm thick with a 40W laser while most printers seem to be designed around 6mm walls. Also, how long would the laser last being that it is based on CO?

I thought 40W CO2 lasers were only powerful enough for engraving, not cutting?

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

I say get the laser cutter and then post a review here. At $400 (with free shipping), I'd buy one if it wasn't total junk.

As for cutting acrylic with a 40w laser, you should be able to cut 6mm acrylic with multiple passes. Exactly how many passes is the question.

... this cheap chinese CO2-glass-tubes are good for cutting up to 8mm plywood or acrylic ... with slow moving and compressed air to wash the cut, even more.

A friend cuts 20mm acrylic with 30Watts CO2, but with a professional Coherent, what's really a big difference

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Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

I think I've settled on the laser cutter, unless something drastic changes my mind in the next few days.

I'll probably order it next week, and do a write-up on it when I get it set up. I'll likely put in the laser cutter working group, but I'll also post a link in this thread, since that board doesn't seem to see as much traffic.